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Life & Arts

Verizon features a taste of classic Texas rock & roll

by LUCAS MIRELES 
The Daily Cougar

Thursday night downtown Houston was teeming with eager fans donning t-shirts with a strangely familiar symbol of a peculiar italicized letter "T" encapsulated within a triangle. Most civilians may have mistaken this phenomenon as the newest infatuation of the latest emo band. On the contrary, this site was the mini reunion tour of the 90's post-grunge Texas band the Toadies. 

For those who aren't familiar with such a staple in Texas rock history, they would only have to listen to roughly 30 seconds of any song on their 1994 platinum album Rubberneck before there was a response of, "Oh, that band." 

Once the band took the stage to the crowd's deafening cheers they wasted no time. They ripped through an amazing setlist that encompassed hits from both of their commercially released albums as well as their numerous contributions to major motion picture soundtracks. 

Songs such as "I Come From The Water," "Plane Crash," "Backslider," "Away," "Little Sin," "Push The Hand," and "Happy Face" revved the crowd up right from the start. Next up were "Unattractive" and the rarity "Waterfall." They followed up with the intensely intimate "Doll Skin," complete with crowd-provided cigarette lighters peppered throughout the theater. Afterwards, gears shifted up again with hit single "Possum Kingdom" and other memorable songs. 

With a short break the ceremonious encore provided the grateful crowd with a fervent performance of "I Burn" and finally "Velvet." 

Heading up the tour were original members Vaden Todd Lewis (guitar/vocals), Mark Reznicek (drums), and Clark Vogeler (guitar) who teamed with touring bassist Mark Hughes to perform four shows across the Lone Star state, one of which fortunately landed in our own backyard. 

The show opened with respectable sets from local bands The Feds and Bring Back the Guns but one could sense enormous anticipation from a packed house for the headliner. 

It was a bittersweet ending to an intense night that left many fans yearning for just one more taste of the Toadies. Though the band officially disbanded in 2001, their presence during this mini Texas tour was profoundly acknowledged. 

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