Cage The Elephant Bring Down the House at Sold Out Brixton Academy Show

For the first time in five years, outspoken, former Leyton residents Cage the Elephant took to the stage in their former hometown of London.

Armed with oozing charisma and blazing pyrotechnics, the band energetically kicked off their sold out two night stay at the O2 Academy Brixton on February 17th.

First to take the stage was Girl Tones. Hailing from the headliner’s hometown of Bowling Green, Kentucky, the sister duo launched full-throttle into their set with unflinching vigor. Boasting in-your-face grungy punk bangers reminiscent of the best of 90s garage rock and riot grrrl, the boisterous energy of the two-piece was a perfect start to the night. Lead singer Kenzie Crowe is a force to be reckoned with, commanding the crowd as if it was second nature. Her sister Laila, the drummer, a stable backbone to the band. “Let the spirit fill you” Kenzie preaches as they burst into their fuzzy debut single ‘Fade Away’. With music best listened to loud and an infectious attitude the band are destined for greatness. Ending the performance with a bloody middle finger and a crowd full of new devotees, it's safe to say that Girl Tones took the room by storm - a perfect start to the night.

Next to perform was New York glam rock darlings Sunflower Bean.Taking to the stage in flowing fabric and platform boots the band are picture perfect 70s anemoiacs. From the first song the enormous stage presence of the three-piece paired with the soaring riffs transported the audience to the band’s psychedelic world. Bassist Julia Cumming often meeting guitarist Nick Kivlen centre stage, joining forces to demonstrate their power, instruments facing off dramatically while working in tandem. Being disciples of T-Rex and New York Dolls their learned prowess in the art of rock performance is apparent. They paid respect to those that paved the glittery path, all the while providing a fresh new voice for the genre. 

Finally, as Pink Floyd’s ‘Money’ came to a close over the speaker system, the lights dimmed and the members of Cage The Elephant began to take their places; the audience erupting each time until the six piece was complete. The stage was set ablaze as they launched into ‘Broken Boy’, not only by the sudden blast of pyrotechnics (which came unexpected due to the jazzy, lounge-style lighting of the stage) but also the group’s charismatic performance. It goes without saying that brothers Brad and Matt Shultz are renowned for their exaggerated verve on stage, and after recently getting over a broken foot, the younger brother wasted no time in making the stage his own. During the first song, Brad Shultz leapt off the stage and into the crowd, moving down the barricade and at intervals and leaning back into the crowd, letting them hold him up as he played. You could tell they were glad to be back. 

“It’s been about five years since we were here… We used to live in Leyton!” Singer Matt Shultz proudly declares to several hollers from the crowd. “We lived here when they made it illegal to drink on the tube. We were drinking on the tube the night the law passed” he continued. There was an air to their performance throughout the night that they were at ease in front of the London crowd - and this did not go unnoticed by their fans, who gave their all song after song.

As the set progressed there was no slowing down, the band pulling out their hits as well as cult-favourite deeper cuts. After recently being nominated for a Grammy for ‘Neon Pill’ and having won two in the past, they laid their stellar body of work out for the people, who hung on every raspy guitar lick and bittersweet lyric. The volume of the crowd represented a certain sense of catharsis, and nowhere was this better represented than during the bands aching indie ballad ‘Cigarette Daydreams’. The band revelled in the energy from the crowd - it fuelling their performance. 

The raucous response of the fans acted as permission - not that it was ever needed - for Matt Shultz to intensify his movements. Having regained the use of both of his feet he was almost feral in his movement, running from one side of the stage to the either, stumbling and contorting his body to the music. Stretching as if to try and reach the size of the whole room one moment, and sinking to the ground the next. The mic stand was a prop, an extension of himself; being thrown, held triumphantly and used as a stake to impale himself on. The effervescent nature of his movement proves that Shultz is as dynamic in his performance as ever.

Despite the band hailing from Kentucky, their sold out run in Brixton was a homecoming of sorts. There was a palpable sense of connection throughout the room - the audience an extension of themselves, a physical manifestation of undying dedication. Cage The Elephant are on top form with no signs of slowing down just yet. 

Eylem Boz

@itwslv

Image: Cassilyn Anderson

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