Andy Nacarro, Kelsey Lovell and Alex Popham. Photo: Logan Sorenson @Lmsorenson
Kids at the front of house, crammed up against the barricade, take selfies and make new friends in between sets. Photo: Logan Sorenson @Lmsorenson
The perfect selfie. Photo: Logan Sorenson @Lmsorenson
Bassist David Tichenor takes the front of the stage. Photo: Logan Sorenson @Lmsorenson
Lead singer Matt Shultz takes the stage last, grabbing the mic, pacing back and forth and staring down the audience as if to check if they are ready. Photo: Logan Sorenson @Lmsorenson
Holding nothing back, Matt Shultz blasted full-energy into fan favorites. Photo: Logan Sorenson @Lmsorenson
Matt Shultz, lead singer for Cage the Elephant. Photo: Logan Sorenson @Lmsorenson
Bassist Daniel Tichenor with instrument in hand, lit cigarette in his mouth. Photo: Logan Sorenson @Lmsorenson
Matt Shultz, lead singer for Cage the Elephant, stands over the crowds as they roar. Photo: Logan Sorenson @Lmsorenson
Playing at The Complex, Cage the Elephant’s is no low-energy show. Logan Sorenson @Lmsorenson
Guitarist Brad Shultz stands stage right and turns his gaze to his fingers. Logan Sorenson @Lmsorenson
(L–R) Matthan Minster and Matt Shultz. Photo: Logan Sorenson @Lmsorenson
(L–R) Guitarist Matthan Minster and Daniel Tichenor. Photo: Logan Sorenson @Lmsorenson
Matt Shultz of Cage the Elephant make eye contact with the audience as they scream right back at him. Photo: Logan Sorenson @Lmsorenson
Brad Shultz lets loose on his guitar and jumps on top of the speakers to sing along. Photo: Logan Sorenson @Lmsorenson
Guitarist Brad Shultz jumps in between the stage and barricades as he leans into the loving hands of the fans. Photo: Logan Sorenson @Lmsorenson
Lead singer Matt Shultz crowd dives into the supporting arms of the fans. Photo: Logan Sorenson @Lmsorenson
Kentucky rock band Cage the Elephant stopped in Salt Lake City on their tour for the release of their fourth studio album, Tell Me I’m Pretty, with the Salt Lake City suburbia–reared rocker Brogan Kelby and his supporting musicians.
The Complex filled in with crowds of teens and ’80s kids eager to hear “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked.” The summer heat of the evening made the lines to the water fountain long, and at the front of the house, people stuck together, mashed into the metal barricades.
Powering through the heat, fans cheered for Brogan Kelby and his band members as they played a mixture of indie pop and garage rock, sounding like the stepchild of Maroon 5 and OK Go. The Utah-raised musician captivated the audience as fans enjoyed the music and gestured to stage security for water.
After a short set change, the crowd was packed to the brim as one after another, the members of Cage the Elephant took the stage. Bassist Daniel Tichenor, drummer Jared Champion, Brad Shultz and newest member Matthan Minster took their positions, instruments in hand, as lead singer Matt Shultz grabbed the mic and stared the audience down as if to say, “Are you ready?”
Without hesitation, the guitars strummed up as the drums kicked into a familiar tune that had the fans screaming from the get-go. Moving nonstop as they played song after song at an energy level dialed to 11, multiple members of the band took to climbing the speakers, leaning into the crowd and finishing off with a lunging crowd surf by Matt Shultz.
With a lengthy set list and much-appreciated audience interaction, all audience members were dripping with sweat, their own or otherwise, and not a single fan had a second thought about staying for the loud, wet and amazing encore.
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