Calendar

Jan
2
Tue
Daresay featuring Greg Klyma & Carla Ryder
Jan 2 @ 7:30 pm

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His birth date puts him squarely in the middle of Generation X, but Greg Klyma is an old-school troubadour. His enduring themes, articulate and amusing stories, and populist ideals make him one of those rare young artists who is carrying the torch of Woody and Ramblin’ Jack. He rolls in off the road, pulls out a guitar, and proceeds to take us back to the basics: family, love, gratitude, and laughter. It’s the timeless art of the true troubadour, keeping alive the American folk tradition.

Carla Ryder is a true storyteller, she writes from the heart and from the gut a lyrical portrait of the human condition. Whether confessional, self-mocking or anecdotal she passionately blends her experiences with those of others and the world around her. Her sound has been described as rootsy and raw, soulful and soaring. Carla has crafted a style that is tender, heart warming, uplifting and redemptive. Whether in a yoga studio, a coffeehouse or a country band her charm and presence exude a connection to the listener so deep that from the crowd, you feel that you know her personally.cwi

The Blue Ribbons
Jan 2 @ 10:00 pm
Fan Faves!  The Blue Ribbons list some of their interests:
making good music for good people, and trying to occasionally scare each other.

“Ray Charles and Tom Waits on a pirate ship with Sun Ra and Captain Beefheart,” they combine “upbeat disillusionment and celebratory fatalism with musicianship” – Charan Devereux;Boston Globe.

 

Jan
3
Wed
Fandango
Jan 3 @ 7:00 pm

FANDANGO is as much a spiritual renewal as it is a reinterpretation of some of the best soul, blues, gospel, and Americana music ever written. With a loyal flock of followers (the flock that rock) to their weekly Wednesday night residency at TOAD in Cambridge, FANDANGO fuels frontman Fred Griffeth to lead this congregation into soul and R&B righteousness! For he is like a refiner of fire and he shall purify!

“Ask not for whom the Fandan goes. It goes for thee. On Wednesday donchaknow.” –

STICKY (Mike Press, Jonas Kahn, and Jeremy Curtis)
Jan 3 @ 10:00 pm
STICKY (Mike Press, Jonas Kahn, and Jeremy Curtis)

more info soooooooooooooon

Jan
4
Thu
Baker Thomas Band
Jan 4 @ 10:00 pm

BAKER THOMAS BAND  “…kind of a musical Robin Hood, robbing freely from the classic roots of American music and bringing it back to the common folks.”  – Billy Beard, Talent buyer/Boston Session drummer.

Image result for baker thomas band

Jan
5
Fri
Muddy Ruckus
Jan 5 @ 10:00 pm
Muddy Ruckus

“Infectious, foot-stomping Americana tunes. Similar to the White Stripes in duo power. Muddy Ruckus delivers a full bodied sound, with nothing but guitar and suitcase drums.” – The Sound

Jan
6
Sat
Arc Iris- January Residency!
Jan 6 @ 7:30 pm

Arc Iris broke musical ground with the release of their acclaimed self-titled debut in 2014. The Providence, Rhode Island-based band quickly won over audiences in the US and Europe, supporting artists such as St. Vincent, Jeff Tweedy, and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. The group performed at the London Palladium and festivals including Bonnaroo, End of the Road and the Rolling Stone Weekender.

Honey Talk
Jan 6 @ 10:00 pm

Honey Talk is a fresh, innovative, and comfortable quartet that performs classic hits and inviting originals making you feel sweeter than honey.

Honey talk is:
Cody Nilsen – Guitar/Vocals
Steve Bunce- Bass/Vocals
Ben Blanchard – Keys/Vocals
Pat “Daddy” Dalton – Drums/Vocals

check out one of their songs HERE

 

Jan
7
Sun
Sunday Spins
Jan 7 @ 3:00 pm

 Sunday Spins!  – Vinyl Lovers Unite! 3-8pm every Sunday!

Sign up on the list and play two songs each turn.

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David Johnston Band
Jan 7 @ 9:00 pm

Peter Wolf (formerly of the J Geils Band), whose brilliant Midnight Souvenirs—released in 2010—included  David Johnston’s “I Don’t Wanna Know.” This song went on to become the second single from that album, and was performed on the David Letterman Show in June of 2010.

Jan
8
Mon
David Johnston
Jan 8 @ 7:30 pm

David Johnston is a regular fixture in Harvard Square. You can find him on just about any sunny afternoon with his old Gibson guitar, his signature black jeans, and black hat – Busy during the day?  Lucky you – David Johnston brings his blues to TOAD every Monday before The White Owls!

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The White Owls
Jan 8 @ 9:00 pm

Just look at the band; Dennis Brennan on harmonica, guitar and vocals. Tim Gearan on guitar and vocals. Steve Sadler on lap steel.  Jim Haggerty on bass and Andy Plaisted on drums.

Check out a clip from one of their shows HERE  – After making it thru Monday, YOU deserve a night out!

The White Owls

Jan
9
Tue
Dietrich Strause & Band
Jan 9 @ 7:30 pm
Dietrich Strause & Band

Dietrich Strause’s songs are a mix of timeless melody, literate lyricism, and a “virtuosic command of imagery.” (The Artery, WBUR) Strause released his new album How Cruel That Hunger Binds on August 26th, produced by Zachariah Hickman (Ray LaMontage, Josh Ritter), the next benchmark in his steady evolution as one of the most eclectic writers and performers coming out of New England.  His newest collection of songs is found somewhere in the shadows of the likes of Randy Newman, Nick Lowe, and Paul Simon.

The Old North
Jan 9 @ 10:00 pm
The Old North

A soulful, folk singer/songwriter, Andrew O’Keeffe heads up the trio The Old North that includes drummer Andy Buckley and lead guitarist Hayes Cummings. Currently based in Cambridge, MA, the group focuses on music that is engaging, truthful, poetic, and resonates deeply with audiences and listeners.

Jan
10
Wed
Fandango
Jan 10 @ 7:00 pm

Fred Griffeth fronts Fandango  – Their celebrated selection of Americana music draws a loyal band of pious sisters and reform school brothers! – Truth . . .

Sugar Blood Jinx
Jan 10 @ 10:00 pm
Sugar Blood Jinx

SUGAR BLOOD JINX

is Eric Waxwood who uses finger-picking and a slide on a National Steel Guitar and sings lead vocals;

Matt Murphy who plays an upright bass and sings background vocals; and

Scott Pittman who plays an old 1920‘s ‘traps’ drum kit and sings background vocals.

Jan
11
Thu
Melvern Taylor & His Fabulous Meltones
Jan 11 @ 7:30 pm
The Band Members: Melvern Taylor- Ukulele
And the Fabulous Meltones: Matt Murphy -Upright BAss Dave Livingston – Slide Guitar Sir Bob Nash – Drums
Genre: Post-Modern Parlor Music  – give it a listen HERE
Image result for melvern taylor
Baker Thomas Band
Jan 11 @ 10:00 pm

BAKER THOMAS BAND  “…kind of a musical Robin Hood, robbing freely from the classic roots of American music and bringing it back to the common folks.”  – Billy Beard, Talent buyer/Boston Session drummer.

Image result for baker thomas band

Jan
12
Fri
The Soggy Po’ Boys
Jan 12 @ 10:00 pm
The Soggy Po' Boys

With a repertoire of New Orleans standards, spirituals, contemporary music, and swing tunes, the Soggy Po’ Boys offer a lively blend of fun and insanity.

Jan
13
Sat
Arc Iris
Jan 13 @ 7:30 pm
Arc Iris

Released on Bella Union in Europe and ANTI Records in the US, Arc Iris drew admiration for its innovative style and distinctive sound.

“It’s hypnotic,” said the Boston Globe.

The New York Times wrote of “songs that seesawed between the elfin delicacy of Joanna Newsom and some brassy raucousness.”

The Guardian talked of “a shape-shifting treat” while new music site The Line of Best Fit proclaimed, “Arc Iris is traditional music thrillingly positioned at the nexus of the old and new.”

Stan Martin Band
Jan 13 @ 10:00 pm

Stan Martin is a keeper of the traditional country music flame. He’s a Don Rich/Danny Gatton-schooled Telecaster-loving guitar picker, a virtuoso who is not a showoff. And he’s a skilled writer and musician who is unabashedly, unapologetically country. Martin’s original songs have a moving, sometimes comic, honesty. He retains a romantic toughness, as with some of Waylon Jennings early 1970s tunes written before the outlaw stance became a circus act.” Rick Allen Vintage Guitar

 

Jan
14
Sun
Sunday Spins
Jan 14 @ 3:00 pm

“Vinyl record sales are at a 28 year high” – Fortune April 2016  – See/Hear for yourself at Sunday Spins – every Sunday – bring your records and take turns sharing your faves!

Image result for sunday spins toad

Lisa Bastoni
Jan 14 @ 9:00 pm
Lisa Bastoni

Lisa Bastoni is a Boston-based singer-songwriter.

Her album The Wishing Hour will be released in October 2016.  You can pre-order it HERE.

Jan
15
Mon
David Johnston
Jan 15 @ 7:30 pm

Peter Wolf (formerly of the J Geils Band), whose brilliant Midnight Souvenirs—released in 2010—included  David Johnston’s “I Don’t Wanna Know.” This song went on to become the second single from that album, and was performed on the David Letterman Show in June of 2010.

The White Owls
Jan 15 @ 9:00 pm

Just look at the band; Dennis Brennan on harmonica, guitar and vocals. Tim Gearan on guitar and vocals. Steve Sadler on lap steel.  Jim Haggerty on bass and Andy Plaisted on drums.

Check out a clip from one of their shows HERE  – After making it thru Monday, YOU deserve a night out!

Image result for white owls at toad

Jan
16
Tue
The Franc Graham Band
Jan 16 @ 7:30 pm

The Boston Globe on The Franc Graham Band:

“Immensely Underrated… cool and commanding… an unusually rich blend of singer-songwriter rock…”

The Blue Ribbons
Jan 16 @ 10:00 pm
Fan Faves!  The Blue Ribbons list some of their interests:
making good music for good people, and trying to occasionally scare each other.

“Ray Charles and Tom Waits on a pirate ship with Sun Ra and Captain Beefheart,” they combine “upbeat disillusionment and celebratory fatalism with musicianship” – Charan Devereux;Boston Globe.

 

Jan
17
Wed
Fandango
Jan 17 @ 7:00 pm

Fred Griffeth fronts Fandango  – Their celebrated selection of Americana music draws a loyal band of pious sisters and reform school brothers! – Truth . . .

Danielle Miraglia & The Glory Junkies
Jan 17 @ 10:00 pm

Danielle Miraglia is a dynamic and captivating musician; her rich soulful voice and blues guitar mastery resonate in a performance both rare and unforgettable.”
– Paul Patchel, State Street Blues Festival, Media, PA

Her project, Danielle M & The Glory Junkies features the classic rock and blues vibe of The Rolling Stones, Janis Joplin delivered through original tunes both lyrical and danceable.

Image result for danielle miraglia and the glory junkies

Jan
18
Thu
Telescope
Jan 18 @ 7:30 pm
Telescope

Telescope is one of Andrew Stern‘s projects –  He came up with the name because the band is designed around the Telecaster guitar.

When the question is posed to guitarists, “If you could have just one guitar, what would it be?”, polls show that an overwhelming number of guitarists reply, “a Telecaster”. I rank as one who would answer exactly the same. The telecaster is a versatile tool which can cover a lot of ground, but more importantly, it changes the way I approach and play the instrument. Inspired by my own teles and by some telecaster playing guitar heroes of mine, I’ve designed a band around the guitar itself, appropriately titled “Telescope”. A mix of originals and covers, it’s a little bit country, a little bit rock and roll and more than a little bit undefined.

Oh – and besides, Andrew . . . the other names should also “sound” familiar:

Andrew Stern: guitar
James Rohr: keys
Greg Loughman: bass
Mike Connors: drums

 

Baker Thomas Band
Jan 18 @ 10:00 pm

“You guys put on a hell of a show, a lot of fun!” – Steve Morse, long time Boston Globe music critic and freelance writier on the Baker Thomas Band . . .

Image result for baker thomas band

Jan
19
Fri
Los Goutos
Jan 19 @ 10:00 pm

LOS GOUTOS

“A veritable Grand Ole Opry with a modern sense of humor….”   (Music Connection Magazine)

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Featuring:

Bruce Bartone
(acoustic and electric guitars; bass guitar, keyboards; backing vocals);

Mike Eigen
(lead and backing vocals, percussion, acoustic guitar, clarinet, ukulele, songwriting);

Shamus Feeney
(bass guitar, acoustic, electric, and resophonic guitars; percussion; lead and backing vocals);

Chris Gleason
(lead and backing vocals, mandolin, tenor banjo, acoustic guitar, percussion, songwriting);

Paul Stewart
(lead and backing vocals, accordion, acoustic and electric guitars, keyboards, harmonica, songwriting)

…and whenever possible:

Jakub Trasak
(fiddle)

 

Jan
20
Sat
Arc Iris
Jan 20 @ 7:30 pm
Arc Iris

Lead singer and lyricist Jocie Adams, Tenorio-Miller, and drummer Ray Belli form the core of Arc Iris, all virtuosic musicians in their own right. Adams spent eight years as a key member of indie darlings The Low Anthem, effortlessly zipping from hammer dulcimer to clarinet to bass to vocals, sometimes barely pausing to take a breath. Her 2011 solo debut, Bed of Notions, sparked a musical beginning that became Arc Iris. Joining Adams on Bed of Notions was cellist Robin Ryczek, a conservatory-trained musician who toured with Jethro Tull and founded a rock school in Afghanistan.

Chris Hersch & The Moonraiders
Jan 20 @ 10:00 pm
Chris Hersch & The Moonraiders

The MoonRaiders are a Western Swing band that combine elements of Jazz, Rock n’ Roll, Country, and Truck Driving music.
Award winning guitarist Chris Hersch (formerly of Girls Guns & Glory) leads this quartet of accomplished musicians, improvising and singing their way through an eclectic set that will please both the dancer and music aficionado.
Drawing on a unique repertoire often overlooked in the American Songbook, The MoonRaiders pivot between Bob Wills, Chuck Berry, Dave Dudley, Commander Cody, and original music, all in one show.
This band’s style is Honky Tonk Trucker Jazz and Rock n’ Roll!!!!

AS SEEN AT TOAD...