Calendar
“You gotta hear this band!” –Peter Holsapple, The dB’s
Independent Music Award winning guitarist, F. Alex Johnson’s band, Colorway is an original, indie, progressive pop rock trio from Northampton, Massachusetts. The band draws on their love of American and British rock mixed with inventive, energetic and melodic lead guitar. Colorway’s live show is always a moving experience for the listener and the musicians themselves, as the band strives to elevate the room and connect with the audience at each live performance and with every spin of any one of their albums.
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
Bring your vinyl as we get to take turns playing our faves…
sorta like open mic – sign up to play two songs from your vinyl – we set up a turn table center stage – . . . – once you play your songs you can sign up again –
bring new – old – anything!
Boston rock band with an eclectic sound. Dylanesque lyrics set to catchy rock guitar. Occasional hints of Stones and Replacements. Eric Salt & The Electric City’s live shows can approach a Springsteen explosion and captivate audiences with their raw power.
David Johnston – if you don’t know him, you have to stop by TOAD for Blue Monday – take a listen HERE where David talks about his influences and plays a bit of music –
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!
Singer/Songwriter Dan Mills fronts a 5 piece Folk/Americana band that’s based between Brooklyn NY and Cambridge MA. Mills portrayed country-guitar legend Carl Perkins in the Broadway cast of Million Dollar Quartet, and his song “Best I Could” earned him a nomination for Sirius XM Coffeehouse’s Singer/Songwriter Discovery of the Year”. Currently celebrating the release of his new full length album Something Good (7/7/17), Mills has combined his knack for writing honest, lyrically driven folks songs with the raw Sun Records twang that has seeped into his artistic voice. Sincere and bittersweet, Something Good is a love letter to cheap wine and deep love, dive bars and indecision, quiet train rides, and the unwavering hope of a hungry artist.
In 2014, two venerable songwriters decided that “acoustic” music is for wussies. They dusted off the Telecasters and tube amps they had stashed away and decided to rock out. Years of folk immersion had rendered them unable to write about anything other than trucks, trains, and the aforementioned telecasters. Whatever, it’s loud and awesome.
When he’s not touring nationally doing the previously mentioned wussie folk thing, Greg Klyma hosts Americana Sundays in Union Square.
The Ryan Fitzsimmons Band won “Favorite Local Bad Ass Rock n Rollers” in the 2013 Red Line Roots Awards. Both of those guys are in this band with Chris DeSanty (drums) and Paul Chase (bass). Do it for Citizen Slim.
“I still believe the lessons I learned when I was raised in a Roman Catholic household. Like, it’s harder for a rich man to get into heaven than for a camel to go through the eye of a needle.” – Michael Moore –
Celebrate Hump Day with Fandango
Chris McDermott is a very busy musician playing all over America, Europe, and the Caribbean for over 25 years. Posessing a truly unique rhythmic style he draws from what seems to be every available musical color in the palette. He is also one of the bravest and most energetic musicians you will ever experience live.
Playing solo or surrounding himself with some of the best international musicians in the world, Chris lives for that real “in the moment” exchange with his audience, his players and the vibrations created by all involved.
“happy songs for miserable people” – Melvern
check out a fan fave “Sleepy Eyes” – recorded right here at TOAD
Press:
“Your music makes me want to pee. In a good way….”
Melvern Taylor is the Sam Shepard of the Ukulele!
ET – phone home – yeah, yeah –
but only after the Baker Thomas Band show . . . they’re out of this world. . .“A whole bunch of musicians and a whole bunch of instruments, come together to deliver an electrifying show which promises a whole bunch of fun” -Tracey Delfino, Trespass Music
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!!!!
ASA!!!!!!!!!!
Once steeped heavily in the lush music scene of the Green Mountains; Long Gone John was the creative force behind local favorite Tallgrass Getdown. Drawing from influences such as The Wood Brothers, The Devil Makes Three, Dr. John, Taj Mahal, The Band, Little Feat and many others, John wrote songs that were edgy, honest, soulful, and deep with a timeless element that somehow meshed seamlessly with carefully chosen covers and adaptations of traditional songs.
Bring your vinyl as we get to take turns playing our faves…
sorta like open mic – sign up to play two songs from your vinyl – we set up a turn table center stage – . . . – once you play your songs you can sign up again –
bring new – old – anything!
“Eric George is one of the smartest songwriters in the entire indie folk scene and nobody knows it. That isn’t to say that nobody knows him—or, at least by this point he should have the entire state of Vermont on his side—but he wraps his way around the intricacies of his arrangements so deftly that one wouldn’t be mistaken, from a laymen’s perspective, to call his work ‘simple.'”
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.
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 Boston Globe on The Franc Graham Band:
“Immensely Underrated… cool and commanding… an unusually rich blend of singer-songwriter rock…”
The Blue Ribbons was formed by singer/songwriter/keyboardist James Rohr.
They have been building a base of devoted fans with their original and soulful music.
Described as
“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.
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.” –
Chris McDermott is a very busy musician playing all over America, Europe, and the Caribbean for over 25 years. Posessing a truly unique rhythmic style he draws from what seems to be every available musical color in the palette. He is also one of the bravest and most energetic musicians you will ever experience live.
Playing solo or surrounding himself with some of the best international musicians in the world, Chris lives for that real “in the moment” exchange with his audience, his players and the vibrations created by all involved.
“Infectious, foot-sto
“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
mping 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
INSPIRED BY SOUTHERN GOTHIC IMAGERY AND EVERYDAY BEAUTY, NYOTA ROAD IS A HUSBAND AND WIFE ACOUSTIC DUO PERFORMING ORIGINAL SONGS ABOUT FAMILY, RELATIONSHIPS AND HOME.
IT ALL STARTED WHEN….
Greta decided to write a song as a birthday gift for her husband, Mark. She had always written silly tunes and even a children’s book but never a “serious” song. From that first tune, came another and another with each song telling stories reminiscent of relationships, family and growing up her hometown of Warrior, Alabama.
We call ourselves Nyota Road named from a road in my hometown. Growing up I used to play on the river with my friends and take walks along the train trestle. We would spend hours floating down the river, taking in the world as we knew it at the time. To get there, we’d go down Nyota Road. It’s one of my happiest memories.
“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!
Ship of the Sun celebrates the music of the Grateful Dead with a fun, free-wheeling, danceable show that pays tribute to the sounds of rock & roll’s most unique band.
Ship of the Sun came together in 2015 around each member’s love of the songs, spirit, and improvisation adventurousness of the Dead.
David Johnston – if you don’t know him, you have to stop by TOAD for Blue Monday – take a listen HERE where David talks about his influences and plays a bit of music –
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!
Rebecca Haviland is a Grammy awarding winning vocalist and multi-instrumentalist with extensive songwriting, performance & touring experience.
Her own band, Rebecca Haviland and Whiskey Heart, includes members Chris Anderson (Martin Sexton), Todd Caldwell (C S & N) & Kenny Shaw (Dispatch). They have performed in support of Roberta Flack, James McCartney, Rick Springfield, and Martin Sexton. Their first album, released in 2012, received awards in the International Songwriting Competition and Unsigned Only Competition.
SPOTTED TIGER – A musical bridge from Willie Nelson to Bob Marley where JJ Cale is the toll collector. Featuring original music by songwriters Laurence Scudder & Erik White . . .
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.” –
