Staff Editor on July 20th, 2019

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At only Day 4 of “The Night Running Tour,” the explosive amalgam of co-headliners Beck and Cage the Elephant — with Spoon supporting —  delivered a night of non-stop star power on Wednesday at Irvine’s FivePoint Amphitheatre.

Not one to stay on stage — or clothed for that matter — Cage the Elephant’s Matt Shultz mesmerized the packed FivePoint Amphitheatre with his cohorts, kicking out a scalding 75-minute set. They’re touring in support of their 2019 offering, “Social Cues,” which features the R&B track “Night Running,” a collaboration with co-headliner, Beck. Over the course of the 20-song set, it was the antics of the Shultz brothers that affirmed Cage the Elephant’s place as one of the preeminent alternative rock bands of the 2010s. A consummate showman, vocalist Matt Shultz burst upon the stage enrobed in layers of clothing, gloves and accoutrements that seemed to disappear at the same blistering pace that he worked the stage and crowd — ultimately reduced to a nude bodysuit and his naked emotion.

Taking over as elder statesman after a spirited Cage the Elephant, Beck opened with his seminal 1993 hit, “Loser” riling the crowd to its feet once more. Beck maintained momentum with a set that included “E-Pro,” “Devil’s Haircut” and “Where It’s At” — some of the more powerful songs in his portfolio. Matt Shultz joined on the encore for “Night Running” and a final reprise of “Where It’s At.”

Austin-based indie luminaries Spoon provided support in what would prove a sprightly set, playing a collection of their greatest jams, many of which will be featured in their forthcoming compilation “Everything Hits At Once.” 

L.A.-locals Starcrawler opened with a frenetic glam/punk set anchored by the excellent fretwork of guitarist Henri Cash and, notably, the notorious shock-rock stage antics of frontwoman Arrow de Wilde.

Beck setlist: Loser, Up All Night, The New Pollution, Que Onda Guero, Devils Haircut, Black Tambourine, Wow, Girl, Mixed Bizness, Debra, Lost Cause, Saw Lightning, Dreams, E-Pro. Encore: Where It’s At, Miss You (Rolling Stones cover), Once In a Lifetime (Talking Heads), Good Times (Chic), Night Running (Cage the Elephant), Where It’s At

Cage the Elephant setlist: Cry Baby, Broken Boy, Spiderhead, Too Late to Say Goodbye, Cold Cold Cold, Ready to Let Go, Social Cues, Tokyo Smoke, Mess Around, Trouble, Skin and Bones, Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked, Punchin’ Bag, It’s Just Forever, Telescope, House of Glass, Come a Little Closer, Shake Me Down, Cigarette Daydreams, Teeth

Spoon setlist: Knock Knock Knock, No Bullets Spent, The Way We Get By, Trouble Comes Running, The Underdog, Hot Thoughts, Don’t You Evah, Do You, Inside Out, I Turn My Camera On, Rent I Pay

Photos by Annie Lesser