Fusing elements of hip hop and American punk in a kind of new wave-nu metal, to the adoration of their scores of fans.
It’s the most romantic night of the year – Cage The Elephant are in town and bring the New York noise to a loved-up Manchester. First up are Girl Tones – a sisterly duo hailing from America’s south. They invoke the White Stripes, with massive fuzzy riffs and contrasting simplicity and complexity, which is just utterly charming.
Next up are NYC scenesters Sunflower Bean, who have evolved from indie upstarts into muscular rockers. They’re the real deal, channelling Lou Reed or The Strokes with leather, sunglasses and Fenders – the tunes back up the appearance too, as they rattle through a series of numbers which draw upon different rock influences. There is jangly indie, AM-era Monkeys leather jacket-style sultry riffs and a glorious finale of noise.
Before long, the main act hit the stage – striding on to a cacophony of feedback, walking in a sort of diamond formation, with frontman Matt Shultz taking the centre role. They tear into ‘Broken Boy’, with the gargantuan, fuzzy riff blowing away any cobwebs in the old building. Cage have a fantastic knack of sitting right on the very edge of utter chaos; reigning it in at the point where things threaten to fall apart.
Shultz is finally free of his injuries, having recently recovered from a broken foot and shoulder. He relishes his mobility, throwing himself around the huge stage. They fuse in elements of hip hop and American punk in a kind of new wave-nu metal, to the adoration of their scores of fans. They rattle through a show of hits from their illustrious career, with hits from 2024 LP Neon Pill filling a good deal of the show.
‘House of Glass’ is a high point, with tumultuous red lighting bathing the band and the audience for a brooding number. ‘Sabertooth Tiger’ is a thrashy number, towards the heavier end of the ‘Cage sonic space, with a black Fender crashing to the floor to mark the band’s exit.
The baying crowd demanded more, and Cage were more than happy to satisfy the swirling masses. Shultz returned with a handful of red roses, which he gleefully catapulted into the sea of people. ‘Cigarette Daydreams’ was, of course, massive and the band closed out the evening with ‘Come A Little Closer’, inspiring fans to clamber on shoulders, holding lighters in the air and through sweat on foreheads mix with tears on cheeks.
imagery: Tom Sunderland
