Review: Cage the Elephant Brought Raw Power to Hard Rock Live

While much of Miami’s attention was locked onto the Dolphins-Bills rivalry game unfolding at Hard Rock Casino on Thursday night, just across the way, a different kind of clash was taking place. Inside Hard Rock Live, the roar of fans wasn’t for touchdowns or interceptions, but for the explosive one-two punch of Soft Play and Cage the Elephant. By the end of the night, it was clear: this was rock ‘n’ roll at its most visceral, sweaty, and life-affirming.

The evening opened with Soft Play, the British duo formerly known as Slaves. For those unfamiliar, the band has long built its reputation on raw, unapologetic energy – and Thursday night was no exception. Isaac Holman, hammering away shirtless on drums while simultaneously handling vocals, and Laurie Vincent, thrashing on guitar, embodied the chaos of punk distilled into its purest form.

Soft Play’s set was a collision of noise, protest, and playfulness. With a Palestinian flag draped over an amp, their presence carried political weight as much as musical defiance. They stormed through cuts from their latest project, Heavy Jelly, and its companion, Heavier Jelly, proving that reinvention hasn’t dulled their edge. The crowd – many of whom were still walking in – quickly leaned into the chaos, chanting along to “the Hunter” and erupting during “Punk’s Dead.” For a band with only two members, they filled the venue with a wall of sound that felt far bigger than the sum of its parts.

They weren’t just openers; they were a spark. Their set established a sense of reckless freedom that would carry into the night’s main event.

By 9:35 p.m., the anticipation had built to a fever pitch. When Cage the Elephant finally took the stage, opening with “Broken Boy” from their Grammy-winning 2019 album Social Cues, the venue detonated.

The stage design was minimal by arena standards – a cubic riser for the drums and keys, modest pyro, and a set of lasers slicing through the air. But that simplicity left room for the band’s biggest weapon: raw presence. The lasers became a surprising highlight, punctuating choruses and breakdowns with a futuristic edge that gave the show an unexpected visual punch.

At the center of it all was frontman Matt Shultz, a rock star in the truest sense. Wearing a silky shirt and tight pants that clung tighter with every bead of sweat, Shultz commanded the stage like a man possessed. His movements – part Mick Jagger strut, part manic sprint – felt both unpredictable and magnetic. He climbed, jumped, and twisted, all while belting out songs with an intensity that never faltered. Miami might have been sweltering outside, but Shultz was the one bringing the heat inside Hard Rock Live.

Backing him was a band as tight as they’ve ever been. Guitarists Nick Bockrath and Matthan Minster volleyed riffs back and forth, while Brad Shultz added rhythm guitar energy to the mix. Daniel Tichenor’s basslines rumbled through the floorboards, and Jared Champion kept the heartbeat steady on drums. Together, they struck a balance between arena spectacle and bar-band grit – a blend few modern acts can pull off.

Though the tour is named after their new album Neon Pill, the setlist leaned more toward a career-spanning celebration. Fans got a taste of the new with the title track and “Good Time,” but the band spent much of the night dipping into older material. The seamless transitions between eras highlighted just how consistent Cage the Elephant has been across six albums.

The crowd lost its collective mind when Tell Me I’m Pretty’s “Trouble” bled straight into the band’s breakout hit “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked.” The moment was both nostalgic and electric, a reminder of how far they’ve come since their 2008 debut. Later, when the opening chords of Melophobia’s “Come a Little Closer” rang out, the singalong was deafening. And of course, the night closed with “Cigarette Daydreams,” a ballad that has transcended the band itself to become a generational anthem.

Phones lit up like stars in the darkened venue during “Telescope,” but for much of the show, the crowd seemed too wrapped up in the moment to retreat behind screens. This wasn’t passive listening – it was communal release.

What stood out most wasn’t just the songs, but the atmosphere. The crowd skewed older, but the presence of families and younger fans suggested Cage the Elephant’s music has managed to leap across generational gaps. Rock, in Miami at least, isn’t dead – it’s thriving when bands like this come through town.

Unlike pop stars who rely on spectacle or DJs who lean on drops, Cage the Elephant reminded everyone what pure performance looks like. No excessive stage tricks, no over-engineering – just a band locking in with a crowd, sweating it out together, and letting the music speak louder than anything else.

By the end of the night, Hard Rock Live wasn’t just a venue – it felt like a cathedral for rock ‘n’ roll. Cage the Elephant didn’t reinvent themselves, nor did they need to. They simply reminded Miami, and anyone lucky enough to be in the room, why they’re still one of America’s most electrifying live acts.

After watching this show, we’re not surprised that the Gallagher brothers chose the group to open for them on the Oasis stadium tour shows in the U.S.

If the Neon Pill tour rolls through your city, don’t think twice. Buy the ticket. Step inside. Leave your expectations at the door. Cage the Elephant will do the rest.