Article & Photos by Kyle Ostrander

New York City – Hailing from Texas, Toadies have been a force in the rock world throughout their over 30-year career. In fact, the quartet show no signs of slowing down, and are currently on the road supporting their eight studio record The Charmer. The tour included a stop Thursday night at Webster Hall, with the band putting on a performance that proved why they’re still packing venues and playing major festivals.

The venue’s pit was full of fans eagerly awaiting the group’s first NYC show in almost four years. Toadies triumphantly took the stage as the theme song for the movie Rocky played over the speakers. The musicians picked up their instruments and went right into “Ash’s Theme”, a cut off their new album. “How are you doing NYC? We’ve got some more new songs for you tonight, and some classic ones too, like this!” said singer Vaden Todd Lewis as the group ripped into “I Come From the Water”. The stage was dressed with lanterns and lighting towers that danced with hues of orange, green, red, and blue to the beat of the music. The sounds of a chugging rhythm section and dense guitar chords were cut with jangly lead riffs and catchy solos. An array of several striking guitars were cycled to the band members throughout the evening.

The lengthy 23 song set included something for all eras of Toadies fans to enjoy. Classic hits including “Little Sin”, “Possum Kingdom”, and “Tyler”, were mixed in with newer cuts like “I Walk a Line” and “The Charmer”, during which a backdrop with the new album’s artwork dropped from the ceiling to loud applause from the crowd. Both the newer favorites and classic hits all sounded note for note like the albums while still bringing a fresh live sound to them, including a ripping whammy heavy outro on “Happy Face”, and an extended jam on “I Call Your Name” where all band members circled together at the front of the stage. All the while, the crowd was cheering, singing along, and chanting the band’s name throughout the night. Towards the end of the set, Lewis paused to address the crowd directly, opening up in a beautiful moment of connection about his own mental health journey, sharing words of encouragement and resources for the audience to lean on. The moment spoke to the kind of positive and supportive community the band has built, leading right into “Normal,” a song written from Lewis’ personal experiences.

Toadies’ extensive North American tour continues through October, including several festival appearances at Hoochenanny Whiskey Festival in NY, Louder Than Life in KY, and Aftershock in CA. Full details on all dates can be found on the band’s website.