New Toadies Sound Like Old Toadies at Tipitin

Toadies onstage at Tipitina’s, by Steven Hatley

The Ft. Worth-based alternative rock band previewed its new album, which paired easily with material from its debut album when the band played New Orleans recently.

Alternative rock band Toadies made their mark in 1994 for “Possum Kingdom,” and like a lot of their peers, they’ve stayed active. The Ft. Worth-based band on disbanded from late 2001 to spring 2006 and has stayed active since. They have a new album coming out May 1 called The Charmer, their first album since 2017’s The Lower Side of Uptown and completely financed by the band and produced by the late legendary producer Steve Albini.

On Sunday April 22, Toadies’ album release tour came to Tipitina’s and proved that the old and new can seamlessly join. The setlist drew heavily on music from The Charmer as well as most iconic album, Rubberneck. The Charmer mirrors in many ways Rubberneck as least live. Both are raw and unapologetic in themes and emotions. Each contains a blistering instrumental.

Toadies’ singer Vaden Todd Lewis onstage at Tipitina’s, by Steven Hatley

The encore was by far the most entertaining part of the show as singer Vaden Todd Lewis opted to do their rambunctious cover of Screaming Jay Hawkins’ “I Put a Spell on You,” even though their setlist called for “Doll Skin” from their 2001 album Hell Below / Stars Above. The spontaneous choice fit the vibe of the evening.

The final song of the evening was “I Burn” revisited Rubberneck one more time, and for it they invited a special guest to the stage—Michael Jerome Moore of Better than Ezra. Before the Toadies broke out and well before Rubberneck was even an idea, Moore was their drummer. The Dallas/Ft. Worth music scene at the time was stacked and Moore drummed with a couple of them. He inevitably had to choose his path and opted for the power pop band Pop Poppins. After Poppins he drummed with Course of Empire and New Orleans’ Pleasure Club, where Tom Drummond saw him play before eventually inviting him to join Better than Ezra. It was nice to see this full circle moment come alive on stage.

Toadies with Michael Jerome Moore, obscured by the light, by Steven Hatley