The historic Buckhead Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia, played host to Utah alternative rockers Neon Trees on Wednesday night. Supported by Night Cap, Neon Trees has just hit their 2025 stride, with Atlanta being an early sixth stop on their recently announced Sink Your Teeth Tour. Built in 1930, this 1,800-capacity venue was originally designed in a Spanish baroque style and offers a general admission floor setting with an upper, seated balcony area. It is always a great indoor destination to catch a live show, especially during a pollen-suffocating Spring evening out in the South.
Hailing from Austin, Texas, indie rock band Night Cap took to the stage shortly after 8:00pm to warm up the early Atlanta crowd, which happened to also be their first appearance on this tour. Anchored by Ryan King (vocals, guitar) in the center, and flanked by Jake Bomgaars (vocals, guitar) and Alex Alfonso (bass), Night Cap won over the audience with its passionate and unique musical tone, pleasantly enhanced by the lyrical harmonies between King and Bomgaars.
Formed back in 2017, King and Alfonso actually met during their freshman year of college at the University of Texas at Austin and started playing a handful of songs King wrote earlier in high school. Now nearly a year removed from their self-titled debut album (April 2024), Night Cap delivered a 12 song, 45-minute set that primarily pulled from that release, inclusive of their evening opener, “Freeway,” along with a mid-set performance of “Everest,” a popular single that has amassed over 3 million Spotify streams to date. Night Cap wrapped up their night with “Honey,” an enjoyable poppy track released back in 2023.
Night Cap
Ryan King – Vocals, guitars
Jake Bomgaars – Vocals, guitars
Alex Alfonso – Bass
Adrian Ayala – keyboards
Stijn Dobbelaere – Drums
Setlist:
1.) Freeway
2.) Blanks
3.) Rewind
4.) Lady of the Moon
5.) Dark Eyes
6.) Sentimental
7.) Everest
8.) Cheap Thrills
9.) Hold On For Dear Life
10.) Glimpse
11.) Eileen
12.) Honey
With the clock quickly approaching the 9:15pm hour for the start of their performance, I was somewhat taken aback by the lackluster level of attendance for Neon Trees. I am not sure if it was because it was a Wednesday night, or if the show just wasn’t marketed properly, but I would sadly estimate the venue was roughly a third full.
That being said, the band’s dedicated fan base did press forward and fill in the general admission audience space in front of the stage as soon as Neon Trees kicked off their set with “Losing My Head,” a track pulled from their most recent release and fifth studio album, Sink Your Teeth (June 2024). Lead out by charismatic lead vocalist Tyler Glenn, the core Neon Trees lineup continues to be rounded out by Chris Allen (guitars), Elaine Bradley (drums), and Branden Campbell (bass).
With the band finally out on tour celebrating Sink Your Teeth, the anticipated setlist provided a heavy dose of tunes (nine in total) highlighting that release, including two of my favorites, “Bad Dreams” and “El Diablo.” The encore-free, 23-song performance also included a variety of songs lifted from their catalog that showcased the band’s energetic presence they are known for, including the chart-topping single “Animal” early in the night.
In addition, Neon Trees played an enjoyable cover of “Don’t You Want Me” by The Human League, which essentially turned into a sing-along, as anyone who appreciates this musical genre knows the lyrics to that 1981 hit song. I also found it cheeky that they performed a cover of Chappell Roan’s tune “Pink Pony Club,” as in fact there still is a strip club here in Atlanta called the Pink Pony.
Prior to capping off their night, Glenn got personal and leaned into the story behind the single they were about to perform. He reflected upon growing up Mormon, where he struggled with his sexuality into his 20s, and eventually landed in a relationship with a girl he (wrongfully) planned to marry that looked “just like Kelly Kapowski” (Tiffani Thiessen from Saved by the Bell). Apparently she sensed that he was potentially homosexual, and started that rumor around the community “with a whisper.” At that moment, the crowd went crazy, dancing and jumping as Neon Trees ended the evening with their lovable Top 10 hit, “Everybody Talks” from their second studio album, Picture Show (2012).
This first leg of the Sink Your Teeth Tour continues on through the end of the month, where the Neon Trees will wrap up on Wednesday, April 30th, at XL Live in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
Neon Trees
Chris Allen – Lead and rhythm guitar, backing vocals
Tyler Glenn – Lead vocals, keyboards, piano, synthesizer, occasional rhythm guitar
Elaine Bradley – Drums, percussion, backing vocals, occasional lead vocals and rhythm guitar
Branden Campbell – Bass guitar, backing vocals
Touring musicians
David Charles – Rhythm guitar
Bruce Rubenson – Drums, percussion, keyboards, piano, synthesizer
Setlist:
1.) Losing My Head
2.) Nights
3.) Used To Like
4.) Songs I Can’t Listen To
5.) Animal
6.) In the Next Room
7.) Recover
8.) Favorite Daze
9.) Moving in the Dark
10.) Lessons in Love (All Day, All Night)
11.) El Diablo
12.) Don’t You Want Me (The Human League cover)
13.) Paper Cuts
14.) I Love You (But I Hate Your Friends)
15.) Teenager In Love
16.) Secret
17.) Cruel Intentions
18.) Acting
19.) New Best Friend
20.) Sleeping With a Friend
21.) Bad Dreams
22.) Pink Pony Club (Chappell Roan cover)
23.) Everybody Talks
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Elliott is a music photographer covering shows in Atlanta, Georgia, and the surrounding area. The highlight of his photography career was back in the early ’90s, when he sold Neil Diamond the rights to his negatives from a show and then purchased a set of tires for his 1979 280ZX during college with the money.
