by photojournalist Dan Fernandez
If you would have told a young Dan that he would be photographing and reviewing a local festival that, along with the old Van’s Warped Tour, influenced not only his love for specific genres, but live music in general and the magic that it works to bring strangers together for a day of shared elation I would have told you to kick rocks. While I have had a few of these experiences in my career with bands who molded my formative years, this one hits a little differently. I have a special place in my heart for the 97x’s Next Big Thing (NBT) and always will. Now enough about me, let’s get going…
Opener one on the night impressed as the band Girl Tones electrified the audience with their chaotic, energetic and at times anarchic performance. Girl Tones is a lively rock duo featuring sisters Kenzie and Laila hailing from Kentucky and currently based in Nashville. The night’s headliners played a large role in the band’s early success as Brad Shultz of Cage the Elephant produced their first few releases under his label Parallel Vision. In their short time since formation the band has earned high praise from industry legends Rolling Stone, VICE and more while also being featured at festivals such as Lollapalooza and Shaky Knees. If these girls performance is a sign of things to come, I would highly suggest following them closely.
Dexter and the Moonrocks of Abilene, Texas, also a relatively young group who formed in 2021. The group combines elements of country and rock to create what they describe as “Western Space Grunge”. With a No. 1 hit on the U. S. Alternative radio already on their resume Dexter and the Moonrocks plan to redefine a genre and take the world by storm. Their eclectic approach to making music and down-to-earth vibes immediately resonated with the crowd as vocalist James Tuffs tossed a fan a box of Cheez It’s to a lucky fan riding the rail. Their following performance made sure that that enthusiasm remained. Markt it now, Dexter and the Moonrocks are going places.
Now for what you have all been waiting for, the 3-time 97X Next Big Thing alumni and true NBT Legends powerhouse band Cage the Elephant (Cage) returning to the event for the first time since 2011. Formed in 2006 in Bowling Green, Kentucky the group soon moved to England, settling in London in 2008 and releasing their self-titled debut album shortly after. This move allowed them to blend a bit of English flare and fashion with their southern American roots; it worked and the unique styling that was born from this decision transitioned into the fabled group that fans love today. Cage found success out of the gate with their first album generating multiple successful singles that gained them a growing following in both the U. S and U. K. markets. Their sound, influenced by classic rock, 90’s alternative, blues, punk rock, funk and grunge, with Nirvana and The Pixies being singled out as heavy influences, somehow manages to mold all those ingredients into something incredibly distinctive. The band’s current lineup consists of brothers Matt Shultz on vocals, who may be one of the most explosive performers that I have ever seen, Brad Shultz (Rhythm Guitar) who also exhibits incredible stage presence. It must run in the family… While Nick Bockrath (lead guitar), Matthan Minster (guitar, keyboards), Daniel Tichenor (bass), and Jared Champion (drums) fill out the rest of the fiery lineup. Cage has released 6 studio albums since their founding, all receiving commercial success, with the most recent release being Neon Pill in 2024.
As for their set, Man, oh man do these guys know how to put on a show. From the second the stage lights came on the electricity pumping through the venue was not just palpable it reached into your very soul. The mixture of a natural stage presence that cannot be learned, connection between the band members and the incredibly laser and pyrotechnic merged together to create an atmosphere that felt like more of an experience than a concert. Cage the Elephant’s vibrant showing, fronted by Matt, who’s frenzied dance moves channel a young Mick Jagger while his animated stage jumps and style mirror the punk rockers of the mid 70’s, seemed to build the vigor of the audience throughout the duration set. Cage’s set spanned their discography, containing deep cuts as well as fan favorites “Too Late to Say Goodbye”, “Back Against the Wall”, “Mess Around” and “Trouble” which immediately blended into “Aint No Rest” to great crowd reception before ending the show with an encore to write home about. The encore featuring “Shake Me Down, “Cigarette Daydreams” and “Come A Little Closer” complete with a pyrotechnic fire wall had the entire amphitheater out of their seats. After catching this performance it’s no wonder why Cage the Elephants are considered Next Big Thing Legends and rightfully so. I was a casual fan before, but I will one hundred percent be catching Cage any time they come to the bay area.
