Young the Giant's Victory Garden tour stopped in Phoenix, Arizona last night at the Arizona Financial Theatre. Leading up to this concert, I'd been feeling the itch to hear live music. After a busy spring, I was ready to jump back in and see some bands I love. Looking around at all the people who were there, I could tangibly feel it in the air: Hope.
Front man Sameer Gadhia spoke about Young the Giant's 6th and newest album, Victory Garden, in an interview with Atwood Magazine. It was so well-put; I wanted to include it here: “More than anything, more than any other influence, it was just trying to capture who we are in the most honest way. So I think, in some ways, it’s one of our most honest records. It’s not just a beacon of hope—it's the struggle to find that empathy in yourself to be able to share that with other people. That radical empathy in this time is its own form of resistance.”
Young the Giant is starting every concert during their Victory Garden tour with "Evergreen," the first song off of the new record, making it clear right away that their goal is to create a gathering space, a place for people to come back to the proverbial garden and feel hope in troubling times. Our night with Young the Giant embodied all of that.
Alternative-pop band Beach Weather took the stage first with an impressive, upbeat setlist. I'd only heard a few of their songs previously and was excited to hear more from the trio live. Nick Santino's lead vocals and rhythm guitar riffs were full of energy and had a tinge of vintage rock nostalgia, Sean Silverman's lead guitar weaved in some fun textures, and Reeve Powers brought it all together on bass for a huge overall sound that immediately got the audience's attention. "Sex, Drugs, Etc." was a huge hit. No surprise since it has almost 1.5 billion plays on Spotify. With 10.5 million monthly listeners and their lively stage presence, I'll bet those numbers go up.
Cold War Kids was such a treat to see live again. I saw them for the first time about 9 years ago—they sounded fantastic back then, and they sound fantastic now. I had several favorite tracks I was hoping to hear live; I wasn't disappointed. Celebrating their 20th anniversary as a group (has it really been 20 years already?!), the set list was stacked with songs spanning the entirety of their discography. Personal favorites were "So Tied Up," "Hang Me Up to Dry," and their newest 2026 single, "There Goes The Night." One of the reasons this band first caught my attention was Nathan's powerful, soulful lead vocals. It feels like a gift to hear him live. His energy is infectious. I could hear the audience singing along and felt that feeling of hope I alluded to earlier growing.
The Victory Garden album comes 15 years after Young the Giant's inception, so there was a great mix of people of all ages in the crowd to represent newer and older listeners alike. They had an incredible opener with layers of synths mixed with vocal snippets and dazzling purple lights. The back of the stage featured huge flowers that lit up with the beat. The soundscape intensified as they entered the stage to massive cheers. It was heartwarming to see people actually enjoying themselves in the moment. Sometimes you can tell if a crowd isn't as familiar with the newer repertoire, but this was not the case last night. They knew every word to every song.
I was obsessed with the stage light design. There were a variety of yellows, purples, blues, reds, and greens. Multiple colors spotlighted the band members at once, which helped create some fun photo compositions on my part. The 5-piece band was spread out and took up the whole stage, so each member had a ton of room to move around. I would describe the music as indie rock/alternative, with splashes of multicultural musical elements that speak to the diversity within the band. (Fun fact, the high-pitched guitar-like instrument you hear in Superposition is called a charango, a traditional 10-string South American instrument!)
Sameer's vocals were a highlight of the night for me, especially since this was my first time hearing the band live. Their overall sound was blended to perfection with each member equally holding their own weight. The music itself was uplifting and perfect for fostering community. I was especially excited to hear my favorite off the new record, "Bitter Fruit," and "Apartment" and "Cough Syrup" off their self-titled debut album. I loved the "Blackbird" Beatles outro on "Bitter Fruit" as a nod to the peace and love movement. (I think we're on the brink of another one... hopefully...) The set list felt cohesive and told the story of a band that's grown exponentially in their own humanity since they started. Their music invites us to embrace the most vulnerable parts of life as a means to become a better person, and by proxy, a better member of society. That messaging of hope and having empathy for others hits home these days.
Young the Giant will be continuing their Victory Garden tour for the next few weeks. If you're lacking in the hope department, your prescription is live music, every time. Resistance comes in many forms, including – but not limited to – joy. Don't miss out on this tour.
