Jason Torbitzky's Last Show With Theodore Is Tomorrow: What He Meant To The Band

Jason Torbitzky playing with Theodore. Photo by Ellen Herget

Theodore's Jason Torbitzky is making his leave from the band much in the way he played with it: Without flailing or fanfare. His new job won't leave enough time to devote to the band; his final show will be tomorrow for the Union Electric's seven-inch release show at Mangia. "He was the first to join up when we were starting out," says front man Justin Kinkel-Schuster, "and he has always been solid, reliable, creative and enthusiastic -- a fantastic drummer as well as a good man to have and be around.

"Simply put, Theodore would not be the band that it has become without Jason. I know that's about as cliche as it gets, but it's the truth."

Torbitzky complimented the band perfectly, knowing when to get out of the way and when to anchor the chaos around him. His rhythms are complex, but never conspicuously so -- it will be interesting to watch his successor, Magic City's Sam Meyer, settle into his new role.

Torbitzky's contributions extended beyond his instrument -- he was highly involved in Theodore's recording process, as well.

"We will miss him, of course, more than probably any of us realizes at the moment," says Kinkel-Schuster. "But things change and that's just the way it goes, and so Sam Meyer has been good enough to join up, and I'm real happy to get to play with him now. Also, Matt Pace is playing Wurlitzer and trumpet with us now, so that's exciting, too, and though things are in a sort of flux state for us at the moment, we're holding it down, I think. Meet the new Theodore, same as the old Theodore."

Watch the old Theodore play a few songs at the City Museum late last year for a Lo-Fi St. Louis session. Your last chance to see this lineup is tomorrow, folks.