About This Performance
The Hotel Cafe on Cahuenga Boulevard has been one of Los Angeles' most important rooms for singer-songwriters since 2000. Artists like Sara Bareilles, Ingrid Michaelson, and Meiko played early sets there before breaking out nationally. It is a small, dark room with excellent sound — the kind of venue where the audience is close enough to hear fingers on frets.
Toby performed here backing singer-songwriter Nina Storey, contributing multi-instrumental support across her set. Playing in this context requires a different skill set than studio composition. The arrangement has to work live, in real time, with no second takes and no editing — just the room, the artist, and the audience.
Live performance has always been central to Toby's identity as a musician. Before focusing on composition and production, he spent years on stages across Southern California, playing everything from dive bars to festivals. That experience informs his studio work — the music he composes is rooted in what works in front of a live audience, not just in headphones.