If this reader happens to be one of the unfortunate souls who managed to miss seeing Malcolm Todd in the flesh when he allegedly visited Telegraph Avenue or Berkeley’s own Kip’s Bar and Restaurant, look no further than this article to receive your fill of Malcolm Todd.
For an invigorating two days, Todd played at Oakland’s Fox Theater. The maximalist qualities of the venue enhanced the experience for every audience member — but the immersion did not stop there. Todd was not only joined by his live touring band, but also by a large projection of himself on the screen. The stage screen was a member of the band in its own right, disappearing into a background for Todd to interact with or highlighting his facial expressions for those seated in the venue’s upper balcony.
In fact, perhaps unwittingly, Todd’s concert utilized the space in the way it was originally intended to be used: a movie theater. A montage of famous movie scenes involving phones and phone calls served as the backdrop to Todd’s performance of “X’s & O’s.” It was an extra layer of entertainment, as concertgoers gasped in surprise to see their favorite films featured, including but not limited to “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” “Napoleon Dynamite” and “Scream.”
At the same time, Todd elevated his own discography by using the screen to display the music video for his track “Bleed” as he sang along. Further paying homage to his music videos, in his performance of “4Me 4Me” a visual of Queen Elizabeth II is superimposed on Todd’s own face. For newer fans, this may seem out of the blue, but older fans will remember the “4Me 4Me” music video in which Todd professes his love for the late Queen of England, even toting a lifesize cardboard cutout of her around NYC for dates.
Todd kicked off the set with the opening track of his most recent record, “Jean Skirt.” The sultry song beckoned the audience forward, progressively growing in intensity until the final payoff with an explosion of drums and Todd’s own seemingly spontaneous “Woo!” Just as it served as an indication of what was to come on the album, it successfully served to whet the audience’s appetite.
The true magic of concerts is found within the subtle differences between a recorded track and a performed song. Todd purposefully slowed certain lyrics on “Sweet Boy,” while a slight uptick in octaves occurred when Todd sang the latter half of “baby” in the lyric “It’s getting later baby.” In the live version, he stripped back some of the synthetic noise, begging the audience members to peer deeper, both at the tracks and their relationship to it. This aspect was wonderfully paired with interludes of Todd’s perfectly awkward dancing and almost comically petulant stances, Todd often looking askance with both hands resting on his hips.
Musically talented and artistically inclined, Todd draws fans in with his endearing mannerisms. Throughout the concert, fans welcomed his quirky dance moves, some playful finger wagging and a little hip action here and there. One can’t help but see the family resemblance to older sister and fellow indie artist Audrey Hobert, whose lively attitude at concerts includes whimsically flouncing about the stage. Fans of both siblings will be aware that the siblings narrowly missed being together by a week, as Hobert visited Oakland’s Fox Theater the week prior to Todd’s shows.
Toward the end of his set, Todd included a cover of “Leave It All To Me,” the famous theme from the hit 2000s Nickelodeon show “iCarly,” even fully removing his button-up shirt at the song’s midpoint in signature Malcolm Todd fashion. This dorky moment was certainly a stark contrast to the sultry start of the show, but one which was completely aligned with the image Todd has created.
Altogether, Todd blended artistry through many different mediums, stringing together beloved movies and television shows as well as highlighting his own artistic vision by playing segments from his music videos. With the creation of a fantastically energetic show, audience members at Oakland’s Fox Theater simply cannot wait to see Todd Do That Again.