By Tyler Whiting
With a queue wrapping around Wolverhampton’s Civic Hall, anticipation for American rock outfit, Cage The Elephant, is in the air.
The six-piece Kentucky band, known for guitar hooks, swaggering rhythm and alternative rock, are currently on their Neon Pill tour, stopping off here in Wolverhampton, celebrating their most recent album.
A Cage The Elephant gig is by far the best cure for these darker winter nights.
Girl Tones, a sister-duo from Texas, rocking drums and guitar, took to the stage first, with deep drum beats you could feel in your chest, and guitar synths, mixed with a mean rock pout.
They have a sound similar to Paramore, with a mix of high-energy rock, and alternative indie pop.
After only releasing their debut single, Fade Away, in late 2024, it’s impressive to see how quickly they have grown a fan base and cracked that individual flair that sets them apart from other acts.
The next act, Sunflower Bean, despite some technical difficulties, provided us with indie rock at its finest. The three-piece band engaged with the audience well: “Can I have some commotion for the boots?” and had everyone on side from the start.
Sunflower Bean had a good amount of movement around the stage and hyped up both Girl Tones and Cage The Elephant, whilst still promoting their own unique style.
Bursting forward with infectious energy, Cage The Elephant then took the stage by storm. Lead singer, Matt Shultz, began jumping around, leaning forward to tower over the audience, flinging his microphone stand around, giving the audience his all and still remaining perfectly in control; a true rock star and icon of his craft.
You can’t help but get swept up in it all: the bright lights, the energy, and most importantly the music.
With Cage The Elephant’s newest album, Neon Pill, released in 2024, after a five year hiatus from new music, it truly shows how much these headline shows mean to the band. All six seem totally in their element, with high energy radiating from each member, creating such special moments on stage.
Brad Shultz, Matt’s brother, is another notable mention—commanding the audience with his guitar—not afraid to jump around himself; climbing the amps to connect with the crowd.
The crowd was one of the highlights of the night, everyone was engaged and living in the moment, singing along at the tops of their voices, dancing along to each and every number, with a small mosh pit even being formed towards the end of the evening.
It’s nice to see a variety of ages in attendance, which shows Cage The Elephant’s variety and ability to adapt their sound for future fans and generations.
The venue size feels perfect, with enough space for a larger audience, without losing the feeling of being stuck at the back of an arena-scale venue—you really can’t miss out on any of the action here at the Civic Halls.
Newer songs were rightfully celebrated, along with older classics, Ain’t No Rest For The Wicked, and of course fan favourite, Cigarette Daydreams, which everyone sang along to in awe.
Neon Pill is a prime example of mastering your craft—taking time off from work, to produce something new, and exciting, while still having fans rooting for you; awaiting your return. The result? A thunderous headline tour that truly blows the roof off.
Photography & Text Copyright 2025 © Tyler Whiting/ADRENALINE Magazine. All rights reserved.
Chloe Morris 
Alisha Lawton