Just over a year since their 2023 tour, the Last Dinosaurs returned to the Chicagoland stage at Thalia Hall with a brand-new look, sound, and message.
Back in 2023, Lachlan Caskey—one of the two Caskey brothers, the Last Dinosaurs’ lead vocalists and guitarists—still had his signature short curls. This time, I was surprised to see him with hair past his shoulders. Sean Caskey also traded his black locks for beach blonde, which added to the band’s relaxed air.
Beneath the surface, the Last Dinosaurs have come back with a renewed vision. This was their first tour after their fifth album, KYORYU, was released in 2024, exciting fans with a rich narrative and a new, electronic sound blended into their usual melodic guitar riffs. The album centers on a dying AI satellite in a post-apocalyptic future, algorithmically generating new music based on tunes from a distant past. The rollout was characteristically eccentric, yet deeply earnest. Released in two parts—RYU and KYO—the album takes its name from the Caskey brothers’ Japanese names: Sean Ryusuke and Lachlan Kyohei. Together, ryu and kyo spell kyōryū (恐竜), the Japanese word for “dinosaur,” and the album dropped fittingly on May 21—International Dinosaur Day.
Not only did this tour debut the Last Dinosaurs’ live performance of KYORYU, but it also demonstrated their full embrace of the album’s concept. If the theme wasn’t already evident from the album name and release date, the tour’s set design—neon lights that channeled a spaceship—and incredibly cohesive live performance fed into their intentionality. The Last Dinosaurs opened with “Keys to Your Civic,” the lead single of KYORYU. The song begins and ends with a thirty-second speech by Japanese tennis player Shuzo Matsuoka:
“Are you just living day to day? Are you lost and confused? ‘I just want to feel alive!’ It’s easy. You can’t think about the past. ‘Why did I do that?’ It’ll just turn to anger. You also can’t think about the future. ‘Will it be okay?’ It just turns to worry. In that case, hold on for dear life! Stake your entire life in here and now. Yes! If you stake your life now, everyone, you will be alive!”
Underscored by a bright, danceable beat, it set the tone for the night. The Last Dinosaurs were here to deliver a sincere message. From their hair to their music, they lived in the present. Every detail felt purposeful, and at Thalia Hall, the band looked and sounded more at home than ever.
This era for Last Dinosaurs embodies a love letter to their collective experiences: to their past, present, and future; to their differences and their throughline. Take bassist Michael Sloane’s performance for example. Sloane, the band’s bass player starting in 2013, had left the stage to direct the Last Dinosaurs’ music videos from behind the scenes. On this tour, Sloane stepped back into the spotlight, singing groovy covers of the early-2000s songs that had initially inspired the Last Dinosaurs’ sound. His unique vantage point of the Last Dinosaurs’ history was on display, which added depth and color to the band’s setlist.
Of course, the band ended the show with fan-favorites like “Eleven,” “Zoom,” and “Apollo,” bringing fans full-circle to their beginnings with the Last Dinosaurs. For them, living in the present didn’t mean a rejection of their past or ignorance of the future. By coming back to the songs that kicked off their success, they celebrated their journey. With KYORYU, they highlighted the importance of today in the face of an uncertain future. Their performance was grounded in the present because it drew from both their rich history and imagination.
The Last Dinosaurs’ musical and conceptual evolution has changed not only themselves, but also their listeners. Their infectious storytelling demands your attention and you give it gladly, anticipating their next chapter
“Stake your entire life in here and now.” The Last Dinosaurs did just that—and took us along for the ride.
Find the Last Dinosaurs’ latest album, KYORYU, on all streaming platforms.
