Cage The Elephant tease new album, ignite Innings Festival crowd

After mentioning it last month on the ALTer Ego red carpet in LA, Cage The Elephant confirmed on the Innings Festival 2026 stage that they’re working on a brand new album.

“It’s a pleasure to be here tonight,” Matt Shultz told the Tempe audience.

“It’s a blessing. I’m gonna try not to forget my lyrics because we’re working on a new record right now, and whenever I’m in that zone it’s a little… you know? I think we’ll do good though.”

Later in their set, Shultz thanked their fans for continuously supporting the band, while saying the writing process is going well so far.

“It’s feeling pretty good,” he said.

“Super excited, honestly. It’s crazy. We’re 20 years in now. Would you believe it? We’ve been a band for 20 years. We’ve been so blessed to do it for 20 years and still making music.

Shultz added: “Thank you all so much for all the support, for making it possible, honestly. For making space in your lives, in your hearts for our music. It’s humbling, it’s beautiful. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.”

Matt’s brother, guitarist Brad Shultz, teased the crowd that they were going to perform a new song for the Innings crowd.

“Don’t do that to them, don’t do them dirty like that,” Matt said.

“Yeah, it’s a voice memo, I’m going to play it from my phone.”

The band proceeded to launch into “Social Cues,” the title track from their fifth studio album.

In typical Cage fashion, their set began with a pyrotechnic-filled bang, with Matt stating he almost “took his eyebrows off” during one song.

Lead guitarist Nick Bockrath was shredding as always, appearing at times to be playing amongst the flames on stage, heating up his guitar strings enough to brand his fingers.

Brad Shultz was on stage for about 10 seconds before he torpedoed into the crowd, playing guitar on the “Broken Boy” opener with the audience propping him up.

The rhythm section of bassist Daniel Tichenor and drummer Jared Champion was powerful as always, while Matthan Minster added beautiful touches on the keys and backing vocals.

Nightmarish visuals on the screens added a chaotic touch for a two-song stretch late in their set, with the band tearing into “House of Glass” and “Sabertooth Tiger,” showcasing the band’s raw, powerful and intense core and roots.

The changing of tempos was in full contrast a few songs earlier during “Telescope,” which Shultz asked the audience to take their cellphone lights out for. The sea of Arizona festival-goers illuminated almost instantly.

Cage The Elephant has a few festival dates lined up so far this year, including the Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival next month in Florida.

Follow https://www.cagetheelephant.com/ for updates.