On Saturday night McMenamin’s Edgefield venue hosted a stacked triple bill featuring Cage The Elephant, Portugal. The Man (the self-proclaimed “Lords of Portland”) and Twin Peaks. Held a few days after the summer equinox, all three bands were able to finish their performances before the sun had completely set, which conveniently complied with the venue’s 10 p.m. curfew.
Cage The Elephant is touring in support of its 2015 album, Tell Me I’m Pretty, produced by Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys. For the entirety of the performance, singer Matt Shultz jumped around the stage and involved the crowd while brother Brad Shultz (guitar), Daniel Tichenor (bass), Nick Bothrack (guitar), Jared Champion (drums) and former Portland resident Matthan Minster provided a thick sound tapestry, making the expansive lawns of the Edgefield feel like a much more intimate space.
Check out our Q&A with Cage The Elephant guitarist Brad Shultz here.
The thumping bass of “Aberdeen,” the slick power of “Ain’t No Rest For The Wicked,” the gentleness of “Cigarette Daydreams” and the sing-along chorus of “Mess Around” showed Cage The Elephant’s versatility and its willingness to act more crazily than the whole audience. The show ended with Matt Shultz jumping over the security barrier to crowd surf while still singing, showing the strength of his vocals and his passion to deliver a show worthy of the ticket price.
Portugal. The Man entered the stage after being introduced by a hype man as “the only Lords of Portland” before beginning a set that featured an array of the band’s biggest hits. It also allowed space to sneak in instrumental covers of Outkast’s “So Fresh, So Clean,” and the Beatles’ “I Want You (She’s So Heavy).” The Portland natives put on a powerful show that felt as much like a Portugal. The Man-headlining concert as a Cage The Elephant show, much to the delight of the crowd.
Twin Peaks from Chicago began the show with a 30-minute set. The mellow rock added a nice introduction to Portugal. The Man’s set, as the two groups both similarly have the tendency to let songs explode into extended jams. Twin Peaks finished with a jam that elevated to a flurry of sound. After the show, drummer Connor Brodner tossed his water bottle to the crowd, and in response, guitarist Clay Frankel ripped of his shirt and tossed it to a collection of screaming girls in the front row.
Matt Shultz of Cage The Elephant screams to the front row during a performance at McMenamin’s Edgefield on Sat. June 18. (Craig Wright/Emerald)
Rhythm guitarist Brad Shultz of Cage The Elephant performs at McMenamin’s Edgefield on Sat. June 18. (Craig Wright/Emerald)
Lead guitarist Nick Bockrath and singer Matt Shultz of Cage The Elephant perform at McMenamin’s Edgefield on Sat. June 18. (Craig Wright/Emerald).
Matt Shultz dances during a performance at McMenamin’s Edgefield on Sat. June 18. (Craig Wright/Emerald)
Daniel Tichenor plays a bouncing bass line on “Aberdeen” at McMenamin’s Edgefield on Sat. June 18. (Craig Wright/Emerald)
Brothers Matt and Brad Shultz talk between songs during a performance at McMenamin’s Edgefield on Sat. June 18. (Craig Wright/Emerald)
Matt Shultz flips his hair during a performance at McMenamin’s Edgefield on Sat. June 18. (Craig Wright/Emerald)
Guitarist Brad Shultz screams while playing guitar during a performance at McMenamin’s Edgefield on Sat. June 18. (Craig Wright/Emerald)
Cage The Elephant guitarist Nick Bockrath solos during a performance at McMenamin’s Edgefield on Sat. June 18.(Craig Wright/Emerald)
Cage the Elephant drummer Jared Champion plays during a performance at McMenamin’s Edgefield on Sat. June 18. (Craig Wright/Emerald)
Cage The Elephant singer Matt Shultz uses his endless energy to entertain the crowd during a performance at McMenamin’s Edgefield on Sat. June 18. (Craig Wright/Emerald)
Daniel Tichenor (bass, left) and Nick Bockrath (guitar) meet at the left side of the stage during a performance at McMenamin’s Edgefield on Sat. June 18. (Craig Wright/Emerald)
Matt Shultz carries the microphone stand during a performance at McMenamin’s Edgefield on Sat. June 18. (Craig Wright/Emerald)
Keyboardist Matthen Minster grabs the microphone during a performance at McMenamin’s Edgefield on Sat. June 18. Minster was a Portland resident for ten years. (Craig Wright/Emerald)
Portugal. The Man was introduced as the “only Lords of Portland.” (Craig Wright/Emerald)
Portugal. The Man singer and guitarist John Gourley plays his pink Stratocaster during the band’s hometown set in Portland. (Craig Wright/Emerald)
Aaron Steel plays drums during Portugal. The Man’s set at McMenamin’s Edgefield on Sat. June 18.(Craig Wright/Emerald)
Zach Carothers plays bass during Portugal. The Man’s set at McMenamin’s Edgefield on Sat. June 18. (Craig Wright/Emerald)
Keyboardist Kyle O’Quin during Portugal. The Man’s set at McMenamin’s Edgefield on Sat. June 18. (Craig Wright/Emerald)
Zoe Manville provides backing vocals during Portugal. The Man’s set at McMenamin’s Edgefield on Sat. June 18. (Craig Wright/Emerald)
Guitarist Eric Howk played guitar from a wheelchair during Portugal. The Man’s set at McMenamin’s Edgefield on Sat. June 18. (Craig Wright/Emerald)
Watch the video for Cage The Elephant’s “Trouble” below.
