My chest rumbles as Malcolm Todd’s visuals flash across the giant screens above me. Hundreds of people in the pit begin chanting, “Malcolm Todd! Malcolm Todd! Malcolm Todd!” The opening chords of “Jean Skirt” blast through the speakers, and the crowd erupts as Todd takes the St. Louis Music Park stage.
I’ve gone to a few concerts and watched videos of fans yelling on my phone, but I have never seen a crowd like Todd’s. Everywhere I looked, fans seemed to know every word, singing along as if his entire discography was memorized. Hearing the songs live gave a feeling that you cannot get through headphones, with the booming instrumentals from his lead guitarist, Tommy De Bourbon, and the crowd’s voices carrying through the arena.
Todd sounded exactly like he does on his recorded songs, if not better. During emotional songs that he wrote long ago, he still sounded like the emotions were raw and fresh, bringing a vulnerability that other artists lack. He emphasized certain lyrics that stood out to him or to the crowd.
Arguably, the best song that he performed was “Bleed (feat. Omar Apollo).” The type of song was different from his regular vibe, and most often, songs with a feature are not performed live because they are missing their counterpart. However, during Apollo’s part, Todd turned the microphone to the fans and told them to sing it. The crowd did not miss a word.
Todd also interacted with the crowd, responding to yelled-out phrases like “It’s okay, It’s okay,” “Malcolm, I love you!” and “Take your shirt off!” Ultimately, he took off his shirt to please the crowd. He moved around the stage to say hello to all sides of the pit and interacted with people in the seats in the back.
I was in the front of the pit, but not quite at the barricade. We arrived at 4 p.m. and were next to people who arrived at 8:30 a.m., and we were limited by an entire zone for VIP people, leaving us further away than expected. If you do not have VIP, most likely you will be in the middle of the pit.Â
The process of getting into the venue was venue-specific, and the speed at which you could get through. They had one X-ray machine set up for four lines that were at least 50 people long, leaving fans to push through a crowd if they wanted to get close to the stage. With general admission floor tickets only being $60, it was expected that a lot of people to be on the floor.
The only downside of the concert experience itself was the prices of the merch. The cheapest thing was 2 rubber bracelets for $5. The average price for a T-shirt, with a very simple design, was $45. The most expensive item was $95 for a zip-up hoodie, and $85 for an actual hoodie. There was a signed vinyl available for purchase at $75, but it is listed on his website for 29.95. Since the designs were simple, I felt that the prices were unreasonable for the merch.
Despite the expensive merchandise and the chaotic entry process, Malcolm Todd’s performance made the experience worthwhile. His vocals, stage presence and connection with the crowd turned a collection of familiar songs into something much bigger than a playlist. The venue experience had its frustrations, but the performance itself left me with little doubt that I would do that again.