Danny Elfman Opens His Solo Rock Tour At Aragon Bringing His Wild Weird World To Chicago

Sep 08, 2026 admin_bitlc Features, Music News, Reviews 1

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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 solo material & Oingo Boingo classics with a hint of his scoring. 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 with Elfman saying, “For those of you who can remember 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? Or maybe more fitting, a dark spectral warrior? 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 red 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 knowing right away what it was going to be.

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 addition 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. With this combination of players, he had an Industrial Music feel and sound over his classic alternative pop rock sound. Definitely darker and heavier.

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. Even a few classic Oingo Boingo shirts could be seen in the mix.

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.

For more on Danny Elfman, click here

For photos from the Aragon show, click here

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• 1st Night of the Tour, aragon ballroom, Chicago, Danny Elfman, Josh Freese, live, Matt McJunkins, Nili Brosh, Oingo Boingo, Opening Night, Robin Finck, Rock Band, Supergroup, This Is Halloween, Tour 2026

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