Cage The Elephant Sizzles at Pine Knob Music Theatre
Clarkston,Michigan- Cage the Elephant’s performance Tuesday at Pine Knob was a testament to their resilience and commitment to delivering a memorable show, despite frontman Matt Shultz being limited to a knee scooter due to a broken right foot. The band brought the heat (literally) opening their set with actual flames during “Broken Boy,” simultaneously setting the musical direction for a night of gritty rock and roll. Shultz, despite being unable to roam the stage as he normally would, was his usual self otherwise, channeling his enigmatic energy and emotion through his voice enhanced with some wild and entertaining gestures throughout the set.
While the crowd tried to catch their breath from the scintillating opening cut, Shultz and the band segued right into “Cry Baby” and “Spiderhead,” keeping the early momentum going, with the band’s tight musicianship filling any gaps left by Shultz’s physical limitations. “Too Late to Say Goodbye” transitioned into “Good Time” seamlessly, with the crowd now fully invested in every song. Even on the scooter, Shultz had his typical over the top stage presence forefront, making it clear that the heart of Cage the Elephant’s performance is more than just movement—it’s the raw intensity and energy they bring to each live track.
“Cold Cold Cold” and “Ready to Let Go” followed, with fans screaming along to every word. The hypnotic “Neon Pill” and the title track from Social Cues added a more subtle, introspective layer to the set, while “Halo” and “Mess Around,” brought back the high-energy rock vibe the band is known around the world for.
One of the night’s most notable highlights came during “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked.” Mid-song, the guitar cut out during the solo, prompting Matt Shultz to joke with the audience that it was “too good to miss.” In true Cage the Elephant fashion, they replayed the solo three more times, turning what could have been a mishap into one of the more memorable moments of the 23-song setlist. The crowd loved it, turning a technical glitch into as heard from a hard core fan,”a religious experience!”
Shultz’s injury brought an unexpected sense of vulnerability to the slower, more emotional songs like “Skin and Bones,” “Rainbow,” and “Telescope.” These contemporary cuts allowed for a deeper connection with the crowd, as Shultz’s heartfelt, emotional delivery compensated for his lack of physical movement. “House of Glass” and “Back Against the Wall” picked up the pace again before the band ended the main set with a smoking play through of “In One Ear” and “Sabertooth Tiger,” that had Brad Shultz and the rest of the band taking turns with the lead creating a frenzied atmosphere in the sold out venue.
For the encore, Cage the Elephant reached into their library for some of their most famous cuts. “Shake Me Down” had fans singing in unison back at the band, while “Cigarette Daydreams” offered a softer, more reflective moment that brought the fans back down to earth from the rock and roll musical rollercoaster that they were on during the one hour, fifty-five minute set. The night concluded with “Come a Little Closer,” that had Shultz pushing his vocal performance to the limit, closing out the show in a way the well traveled band only could.
Matt Shultz’s physical movement was severly constrained while on stage, Cage the Elephant’s setlist, energy, and connection with the crowd at Pine Knob more than made up for it, proving once again why they remain one of rock’s most dynamic live acts.
Cage the Elephant:
