Tag Archives: north carolina

I went back home to North Carolina for my break. It was about time and frankly, much needed: too long in Philadelphia seems to create a haze of disenchantment and resent that I can only combat so much. I could talk about the long days in the sun, by the creek, or driving through farm land, or even Durty Durham’s own, “Jamnesia” (which was, admittedly, awesome: all day/night music and arts festival. Need I say more?). Yet I want to take this time to focus on one of the more soothing, reflective moments of my stay. Playing down at “The Cave” on Franklin Street, The Toddlers did an amazing job giving each and every viewer their money’s worth. On the surface, it may not seem like much: after all, many of the tabs seem as though I could play them and the drumming seems to pudder along in the background. Yet that’s just my ears, overly indulged in the confusion and buzz of the present. See, it’s the simplicity which really makes this group extraordinary. Case and point? “Where Do You Go” is a little smidget of their whole catalog that I was able to find online. Playing live at “Local 506“, a personal favorite, they instantly made waves in the Chapel Hill music scene. For good reason too: with a sound in between beach-haze, lo-fi, garage, psychadelic, and even ambient, they clearly have big shoes to fill. Yet for all the difficulties they may face with stereotyping and being placed into genre that is over crowded, it’s the soul behind the project that truly makes this one worthwhile. With soulful lyrics, soundwave reverb, and blasting bass tabs, The Toddlers gave me a valuable lesson. The sound of one hand clapping is truly a beautiful thing.

The Toddlers Myspace

- Cliff

Dissociative Identity Productions