On a humid Nashville night, Toro y Moi transformed Marathon Music Works into a lush, pulsating dreamscape… a sensory playground where smooth electronica, soulful funk, and shimmering synths melted into one hypnotic live experience.
Opening with a surprise set featuring Panda Bear, the evening kicked off at full-throttle. Psychedelic visuals bloomed across giant LED screens while swirling basslines shook the floorboards. It was the perfect primer for Chaz Bear — the creative force behind Toro y Moi — to take the stage, a low-key arrival that belied the sonic journey he was about to orchestrate.
Bear has long been celebrated as a genre chameleon.
He deftly blends chillwave, R&B, and funk across his recordings. But live, he demolishes any neat categorization. Backed by a tight live band and surrounded by an arsenal of synths, Bear’s set felt more like an evolving soundscape than a collection of songs. His airy falsetto floated effortlessly over thick, funky basslines and glistening synth textures, adding a warmth and immediacy that the studio versions only hint at.
Tracks flowed into one another with almost psychedelic fluidity, each groove building naturally from the last. Standout moments like “Freelance” and “Ordinary Pleasure” unfurled in slow-motion ecstasy, riding waves of deep funk and skittering beats. Yet, Toro y Moi never let the momentum lag; even the most laidback tracks simmered with an undercurrent of rhythmic energy, keeping the crowd swaying, lost somewhere between dance party and dream sequence.
The production design elevated the experience into something truly immersive. Lights pulsed and shifted in perfect time with the music: cool blues bleeding into fiery oranges, neon purples crackling in time with each bass drop.
By the end of the night, it was clear: there’s no substitute for an artist who can build a complete world right in front of you one song, one synth hit, and one hypnotic groove at a time. I highly recommend attending a show if you have the ability.
Photography by Chasten Bugge
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