A rare September Nor’easter welcomes Malcolm Todd to Boston, Massachusetts, on Saturday, September 26. The LA native is on his “Do That Again” World Tour, which is supporting the album of the same name. Todd is currently about at the halfway point of his United States leg of the tour. The United States is the first of four continents that he’ll play in.
The hometown Boston Red Sox moved their originally scheduled home game from Saturday to Sunday in Tampa, Florida, so a lot of questions circled around whether this show would be postponed or not. But after a post by the MGM indicating the show would go on, fans were not deterred by the rain and harsh weather. For this specific show, it was the only performance without an opener, so fans would jump right into the show and Todd’s performance.
By 8 p.m., the MGM Music Hall was filled to the brim. Fans who were soaked from the line had time to dry off and the anticipation was filling the venue. Saturday was the only time that Todd was in the area. He played two nights in NYC before this show and will be in Toronto on September 28.
Before Todd took the stage, 54 Ultra got the crowd ready for the show. Hailing from Bloomfield, New Jersey, he brought smooth, Latin-infused music to the crowd. 54 Ultra, or John Anthony “Johnny” Rodriguez, was backed by a four-piece band. 54 Ultra played for just 30 minutes. In those 30 minutes, he was able to win over the crowd quickly. Despite the band not utilizing the entire stage, all eyes were on 54 Ultra.
It also helped that their songs are not very complex. So, the crowd was able to absorb more of their tunes while also enjoying the show. What was most spectacular was that the lyrics in English and Latin intertwined. That added a nice flair to the songs. 54 Ultra even announced that it was his “first time in Boston,” which received a nice pop from the sold-out audience.
What always strikes me as amazing is when openers are thankful to the headliners for bringing them out on tour. Throughout his set, Ultra 54 repeatedly thanked Todd and his crew for bringing him out. It will be very soon before an opener is repaying the gratitude to 54 Ultra.
54 Ultra & His Touring Band Are:
54 Ultra / John Anthony Rodriguez – Guitar/Vocals
Anuvis Jade – Guitar
Chris Sanchez – Drums
Tong Cherd – Bass Guitar
Shvne – Keyboards
Setlist:
1. Swell Intro
2. 6/8 Jam
3. No Tengo Valor
4. Find Your Love
5. Talk to Me
6. Tell Me
7. Where Are You / Talk To You
8. Upside Down
9. Heaven Knows
There was only a short half-hour wait before the lights dimmed and Todd and his group hopped on stage. Before the band walked on, they had a unique intro that brought each member on stage. Two members gave nods to the city by wearing a Boston Bruins T-shirt and a Harvard University T-shirt.
Todd played a total of an hour and a half but stacked it with hits, deep cuts, and fan favorites. When Todd walked on stage, the ladies in the audience went berserk. They were screaming their heads off and almost drowned out the band. They brought the energy for this show, and after standing in the elements all day, the crowd let their energy burst. At one point, Todd even acknowledged the audience by thanking them for braving the rain and wind to come out to the show tonight.
What made Todd’s stage more special than some shows is that he had a second level. Sometimes during the show, he would command the audience from there or his band would be up there instead of him. Nowadays, artists get more and more creative in how to visually wow the audience in addition to the music. Todd brought out all the stops for the show, including playing three different instruments. Whether it was guitar, piano, or bass guitar, he played it all. It was spectacular to see that Todd is not just a gifted singer but also a talented musician.
At one point in the show, Todd announced that it was his parents’ anniversary tomorrow, September 27. So, to commemorate the special day, he brought his mother up to sing a special song for their anniversary. When Mrs. Todd sang her lines, the audience again went bananas for it. Todd’s head nod to his parents was a sweet moment that everyone in the audience was able to share.
During Todd’s rendition of his song “Obsessica” off his new record, to follow the lyrics, he flashed the names of girls on the screen behind him. You could hear individual audience members scream when their name was shown. It was especially loud in the upper decks of the music hall where fans were leaning over the guardrails and singing. At some points, they were jumping around and it felt as if the deck was going to crash below. “The East Coast just has really fun people,” Todd exclaimed in between songs.
By the time the regular set ended, fans were chanting for “one more song.” People outside on Lansdowne and Ipswich streets could properly hear the roar from the audience when Todd and the band finally walked back out for the three-song encore. Before they walked out, they kept teasing the crowd with a Magic 8 Ball and asking if they should come back out on stage.
Todd reappeared on stage by repping a New England Patriots jersey with his last name on it. It was a great head nod to the local NFL team and arguably the most storied team in all of the NFL. By the time the band chugged into “Roommates,” the crowd was in a trance. Whether it was the harmony from the band or the wicked beat of the drums, it seemed like this song would not end. Fans were singing along to every last word of the tune.
When all was said and done, fans walked out into the cool and rainy September night in Boston. Todd put on an amazing show that deserved a second night in the city. The “Do That Again Tour” has been extremely successful and has sold out theatres across the country and world. For Boston fans, it’s only a matter of time before Todd plays next door at “America’s most beloved ballpark,” Fenway Park.
Malcolm Todd & His Touring Band Are:
Malcolm Todd – Vocals/Bass Guitar/Guitar
Luke Tyler Shelton – Guitar
Asher Kartman – Keyboards/Saxophone
Jonah Cochan – Guitar
Tommy de Bourbon – Guitar
Fabian Egger – Drums
Setlist:
1. Jean Skirt
2. Breathe
3. Malcolm in the Middle
4. Free. 99
5. Difficult Love
6. Ain’t That the Truth
7. Walk to Class
8. Bleed
9. You Owe Me
10. X’s & O’s
11. Obsessica
12. 4Me 4Me
13. Mr. Incorrect
14. Sweet Boy
15. Make Me a Better Man
16. Gun To My Head
17. Good Bye
18. Cheer Me On
19. Chest Pain (I Love)
20. Earrings
21. I Saw Your Face
22. Do That Again
23. Leave It Alone (Miranda Cosgrove Cover)
24. Roommates
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My love for live music started with my first concert ever, Guns N’ Roses back in 2016. Since then, I’ve been able to capture photos of some amazing artists like Alice Cooper, Judas Priest, Ace Frehley, and Post Malone. I am based in the Boston, Massachusetts area. I am always looking for the next concert to attend.