There are some songs that you just hear throughout your life. You may not know the song name, or the band that performs it, but you know the song when you hear it. This was me with the song “Temporary Bliss.” It wasn’t until last year that I finally learned this song was by the band The Cab. This sent me down the Spotify rabbit hole looking up more of their music. So, when their Back from the Dead Tour 2026 was announced and coming to the Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles, CA, I was ready to finally see the band that played a song I’d known for years, and only now discovered who they were.

Opening the night was a two-piece known as Jady, made up of vocalist Jarrett Doherty and drummer Ashton Bergdorf. Jady was here to get the people moving in the crowd and get the party started. Doherty was a charismatic enigma as he danced around the stage, working the mic stand like a top-tier pop performer and waving his body like a wacky waving inflatable tube man, yet still oozing charm and sex appeal. Bergdorf, meanwhile, tactically maneuvered his drum kit through hip-hop beats, grooves, and big-energy fills, and truly was the backbone of each song. Jady kept up this high-energy show with songs like “Reanimate,” “Fragile,” “White Casket,” “Shed My Skin,” “Sweater Weather,” “TMSTIDK,” “Chokehold,” “Candy,” and “Stunner.” While Jady only got 30 minutes, the crowd could have gone for more songs, and hopefully the band will be back in town soon.

Up next was the solo artist known as Carr. She is looking to become the next pop-punk princess, and the opportunity to open for The Cab is helping to get her in front of so many new fans. Carr came across very peppy and excited to perform for the LA crowd, nearly running laps her entire set as she worked the stage and made sure the crowd was following her throughout. She ran through songs like “Spiral City,” “Chop Chop,” “Go Fuck Myself,” “Carrtoons,” “Hot Dad,” “Johnny,” “Christmas is Coming (and so are you),” and “Sick Bro.” With each song, Carr felt like she got bubblier and bouncier. The only detractor to her performance was the sound mix, which seemed to keep her vocal level low. And though you could feel the emotion of the song, it was hard to hear the lyrics.

It was then time for our headliner, with The Cab taking the stage. Within moments of the band stepping in front of the crowd, fans lost their minds, screaming and cheering. Opening with their song “Locked and Loaded,” The Cab filled the room with a bright, happy energy that infected everyone and put a smile on their face. Vocalist Alexander DeLeon’s voice is filled with so much hope and positivity that a wave of uplifting energy permeates the Fonda Theatre. Keyboardist Alex T. Marshall tickles the ivories on his piano with elegance that just shoots DeLeon’s vocals through the heavens. Guitarist Chantry Johnson, bassist Joey Thunder, and drummer Dave Briggs filled out the rest of The Cab’s exhilarating sound.

The Cab truly embodies the pop-rock aesthetic of their sound by paying tribute to the pop stars who helped shape the pop scene they diverged from. They surprised us with a throwback pop medley consisting of Backstreet Boys’ “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back),” Britney Spears’ “Baby One More Time,” and NSYNC’s “It’s Gonna Be May.” These songs fit The Cab’s sound perfectly and created a fun sing-along moment for the fans.

The Cab rolled right back into their own classics that created such diehard fans for the band, featuring songs like “Temporary Bliss,” “Back From the Dead,” “Bad,” “Sweet Kerosene,” “La La,” “ih8yourgutz,” “Stand Up,” “These Are the Lies,” “Every Universe,” “Intoxicated,” “Take My Hand,” “Bounce,” “Living Louder,” and a three-song encore of “YUKON,” “Endlessly,” and “Angel with a Shotgun.” These songs feel like big, arena-level music with catchy choruses and hard-hitting guitar lines.

Fans sold out the Fonda Theatre to show their appreciation for The Cab coming back around for another tour. Whether they played their classic hits or songs from their newest album Chasing Crowns, the fans were screaming and cheering all the same because The Cab was in the house. From hearing “Temporary Bliss” randomly to finally seeing the band that wrote the song perform it live, it felt like a full-circle moment. I can’t imagine passing up another chance to rock out with The Cab next time they come to town.