A lengthy music career is something many artists long for and something few obtain.
The artists who cracked the code of success, maintain strong fan bases. For alternative-rock band Toadies, its cult-like following motivates it to continue making music and touring all over the world, including a stop at the Varsity Theatre in Baton Rouge.
The band from Fort Worth, Texas, formed in 1989 but didn’t find national fame until 1994 when it released its debut album, “Rubberneck,” featuring Toadies’ most popular single, “Possum Kingdom.”
After 20 years and a few lineup changes, Toadies rereleased “Rubberneck” with remastered and unreleased songs.
Doni Blair, the band’s current bassist, said Toadies is excited about being able to rerelease “Rubberneck,” but it is overjoyed that the group is together for it. Blair knows that a lot of bands can’t share such a milestone because the band splits up, but he sees the togetherness of Toadies as a sign of things to come.
“We’re documenting a place in time that we were popular,” Blair said. “More importantly, the tour shows that we have a lot more on the horizon.”
Before going on tour, Toadies questioned whether to begin sets with “Rubberneck” or to finish with material from the debut album. A few of the members had concerns that fans would leave after playing the album in its entirety first, but the band decided giving the fans what they want was more important than risking a few walkouts.
“We play the album in its exact order,” Blair said. “I think people pay attention to that detail.”
Toadies never achieved the major success some other ’90s bands had, but Blair believes that the fans’ desire to “hear more” keeps the band relevant. He found that a certain creative freedom comes with being a part of a band that is well known, but not too well known. That liberation allows Toadies to continue enjoying its career instead of treating it as a burden.
“We can make music as we please, not because we have to,” Blair said.
Each year, the band hosts “Dia De Los Toadies,” a two-day festival held in Fort Worth. During the first night of the festival, it plays an intimate acoustic set. After a few years of doing so, the band developed the idea of making an entire record with an unplugged sound. The project will be Toadies’ upcoming album, set to release in the spring. The album intends to be a stark contrast from the band’s usual, dark-toned music.
“It’s the project I’m most proud of by us because it’s so opposite everything else,” Blair said.
As the group enters the Varsity on Aug. 14, Blair promises a genuine experience. He assured there are no gimmicks or pyrotechnics incorporated into a Toadies show. The tenured artists on the stage will not deliver a “downloaded” experience but simply play the music they worked 20 years to master.