CAGE THE ELEPHANT
Cage The Elephant, The Met, Philadelphia, PA 10/25/2025
It had been five years since I last saw Cage the Elephant in Philadelphia for the release of Social Cues, and I’d been itching to see them again ever since. On October 25th at the Met, that long-awaited moment finally arrived, and it was worth every second.
The night kicked off with Bec Lauder & The Noise, a three-piece rock band from New York City that immediately captivated the Philly crowd. Early in the set, Bec shared that although her band hails from New York, she was raised in Philadelphia and considered this a hometown show. That revelation only fueled the audience’s energy. The highlight of her set came with “Nobody Cares,” a standout track from her new album The Vessel. By the time she left the stage, she’d earned herself a whole new group of local fans.
Next up was hey, nothing, a 20-year-old folk duo from Atlanta. Both singers walked out wearing Eagles jerseys, yelling “Go Birds!” a surefire way to win over a Philly audience. After some lighthearted banter, they launched into their comical yet catchy tune “Black Bear,” a song about fighting a bear that had the crowd grinning from ear to ear.
Then, the moment everyone was waiting for arrived. As the lights dimmed and the opening notes of “Broken Boy” rang out, Cage the Elephant stormed the stage. Frontman Matt Shultz exploded into motion with his trademark leap; a move he repeated throughout the night with relentless energy. The entire band matched his intensity, darting across the stage in a blur of sound and motion.
By the third song, “Spiderhead,” Matt was performing his signature spider-like jump, kicking his legs out wildly to the delight of the crowd. Mid-set highlights included Social Cues favorites “Ready to Let Go” and the album’s title track, both of which sounded massive live.
Toward the end of the set, the band surprised fans with their breakthrough hit “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked.” Mid-song, guitarist Brad Shultz hurled his guitar aside and leapt into the pit, mingling with fans as the crowd roared. They closed the main set with a blistering version of “Sabertooth Tiger,” but the Philly faithful weren’t ready to let them go.
After a thunderous encore chant, the band returned for four final songs: “Back Against the Wall,” “Shake Me Down,” “Cigarette Daydreams,” and “Come a Little Closer.” Each one was met with deafening sing-alongs and pure, unfiltered joy.
It was an incredible night; one that reminded everyone why Cage the Elephant remain one of the most electrifying live bands around. Philadelphia can’t wait to have them back.
Shot and Written by Jonah van Bemmelen
