Young the Giant brings stripped down “In The Open” tour to sold-out Tucson crowd

Ashley O’Mara

On Monday, September 15, Young the Giant brought their “In The Open” tour to a sold-out crowd at The Rialto Theatre in celebration of their recently released EP, In The Open Volume One. This tour brings an experience unique to their typical rock show, featuring a setlist performed fully acoustic in more intimate spaces than usual. There aren’t many artists that can get me out to make the trek out to Tucson for a show, especially on a week night, but this lineup, featuring Cassandra Coleman as support, was too good to miss.

It isn’t often that I’m as excited about the opener as I am the headliner, but Cassandra Coleman is an artist I’ve followed for years, and I was thrilled to finally see her perform live. In 2021, Cassandra was a contestant on Season 19 of “American Idol,” where she made it to the Top 10 before unfortunately being eliminated. Her hauntingly beautiful vocals are the kind that give you goosebumps and move you to tears — I was an instant fan from her very first audition. The singer-songwriter’s music blends dreamy, ethereal pop with folk-pop, appealing to fans of artists like Florence + The Machine, Maggie Rogers, and Phoebe Bridgers. In June, she released her first major single, “Coming of Age,” produced by the acclaimed Jack Antonoff, and is finally receiving the recognition she deserves.

Fresh off tour dates supporting The Bleachers and The Fray, Cassandra now joins Young the Giant as part of their “In The Open” tour, bringing her evocative sound to new audiences across the country. Despite being unfamiliar to most of the crowd, Coleman had the audience instantly mesmerized. Drawn in by her voice, they listened with intent as she performed songs like “Moonbeam” and “Joan of Arc” — the latter of which she co-wrote with her boyfriend, who performed alongside her on stage. She described it as a song imagining what it would be like if “Joan of Arc had a lover.” Coleman also taught the audience parts of “Maggie,” and they enthusiastically sang along. She performed a new song, “Bite My Tongue,” for which she recently filmed a music video. Both the single and video are set to debut next week. Pressed for time, her performance of “Coming of Age” had to be cut short, but she encouraged the audience to stream the full version online. While many may not have known her name before the evening began, there’s no doubt she left the stage with a new group of devoted fans. Big things are in store for Cassandra Coleman. Catch her live on tour with Young the Giant and stream “Coming of Age” wherever you get your music.

As the venue continued to fill, fans stirred in eager anticipation of Young the Giant’s set. Known for their high-energy rock shows, the band was now touring in support of their newly released EP — a collection of stripped-down renditions of fan favorites, inspired by their “In The Open” YouTube series, where they perform acoustic versions of songs quite literally in the open, surrounded by nature. The stage was set with a cozy, living room feel: lamps scattered throughout illuminated the space, a large area rug lay at the center, and open suitcases, candles, and flowers decorated various surfaces, with incense burning in the background. The laid-back, comfortable atmosphere created by the stage setup perfectly set the scene for what was to come. From the moment the lights dimmed, it was clear we were about to witness something special.

Young the Giant was met with raucous cheers as they opened with a hushed performance of “Islands,” followed by “The Walk Home.” After a small error at the start of “Apartment,” frontman Sameer Gadhia called for the band to stop and start over, leading to a flawless delivery of the beloved track on their second attempt. While moments like these are no doubt frustrating for performers, I always appreciate the vulnerability — the reminder that even our idols are human, just like the rest of us. Gadhia took moments between songs to share stories behind the songs, their experiences recording their “In The Open” sessions, and of the band’s journey over the years. Each of the new EP’s tracks were woven throughout the setlist, including new song “Bitter Fruit.” In addition to favorites like “Cough Syrup,” “Firelight,” and “Superposition,” the setlist featured unreleased songs, including “Ships Passing,” in which Gadhia joked that it wouldn’t matter if he messed up the words, because the audience wouldn’t know any different. Instead of leaving the stage and returning for an encore, the band kept the energy flowing, closing out their set with “Mind Over Matter” and another unreleased track, “Life Is A Long Goodbye.” From the moment the show started until the moment it ended, the audience was locked in, singing along with every word.

Without giving away any information, the band alluded to exciting things on the horizon for 2026, and I can’t wait to see what’s next. Although this show was different than their norm, it was a truly special performance. This is a show fans will not want to miss. Tour dates are limited, so grab a ticket while you still can!