Last night I found myself at the Granada with a 15 dollar ticket to see Toro y Moi.
For as good of a band they are, they are still kind of an underground secret.
The place was packed with a vast collection of Lawrence bros and hipsters.
The band threw down from the very first note, but I was extremely unnerved by the lack of dancing at the show (and the awful bro/ho ratio). It was hilarious watching a crowd full of hyper masculine dudes resist dancing to some ultra funky grooves. It was almost like they were afraid of letting go and appearing “gay”.
I started out in the very back of the crowd and finally after 3 songs decided I was going to go up front and dance. I fished my way up to the stage where only a smatter of people actually were grooving. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. What in the name of Andrew Wiggins were these people here for if not to dance? The lifeless looks on their faces was confusing. I know I was back in the midwest but this had to be the stiffest crowd I’d ever seen at a live show. I could only imagine how it looked from up on stage. Were we not in the best college town in America? Was this not a chance to celebrate how lucky we were to be able to share this experience? Maybe it was the depressing layout of the theater (no seating and loads of concrete–the Dallas Grenada is far superior) Or was I a little too fucked up on mushrooms?
I don’t know. But I knew I had to show these cats some love. I appreciated them coming to play here in Lawrence, Kansas of all places. I was going to dance and if someone got bumped into it was because they were out of rhythm.
I didn’t think I was high enough until the music started, but by the time they went into Divina, I knew I was peaking. I was drenched in sweat from the constant dancing– I couldn’t stay still for one single note. This was the third time I’d seen Toro y Moi this year and it was amazing just how much tighter they’d gotten since the last time I’d seen them in March at SXSW.
They were feeling it too. You can tell they are locked into a groove. Even old Chaz had let his hair grow into a beautiful fro that I could only be jealous of. They are ready. I had danced so much that by the last 3 songs I felt exhausted. My limbs were moving by sheer rhythmic instinct.
It was an incredible show. It is unbelievable that it was only a 15 dollar ticket. I’m certain that the next time they tour, Toro y Moi will be playing in bigger venues for a higher price. And as long as there is room to dance and the speakers and sound system can handle their music, then it will be worth it.
Nuclear Polio Vaccination 
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