Young the Giant has always approached their live shows with a level of detail that goes beyond the music itself. Every tour introduces a new visual world that complements the band’s evolving sound, and the “Victory Garden Tour” continued that tradition. On July 14, Arizona Financial Theatre welcomed the California alternative rock band for a night featuring support from Beach Weather and Cold War Kids, as Young the Giant brought their newest album to the stage.
Local favorites Beach Weather started the evening with a set that matched the energy of a summer concert perfectly. The trio, joined by a touring drummer and keyboardist, opened with “Chit Chat” and moved through songs including “High In Low Places,” “Nightcrawler,” and “Seth Cohen.” Nick Santino’s stage presence kept the crowd engaged as the band delivered upbeat performances of “Melt,” “Swoon,” and “Sex, Drugs, Etc.” Their eight-song set closed with “Stardust,” leaving the audience energized and ready for the performances ahead. While local to Arizona, this was my first time catching Beach Weather live, and they did not disappoint. Their music will definitely make its way into my rotation.
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Cold War Kids followed with a performance that kept the energy going and reminded me why I love this band so much. Their setlist covered multiple eras of their career, including songs like “So Tied Up,” “Miracle Mile,” “Love Is Mystical,” and “We Used to Vacation.” Nathan Willett’s vocals remained the focal point of the performance, while his constant movement and interaction with the crowd added another layer of intensity. The band ended their set with longtime fan favorite “First,” which had the whole venue singing along and set the vibes for the evening’s main event.
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As the band prepared to take the stage, a colorful light display illuminated the venue, concealing five large flowers positioned behind the band as they slowly prepared to bloom. Once the flowers had taken shape, Young the Giant launched into new track “Evergreen.” From the first moments of the performance, it was clear that the Victory Garden Tour was designed as a complete experience, with every element of the production reflecting the album’s themes. Throughout the night, the flowers glowed with changing colors and patterns while lighting structures at their centers filled the stage with sweeping beams of light. The combination of lighting, movement, and set design created a constantly evolving backdrop that gave each song its own atmosphere, resulting in a visually stunning performance that perfectly complemented the music without ever overshadowing it. It was truly a visually stunning performance.
The setlist itself reflected Young the Giant’s ability to evolve while maintaining the identity that longtime fans have connected with for years. New songs from Victory Garden were featured prominently, including “Bitter Fruit,” “Already There,” “Mona Lisa,” “Ships Passing,” “Different Kind of Love,” and “The Garden.” These tracks blended naturally with older favorites like “Apartment,” “Superposition,” and “Something to Believe In.” With such an expansive catalog, it’s impossible to bring all of the favorites to the setlist. To try and pack more into the already expansive list of songs, the band played shortened versions of “Repeat,” “Mr. Know-It-All,” and “Silvertongue.”
The meaning behind Victory Garden was another important part of the evening. When the album was released, Sameer Gadhia took to Instagram to give insight into the meaning behind the album, describing it as being about “radical empathy, community, and seeing the world through the eyes of our children.” During the show, he expanded on those themes by talking about the importance of learning from children and maintaining optimism despite the challenges around us. He described optimism and empathy as a form of resistance, a message that seemed to connect strongly with the audience.
Sameer also highlighted “Different Kind of Love,” explaining that the song explores the reality of loving someone through their imperfections and challenges. The track’s success as the band’s first No. 1 Billboard alternative radio single represented a major milestone, and the crowd’s reaction showed just how much the song has already resonated with fans.
Some of the most memorable moments of the night came during songs that have become staples of Young the Giant’s live performances. “My Body” transformed the venue into a sea of movement, with the entire room jumping and singing along from beginning to end. “Cough Syrup” saw another huge response from the crowd, while “The Walk Home” created a quieter but equally memorable moment as couples could be seen dancing together in the aisles.
Young the Giant closed the night with “Mind Over Matter” before taking their final bow as the instrumental version of “Life Is a Long Goodbye” played. There was no encore, but after a set filled with some of the band’s biggest songs, newest material, and a breathtaking visual production, the night already felt complete.
The “Victory Garden Tour” will continue its way across the US before wrapping in Indianapolis on August 9th. Cold War Kids will continue as direct support through the rest of the North American tour, joined by Beach Weather, Common People, and Little Image as special guests on select dates. This is a show fans will not want to miss! Grab tickets while you can here.
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