In The Loop Magazine Danny Elfman Opens His Solo Rock Tour At Aragon And Brings His Weird World To Chicago

Danny Elfman Opens His Solo Rock Tour At Aragon And Brings His Weird World To Chicago

Sep 08, 2026 admin_bitlc Features, Music News, Reviews 0

By James Currie

Danny Elfman didn’t ease into his first solo rock tour. Yes, he teased it at Sick New World earlier this year, but tonight, he walked onto the Aragon stage and immediately dragged the place into his own twisted little universe. Opening night, first stop of an 11-city, 11-date mini-tour and Chicago got the honor of watching Elfman finally step out from behind decades of movie scores, Oingo Boingo history and Tim Burton mythology to front his own rock band. It was loud, weird, theatrical and just the right amount of disturbing nightmares come to life you’d expect. Welcome to Elfman’s twisted little world.

He and his supergroup rock band ripped through a career-spanning set that bounced between his film work, solo material and Oingo Boingo classics. There was “Dead Man’s Party,” which he introduced with a slight snicker: “Let’s see if I can play this next one. I’ve only been playing it for 45 years.”

Other cuts included new tracks from the past 5 years like “True”, “Happy” and “Kick Me” as well as a reworked version of a classic Oingo Boingo track, “Insects”. He debuted a new song, “The River of Life” for the first time ever live. And “Just Another Day” was played for the first time since 1994.

73 year old Elfman’s voice remains remarkably strong, pushing through the roughly 90-minute set with the same manic character that made Oingo Boingo so distinctive. Between songs, his voice dropped into a gravelly, almost Batman growl that somehow made even his stage banter sound sinister.

Speaking of strong, is it possible for a man his age to look like a Greek god? His physical stature is that of someone half his age. And his body artwork has amassed to a dark arts canvas that stands out against his bright amber hair.

Then the moment I welcomed over just about all other songs came, “This Is Halloween.” Before the song, Elfman slipped into a black-and-white pinstripe jacket that looked like it had escaped straight from Jack Skellington’s closet. “Don’t be scared by this one, it’s from a cartoon,” he told the crowd who immediately erupted in cheer.

The movie visuals exploded onto the screen behind the band as Elfman unleashed one of his most recognizable creations. Cell phones came out for this one lighting up the house like a spotted backdrop to his set.

VIDEO: Danny Elfman This Is Halloween Chicago Aragon Ballroom

And what a band Elfman brought with him. Nine Inch Nails guitarist Robin Finck. Dethklok guitarist Nili Brosh. A Perfect Circle bassist Matt McJunkins. And former Foo Fighters drummer Josh Freese. When Elfman introduced them midway through the show, the house erupted. Each name brought another wave of recognition from a crowd that clearly knew exactly who was standing onstage. The only hiccup came when Elfman introduced one of the percussionists and couldn’t remember their last name. “I can always mess things up,” he admitted. Fair enough.

The stage looked like a fever dream. Bright colors washed over the musicians while the massive video screen threw ghosts, skeletons, ghouls and grotesque and at times, bloodied humanoid figures across the back wall. It was part rock show, part horror movie and part dark avant-garde theater.

Throughout the night, Elfman occasionally picked up a guitar, including during “Only A Lad,” which prompted another bit of history, “This is one of the first songs I ever recorded.” he said before laying into it.

The set also made room for newer solo material, including “Upside Down,” proving Elfman isn’t simply touring as a nostalgia act. He’s still creating strange, cinematic music and still sounds completely at home inside it.

The crowd reflected the music. Burton devotees, Oingo Boingo lifers, goths, punks and fans dressed like they had wandered straight out of one of Elfman’s movies packed the Aragon. Some looked ready for Halloween. Others looked ready for a lost Oingo Boingo show from 1985.

By the time Elfman reached the final stretch, it was obvious this wasn’t just another tour opener. It was a homecoming for one of alternative music’s strangest survivors. Just before 10, Elfman thanked Chicago for being his first audience on the tour, then closed the night with “Who Do You Want To Be.”

After 45 years of creating music for monsters, misfits, weirdos and outsiders, Danny Elfman finally got to put himself center stage. Chicago was more than happy to join him in the dark.