rocknite: Cage the Elephant
w/ Dexter and The Moonrocks
JBJ’s; Nashville, TN
June 5, 2026
Photos by Mary-Beth Blankenship
As we previewed last week, monthly alt rock showcase series rocknite just threw their biggest Nashville event yet, trading their usual local and up-and-coming artist event at Skinny Dennis for a massive, three-stage takeover of JBJ’s downtown in the middle of CMA Fest. Unlike CMA Fest though, this party was pure rock and roll, with tons of local and national artists performing all day long, and headed up by Bowling Green-bred, Nashville-based rockstars and long-time No Country faves Cage the Elephant!
The event was totally free, and, as expected, the line to get in extended for blocks, with the lucky fans who scored a spot packed into the intimate venue (with a viewing area that extended multiple floors). As killer as the whole bill was, we weren’t able to arrive until Dexter and The Moonrocks, who, sporting Turtles jerseys and joking that that was their band name, were perfect support for Cage, performing their genre-bending, grungy, Western-tinged tunes to an enthusiastic crowd.
By the time Cage the Elephant took the stage- boasting so much gear that they barely fit, and basically had to play on multiple levels like a sort of Escher painting- the rocknite crowd was hot, sweaty, and ready to rock, and the frenetic group did not disappoint. We’ve seen countless Cage shows over the years, in small rooms and giant festival stages, and at this point we know what to expect- uncontainable energy, next-level engagement from frontman Matt Schultz, flying guitars from his brother Brad (one even made it up into the balcony at one point), and a whole lot of singalong-worthy hits.
Performing songs from all across their discography, the band delivered yet another fantastic Nashville show- their first in a while- and even debuted a brand new song, “Beaches in Tennessee” (which they also “leaked” as a file on a thumb drive, hidden in a secret compartment in lighters passed out on the way out). There’s not much left to say about Cage that we haven’t said before- they’re one of the greatest live rock bands in the world, and every single show is incredible, high-energy, and unpredictable. Check out our photos from Mary-Beth Blankenship below, and follow rocknite for future showcases!
_
_
Setlist:
Broken Boy
Cry Baby
Spiderhead
Cold Cold Cold
Ready to Let Go
Social Cues
Mess Around
Trouble
Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked
Skin and Bones
Telescope
House of Glass
Beaches In Tennessee
Sabertooth Tiger
Shake Me Down
Cigarette Daydreams
Come a Little Closer
Leave a Reply