“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 . . .

“More than one music writer around town have referred to Johnston as one of Boston’s best kept secrets of the local music scene…”    

–Radio Boston’s Anthony Brooks

David Johnston is a songwriter, bandleader, and street musician based in Cambridge, MA. As veteran Boston Globe reviewer Steve Morse has noted, Johnston’s long-running residency (2003-2007) at Union Square’s former Tir Na Nog—the current Bull McCabe’s (where Johnston also played from 2008-2012)—would draw “the best local musicians to play his gigs… luring such Boston all-stars as [Duke] Levine and bassist Marty Ballou (who are both in [J. Geils’ frontman Peter] Wolf’s touring band), guitarists Chris Rival… Tim Gearan, Steve Sadler, and Steve Mayone, drummer John Sands (who tours with Aimee Mann) and bassist Richard Gates, who has played with Suzanne Vega.” In Morse’s words, these heavy hitters “mesh with Johnston’s loose but highly unique mix of swampy delta blues, subtle jazz, Dylan-steeped folk, and far-out psychedelia.”

SATURDAY SPINS!

Come share your vinyl!  Record lovers unite at Toad on Saturdays from 5:00 – 7:30 for vinyl sharing, drink sipping, and favorite music chatting.  Bring your own vinyl records and sign up for a slot to play two songs at a time.  Live music starts, as always, at 9pm (never a cover).

1. 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.

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), 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!

New Band featuring Dennis Brennan, Andrew Stern, Jim Heggarty and Chris Anzalone

Led by the songwriting of violist Laurence Scudder and guitarist Erik White, Spotted Tiger is rounded out by a malleable all-star combination of Boston area players. Together they play an inspiring variety of originals & hand-picked covers.

Spotted Tiger – sometimes acoustic, always eclectic.