“Does it feel good to say goodbye?” Will Toledo asks on the newly released Car Seat Headrest song of the same name.
“Does it feel good to say goodbye?” Will Toledo asks on the newly released Car Seat Headrest song of the same name.
It seemed a pertinent question Monday night, as a growing crowd streamed into the National for the band’s return to Richmond.
For fans and friends that answer has always been yes, as Toledo’s reappearance in Virginia is a hello as much as it is goodbye, so long, we’ll see you next time.
Before his journey to stardom, Car Seat Headrest frontman Will Toledo graduated from William and Mary with an English degree in 2014.
His shows in Richmond, including his last visit to Strange Matter December 2015, are a crossroads of traditional fans, classmates from Williamsburg and current members of the Tribe raised on the mythos of one of their own ascending to indie rock royalty.
With the much-lauded release of Teen of Denial last year, Monday night’s performance was a welcomed, if somewhat bittersweet, return to Virginia after a long stint of festivals and clubs across the world, including standout performances at Primavera Sound and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
A mix of hip teens, middle-aged punk dads and mid 20’s Williamsburg natives flooded his homecoming stop with unabashed enthusiasm, singing along and moshing to Teens of Denial’s wistful, wounded songs.
And the warm sense of reunion extended beyond Toledo. After hopping on for the southeast portion of Car Seat’s current tour, Charlottesville three-piece Gold Connections’ southern tinged indie rock elicited early cheers and, in a few cases, rather athletic dancing from audience members.
Rootsy gospel and blues rhythms shined on “Isabel,” deftly contrasted by frontman Will Marsh’s cutting guitar and hard-edged vocals.
Their closer and single “Icarus,” a raw, driving song, sounded like the best parts of Bright Eyes’ “Roosevelt Room,” with Marsh’s shaking voice fluttering over driving riffs. Guitar wails punctuated Marsh’s voice like a hybrid of Stephen Malkmus and Julian Casablancas, while Casey Toll’s bass runs tie the song back to more psych- and southern rock roots. The trio plans to release their debut album via Fat Possum Records early next year.
Where Gold Connections was earthy, the Lemon Twigs were glitter soaked and arena ready. Brothers Brian and Michael D’Addario, in full ‘70s bell-bottomed glory, cranked out guitar heavy songs that at their quietest were like a splashy Partridge Family mash-up.
The set seemed to move chronologically, starting with ‘60s psychedelia and bubblegum. But when drummer Michael D’Addario jumped out from behind the kit to take lead guitar and vocals, the dynamic shifted to ‘70s and ‘80s arena rock sprinkled with baroque pop.
Though both brothers are charismatic performers and accomplished musicians, the energy took off with Michael D’Addario wild stage antics. D’Addario scissor kicked, leapt in the air, buckled his knees and dragged himself back to the mic, effortlessly ripping out solos and riffs all the while.
The most obvious comparison would almost certainly be Queen, and it’s clear the band takes many cues from them. However, the Lemon Twigs have a mix of retro sounds that they’ve collaged into something entirely their own, ranging from Aerosmith to the Kinks to more modern choices like Mika and Of Montreal. The band recently was signed to 4AD, and their debut album, Do Hollywood, comes out on October 14th.
As Will Toledo calmly walked onstage to open with a solo performance of “Way Down,” Car Seat’s set started in a characteristically mellow fashion. He stopped at the mic, adjusted it, smiling as he made a dry comment about the height of the stand before plugging in. Playing coy, he knew he already had the audience waiting with bated breath.
To nearly every song thereafter the crowd moshed, cheered and danced, a scene reminiscent of Car Seat Headrest’s first shows in college, which Toledo briefly referenced.
“If you’ve ever been to Williamsburg, you’d know it’s the most debauched place on earth,” he said, and cheers and knowing laughs went through the crowd, before a collective cheer went up for the beginning chords of “Drunk Drivers/Killer Whales.”
I first saw Car Seat play at a local Williamsburg bar underneath a block of William & Mary student apartments, a period of intense development for Toledo. Although he was always skillful, there was something different about Monday night’s performance, a kind of plotted, practiced showmanship reminiscent of David Byrne in Stop Making Sense.
That keenly directed energy carried through the night, from his running dive for the microphone during the climax of “Vincent” to his charismatic cover of Frank Ocean’s “Ivy” (“A good song, before I got my hands on it,” he noted wryly).
With distance and age, Toledo has grown to have a complex relationship with his college years. This show was somewhat on par with the rowdiness that Toledo has noted previously in interviews, and, undoubtedly, otherwise unusual for his concerts (after all, how many indie shows have a sustained 10-song mosh pit?)
When Car Seat drummer Andrew Katz commented on the energy of the crowd, Toledo strummed softly, quipping back, “teenagers scare the living shit out of me/they could care less/as long as someone will bleed.”
”So darken your clothes/or strike a violent pose/maybe they’ll leave you alone/but not me,” Toledo continued wryly, with a small sigh, abruptly shifting gears into the next song.
Maybe the past won’t leave Toledo alone, but perhaps he’s come to terms with that. Ultimately the band indulged friends and fans during the encore, closing with two William and Mary favorites, “Bodies” and “Stop Smoking.”
It’s debatable whether or not Toledo can fully say goodbye to his college days, or whether or not he even wants to. Either way, it’s certain there will be a crowd here in Richmond ready to say hello again.
Car Seat Headrest Setlist:
Way Down
Fill in the Blank
Unforgiving Girl (She’s Not An)
Maude Gone
Destroyed By Hippie Powers
(Joe Gets Kicked Out of School For Using) Drugs With Friends (But Says This Isn’t a Problem)
Drunk Drivers/Killer Whales
Vincent
Something Soon
Ivy (Frank Ocean Cover)
Encore
Bodies
Stop Smoking
