On May 31st, Young the Giant graced the stage again in Charlotte, North Carolina. They played at the Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre on a cloudy but perfectly temperate late spring night. Charlotte was in for a night of fantastic music, incredible vibes, and memories to last a lifetime.

The first opener of the night was the indie pop band from San Diego, almost monday. This was a band I had heard nothing but praise for, so I was very excited to hear them live. While the venue was a little slow to fill, probably because of the USNMST team’s pre-World Cup game against Senegal, the band brought undeniable energy that had fans in the pit immediately dancing. They played some of their popular songs like “jupiter,” “enjoy the ride,” “sunburn,” and “can’t slow down.” Some of the songs they played came off their 2024 album DIVE and the subsequent DIVE (deluxe) released in 2025. They also played their most recent singles, “no more regrets,” “leaving is easy,” and “skinny dip.” Their set was full of character, stellar vocals, and phenomenal stage presence. I can’t wait for them to make a stop here in Charlotte again — I definitely won’t miss it!

The second opener of the night was another California native, the indie rock band Cold War Kids. The band, much like the headliners from the night, has been active and making music together since 2004. They pulled songs that spanned their discography, like “So Tied Up,” “Push My Luck,” and “Hang Me Up To Dry.” The band was active on stage, moving back and forth between each other and interacting with the crowd. I was pleased to see how excited and exuberant the crowd was during both openers’ sets. While they played some of their earlier releases like “Hospital Beds” and “We Used To Vacation” off their 2007 record Robbers & Cowards, they also included their most recent releases, like “Push My Luck” off their 2026 EP, “Push My Luck/All I Ever Need.” They finished off their set playing one of their most popular songs, “First,” off their 2024 record Hold My Home. It was a joy to watch them on stage, and I am glad that I got to catch their set while they were opening for this tour!

Finally, at 9 o’clock, the house lights dim and Young the Giant hits the stage to an uproar from the crowd. I have been lucky enough to see Young the Giant twice before: once when they were playing a set at Lovin’ Life Music Festival in 2024, and another time when I was able to photograph them when they were opening for Cage the Elephant — I know I will always have a great night at one of their shows. I am always surrounded by some of the kindest fans and see friends that I haven’t seen in a long time.

They played some songs off their most recent record, Victory Garden, like “Evergreen,” “Bitter Fruit,” “Mona Lisa,” and “The Garden,” while also sprinkling in classics like “Apartment” and “My Body” off their 2010 record self-titled album, as well as “Something to Believe In” off their 2016 album, Home of the Strange, and “Superposition” off their 2018 album, Mirror Master. Towards the end of the set, they made sure to sing “Happy Birthday” for their bassist, Payam Doostzadeh, whose birthday was the next day. They ended their set with their very popular and well-loved songs “Cough Syrup,” released in 2011, and “Mind Over Matter,” released in 2014. Unfortunately, after a roughly 22-song set, Young the Giant had to call it a night. As I said previously, I always have a fun time at one of their shows, and I can’t wait to catch them again on their next tour!

Young The Giant continues on their North American summer tour, promoting their newest album, Victory Garden, until early August. They will have Cold War Kids performing with them the entire rest of the tour, but almost monday will depart late June, and Kennyhoopla will hop on the road with them to finish off the tour! Then, Young The Giant will head over to the U.K. and Europe for some shows in October. Be sure to check them out while they are on the road, you won’t want to miss this tour! Get tickets HERE.

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