Live music always comes with energy. Now, this energy can vary from show to show. Some shows are chill and have a smooth groove, while others are high-energy and head-banging. The energy of a show is determined from the second a band comes on stage. How does their first song start? How long into the set do they wait to talk? How is the crowd reacting? All of these aspects pile into the idea of show energy. Never in my life have I been to a show with the energy that The 502s brought to Toads Place on September 13, 2023.
The energy was high from the second they ran on stage (not walked). Now, this is not abnormal for a concert, especially one of the Indie Folk genre such as The 502’s, but what was out of the ordinary was how this energy lasted the entire hour-and-a-half-long set. From one song to the next, the music kept coming. Not until the third song did they stop playing to introduce themselves, and even then, it was quick and flowed with the next song. Throughout the show, the band members were all around the stage singing, playing instruments, jumping, and dancing. The fun they were having was easily transferable to the fun that the audience had.
I have been to several concerts now, but none like this. Many new young artists exert a lot of their energy and have a lot of fun at the start of a show, but die down at the end. But, this was not that; these were experienced musicians who could keep up a steady high energy for the entirety of the performance. I found myself exhausted after being at the show. I can’t imagine how tired they were after performing.
The best energy and my personal favorite part of the show came from Joe Capati, the saxophone player. He is one of the most impressive performers I have ever had the pleasure of getting to experience. He played both the alto saxophone as well as the soprano saxophone and did it all while jumping up and down and dancing and singing. He really was the full package. At one moment in the show, the band ran off stage for a band, and Capati stayed on the stage and soloed for multiple minutes, playing the song “Don’t Worry Be Happy” by Bobby McFerrin and the famous saxophone solo from “Careless Whisperer” by George Michael. Capati managed to play incredible solos and incredibly difficult music while running around the stage, dancing with all the other members, and engaging the audience. He was a pure joy to watch perform.
By far, one of my favorite parts of the show was the performance of the song “Stories to Tell.” During this song, every band member came up to the microphone and sang a verse. I think this was such a great way to end a show, bring in each member, and highlight their talents. In between each verse were solos of every instrument by every band member, keeping the audience engaged and high energy.
But, as basic as it is, the best part of the show was their most famous song and the song I found them from, “Just A Little While.” This song initially blew up on the social media platform TikTok back in 2020, and this kickstarted the group’s success. It is a song about exploring the world and experiencing new things. The performance of this song was very magical, and I was lucky to have a first-row view. The crowd was jumping up and down, and everyone knew all the words. I think there is such magic in singing a song with complete strangers. Knowing that each person has a different memory and thought attached to this song bonds a group of complete randoms. Concerts such as this remind me why I love music so much and why I will never stop going to live shows. Experiencing energy like that in Toad’s Place is something that I don’t get to do very often, and I am grateful for moments like these that remind me how beautiful life is.
