Toadies perform at The Vic Theatre in Chicago on May 31, 2026.
For fans of straight-ahead, guitar-driven, damn-the-man songs, The Vic Theatre in Chicago was the place to be on May 31 as the Toadies led an incredible bill of no nonsense rock artists for a night full of great music. Chicago’s own Local H and the Vandoliers, who hail from Texas, kicked off the good times before the Toadies – comprised of Vaden Todd Lewis (vocals, guitar), Mark Reznicek (drums), Clark Vogeler (guitar), and Doni Blair (bass) – delighted the packed house with a setlist full of music that spanned their entire career.
It can be tough to win over a crowd of flannel-wearing fans who bought tickets to see long-time favorites, but the Vandoliers, fronted by singer/guitarist Jenni Rose, with their infectious energy and irresistible melodies had everyone participating in the fun from the moment they took the stage. “Every Saturday Night,” “Bless Your Drunken Heart,” and a roof-raising rendition of the Proclaimers hit “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” were among the songs that invigorated the packed house early in the night.
The Vandoliers perform at The Vic Theatre in Chicago on May 31, 2026.
As 2026 marks the 30th anniversary of Local H’s seminal album, As Good As Dead, Scott Lucas – joined by drummer Ronnie DiCola – treated Chicago fans to a setlist packed with classics from the album. The performance was bookended by “Manifest Density, Pt. 1” and “Manifest Density, Pt. 2,” the latter featuring an appearance by Toadies bassist Doni Blair who contributed to the thunderous sound of the set-closer. Fan favorites like “Eddie Vedder,” “High Fiving MF,” and “Fritz’s Corner” were also featured during the blistering performance.
With the anniversary celebration in full swing and a new, official vinyl re-issue of As Good As Dead being available, Local H’s set included a nice bit of nostalgia intertwined with all the feedback and face-melting solos. Lucas even took time out to reminisce about the band’s last show at The Vic.
Local H performs at The Vic Theatre in Chicago on May 31, 2026.
“It’s good to be back at The Vic. It’s been a minute,” he said, pointing up at the balconies. “Last time I was here, I climbed up there and then I climbed up there. That’s not gonna happen again.”
What did happen, and what always happens during a Local H show, was an all-out, leave it all on the stage performance that left fans sweaty and smiling.
The Toadies also revisited the music they released in the nineties with such Rubberneck standouts as “Away,” “Possum Kingdom,” and “Tyler,” which closed out their pre-encore set and had absolutely everyone in the venue screaming the haunting lyrics. The instrumental banger “Mexican Hairless” was loud and tight as Lewis, freed from his mic stand – where he had been delivering passionate, perfect vocals all set long – was able to prowl the front of the stage and play directly to fans in the front row.
Toadies perform at The Vic Theatre in Chicago on May 31, 2026.
Past Toadies tunes often explored themes of external horrors and nefarious deeds, done by their song’s, protagonists, with menacing perfection. With their new, self-released album The Charmer – which was produced by the late-Chicago-legend Steve Albini – Lewis and company looked inward to explore personal demons and the type of intrusive thoughts that impact us all.
Before launching into “Normal,” which featured a guest appearance by Jenni Rose of the Vandoliers on back-up vocals, Lewis shared his own mental health journey with fans encouraging everyone to reach out during dark times.
“I bring this up because I know you’re here and I know you’re hurting and I feel for you, you know. I’ve been there. It’s tough,” he said. “I want to encourage you to reach out. Please, please, please reach out. 998 is the National Suicide Prevention Hotline.”
He added, “The bottom line is, you’re one of us. You go out with us. You need to stay with us.”
Toadies perform at The Vic Theatre in Chicago on May 31, 2026.
Along with “Normal,” “Closer to You,” and the album’s title track, “I Call Your Name” emerged as one of the standouts from the new album in the live setting thanks in part to a timeless guitar solo by Vogeler. The thumping rhythm, sinister guitars, and obsessive lyrics of the song created a sonic bridge uniting the Toadies of the past with the older, wiser, more introspective, and better than ever band of today.
Check out photos of the Toadies, Local H, and the Vandoliers performing at The Vic Theatre in Chicago below and click here to pick-up tickets to future tour dates. More information can be found at Thetoadies.com.
(Photos by Laurie Fanelli)
