TOLEDO | Concert Experience

Last week at Berlin Under A, a basement scene in the heart of East Village, TOLEDO graced some New York City kids with their vaguely surf pop/soft-rock stylings. And I do mean kids. Their fans are as devoted as they are smooth-faced and bright-eyed. As a venue, Berlin is intimate, reminiscent of some old European cellar with brick ceilings and archways, but also a disco ball.

TOLEDO is made up of earnest, simple arrangements and smooth, milky voices from the two leads, Brooklynites and likely best friends Jordan and Dan. Interestingly enough, Jordan is a name much like Dan, only with a little bit of pizzazz up in the front. And so it was with their show: opened up with just the littlest bit of pizzazz, to later chill out into a gooey core of acoustic love songs, only to then bring back the fun, pop energy closing out. The two dudes coordinated well both in vocal harmony and in ensembles of baseball caps, Vans sneakers, button-ups, and the like. The fantastical “Crane Song” was a highlight, as was their cover of Bread’s “Baby I’m a Want You.” 

I’d like to see TOLEDO explore deeper their own kooky sound and maybe put down the Mac DeMarco record. Soft, nostalgic easy-listening with a modern pop twist makes for a fun local show. And you can catch the fun with TOLEDO in their native Brooklyn, at Baby’s All Right come early November.