Photos by Megan Hirao
As the fading sun dipped beneath the harbor water, the otherwise humble hotel courtyard that is Humphreys Concerts By the Bay would soon become grounds for a groovy performance by Chaz Bear, better known as Toro y Moi. The venue’s palm-lined and oddly tropical outdoor viewing lawn slowly filled as fans began trickling in, eagerly awaiting a Friday night of cathartic and unabashed dancing. Such anticipation seemingly spilled over into the surrounding bay, as a glance into the water just outside the venue found onlookers gently bobbing on kayaks, attempting to view the performance through a slightly obstructive tree line. For a moment, I was a bit taken aback by the lengths these people went to see this performance, but I came to realize that perhaps this was rather indicative of the sense of shared togetherness built between music, the San Diego community, and, of course, Toro y Moi.
A suspenseful haziness soon loomed over the stage as fog machines switched on and the marine layer rolled in overhead. At last, to the tune of zippy synths, an 80s percussive beat, and the fitting opening line “I just want everybody to have a good time,” Toro y Moi entered the stage to one of his earliest hits: “Mirage.” Phones, beers, and puffs of smoke rose above the crowds, as what moments ago was a peaceful lawn of fans quickly transformed into a dance floor. Almost immediately, Bear himself reciprocated the energy and excitement from behind his DJ controller, personally setting the tone for the vibrant evening ahead.
Carrying on this momentum, Toro y Moi continued with “Laws of the Universe,” a funk-filled fusion of disco and synth-pop, followed by “Girl Like You,” a dancey homage to dream-pop and house. Although the electronic complexion is at the forefront of these tracks, Bear’s silky timbre and relaxed vocals gently blanket the production to make for an overall dreamy soundscape. This laid-back indietronica sound largely encompassed his earlier work as well and was similarly heard in his performances of “Rose Quartz,” “50-50,” and “Say That.”
Perhaps one of the biggest misconceptions I’ve heard about Toro y Moi, however, is that this type of lo-fi music is all he has ever done. From his chillwave origins to Mahal’s psychedelic-funk sound and the folksy twang of his Sandhills EP, Bear’s extensive discography has remained anything but stagnant. His latest record, Hole Erth, exhibits this genre-shapeshifting ability as sonically it heavily leans into emo rock and trap–a sound he has previously never executed. Within a setlist of primarily electronic or synth-forward tracks, his performances of “Tuesday” and “Reseda” off of Hole Erth were especially indicative of Bear’s sonic diversity and consistent ability to adapt and evolve as an artist and producer.
Amidst these genre jumps and dance breaks, Toro y Moi seemingly found a home while on the San Diego stage. South Carolina roots aside, he carried a comforting yet confident energy throughout the night, welcoming plenty of interactions that reminded me how music can truly bring together not only a crowd, but a city as well. During his performance of “Undercurrent”–a crawling synthesis of rap and indie influences–Bear led a bit of a callback moment with the fans in attendance by shouting “I can’t hear ya!” between the lines “Can you feel the undercurrent? / Can you hear it? Can you hear it?” Likewise, during “Ordinary Pleasure,” Bear encouraged the crowd to wave their hands back and forth. The track’s prominent and catchy bassline, which underpins a layer of funky bongos, offered an optimal groove and beat that made this synchronized swaying effortless. Although hand waves are a rather common concert occurrence, seeing this sold-out crowd completely surrender to the music and immerse themselves in the moment made me feel especially connected with everyone surrounding me.
In a fitting culmination of the entire evening, Bear ended his set with his collaboration with Flume: “The Difference.” Its upbeat mix of electronic break beats, melodic pop influences, and mellow vocals fittingly felt like the final flourish for a night full of sonic diversity and collective dancing. While lively energy and groovy songs have always been the ethos behind a Toro y Moi show, this time around at Humphrey’s truly felt like a standout.
