Music Review: Big Head Todd Celebrates 40-Year Career at The Sound in Del Mar

It’s common for bands to express appreciation for their fans during a live performance. But statements like, “Thanks for coming out tonight!” and “We love you [insert city name here]!” are so often repeated they ring pretty hollow.

So, when Big Head Todd and The Monsters’ frontman Todd Park Mohr acknowledged the band’s 40th anniversary early into their Nov. 21 show at The Sound by saying, “Thank you for allowing us to live the lives we lead,” the sincerity caught me by surprise. It was genuinely grateful and the feeling filled the air from the first note to the final wave goodbye.

The Colorado-based (and beloved) band eased into their nearly two-hour set with the slow-burning “Josephina” from their 2014 album Black Beehive. It was, perhaps, a subtle start to commemorating nearly four decades of music, but the opener was quickly followed by “Resignation Superman,” one of the group’s bigger hits. Featuring Mohr’s soaring vocals and chugging guitar, it confidently shifted the night into second gear.

In addition to celebrating their 40th anniversary —the timing of which is a bit suspect given Big Head Todd officially formed in 1986, performing their first gig at a University of Colorado college party —the band took this occasion to perform three songs from their latest release, Her Way Out: “Into the Light,” the charming “Rainbow Girl” (inspired by Mohr’s 7-year-old daughter), and “My New Number One,” which blended nostalgic tastes of AC/DC guitars, Led Zeppelin drums, and Red Hot Chili Peppers vocals.

Fans of Big Head Todd know of the rock band’s love of the blues. In fact, it’s what led to their name. Contrary to what some might think, “Big Head” doesn’t refer to the size of Todd’s noggin or his ego. The lead singer suggested the moniker Big Head Todd and The Monsters as a nod to jazz/blues artist Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson and, to their surprise, it stuck.

On this special night, the foursome — Mohr (vocals, guitar, harmonica), Brian Nevin (drums), Rob Squires (bass), and Jeremy Lawton (keyboards, lap steel guitar) — paid homage to some blues greats. Early in the set, they performed a faithful rendition of Willie Dixon’s “Sittin’ and Cryin’ the Blues.” Later, they thrilled the crowd with perennial crowd-pleaser “Boom Boom,” a 1961 John Lee Hooker tune that took on new life with Mohr’s gravelly growl.  

To their fans’ delight, Big Head Todd interlaced all three hits from their platinum-selling 1993 album Sister Sweetly. Squires’ bass groove held down the beautifully crafted “Bittersweet,” while the hard-rocking “Circle” featured a brief but brilliant guitar solo from Mohr. The anthemic “Broken Hearted Savior” kicked off their three-song encore, sparking a spirited crowd singalong.

Big Head Todd’s fondness for performing covers during their live shows doesn’t stop at the blues. During the soulful “It’s Alright,” they slipped in a snippet of Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On” and then gave a wink to San Diego as a “harbor town” with the yacht rock staple “Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl)” that was every bit as good as the original. But they saved the best for last, closing out the 23-song night with Boston’s instrumental opus “Foreplay” — marked by Lawton’s ethereal keyboards and Nevin’s hard-driving drums — flowing seamlessly into Deep Purple’s high-octane “Highway Star.”

Before exiting the stage, Mohr took one last moment to thank the near-capacity crowd for 40 years of support and shout out the venue’s sound (when is the last time you heard a band do that?), asking that we have them back. Something tells me Big Head Todd and The Monsters will grace San Diego stages more than a few times before their next milestone anniversary rolls around.

Donovan Roche, a San Diego-based writer and editor, has covered the music, entertainment and arts scene for more than 30 years. Send your story ideas to droche617@gmail.com.