Editor’s Note: This article is a review and includes subjective thoughts, opinions and critiques.
Four years ago, Malcolm Todd was scooping ice cream at Cold Stone Creamery during his gap year and making music on the side. On Wednesday, the indie pop artist sold out the Fox Theater on one of the final stops of his “Do That Again” tour. A young audience composed of what seemed to be mostly high schoolers added an extra layer of frenetic energy to the concert.
Leading up to the performance, a sea of concertgoers dressed in red — the same color as the cover of Todd’s newest album — wrapped around the block, creating special buzz in Downtown Oakland. Their excitement reached a crescendo two hours later when Todd hit the stage. By the end of the night, it was hard to distinguish between fan favorites and skip tracks because the audience sang the words to every single song, including the ad libs.
Todd, a 22-year-old singer-songwriter from Los Angeles, is having a breakout year. After the release of his sophomore album “Do That Again” in June — which follows a theme of complicated relationships, heartbreak and loneliness — Todd embarked on his North American tour in September.
A self-taught guitarist, Todd’s unique chords have not only drawn in fans but also the attention of other artists. Rapper Don Toliver sampled Todd’s “Chest Pain (I Love)” on “EE72.” Toliver brought Todd to perform the song live at Madison Square Garden in June.
Those listening in New York sang every word — and so did the Oakland crowd.
The night opened with a performance by Johnny Rodriguez (stage name 54 Ultra), who brought a blend of pop and Latin soul to Fox. With his Freddie Mercury-style mustache, aviator sunglasses and a vintage Pittsburgh Pirates tee to match, 54 Ultra looked like he was pulled straight from the 70s. He engaged the crowd early, getting them to wave their hands from side-to-side and clap in unison.
After 54 Ultra’s last song, he asked if the audience was ready for Todd. The screams in response left no doubt that they were.
One-by-one, Todd’s band members were brought onstage in an NBA-style pre-game intro. Then — capitalizing on the surging hype — Todd finally ran out to a roaring crowd. He started with “Jean Skirt,” “Breathe” and “Malcolm In The Middle,” all of which were accompanied by the chorus of the audience.
The visuals playing on the screen behind Todd complemented the music while also telling their own story. During “X’s & O’s,” a song about relationship uncertainty, Todd expressed confusion about where he stands with his partner a voicemail-style outro: “It’s, uh, it’s Malcolm, your boyfriend / Or honestly, don’t, I don’t even know what I am to you anymore actually,” he sang. At the same time, the stage screen cycled through famous movies where characters in relationships are on the phone, pulling clips from films such as “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” (1986) and “Good Will Hunting” (1987).
His performance captured the core elements of typical teenage angst: falling in love, ambiguous relationships and general uncertainty about the world. Many of the young fans seemed to resonate with his lyrics, belting out song after song with deep emotion.
But Todd also put his whimsical side on display. Before “Obsessicia,” he started a call-and-response game with the audience, promoting them with “Who let the dogs out?” and “Marco?” Random as it was, the audience happily played along.
After “Make Me a Better Man,” the music slowed for “Gun to My Head,” and Todd swapped out his guitar for a keyboard. Fans continued to sing along as their faces went red. At this calmer point in the show, Todd took a moment to engage with the crowd more, reading fan made signs aloud: One audience member’s poster shared it was their first concert.
All night long, Todd’s talent was thoroughly appreciated — and he made sure to share the spotlight with his band. On “Goodbye,” band member Miles Tobel took to the saxophone for an excellent solo performance that even made the venue staff pull out their phones to record.
The transitions between songs also featured small moments of comedy After “Chest Pain (I Love),” Todd suddenly stopped.
“What the f—k?” he said. “Sorry, I’ve been looking for these all day.” The camera then panned down to a pair of earrings on the stage as the band transitioned into “Earrings.”
When Todd and his band walked off stage, everyone stayed in place. A black screen with red lettering appeared with a series of questions. “Should I go back to scooping ice cream?” one read, calling back to Todd’s Cold Stone days. The crowd vehemently shouted “No!”
“Should I sing another song?” then popped up. “Should I??”
“Yes!” they all yelled back.
Todd then returned to play “Do That Again,” closing the show out with “Roommates.” During the encore, the whole floor section (and most of the balcony) started jumping — moving hard enough to physically shake Fox Theater. Capping off a night of high engagement, strong live vocals and skilled instrumentals, it was the perfect way to go out with a bang.
