Calendar
The Blue Ribbons was formed by singer/songwriter/keyboardist James Rohr.
They have been building a base of devoted fans withtheir 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.” –
Richly brewed in the underground of Boston’s shifting music scene, four young men emerge as a single sound known as Colbis the Creature.
Hailing from the cobble stone streets of Boston, The Wolff Sisters blend rock, blues, and roots music into their own unique sound. Their gritty songs draw from adventures all over New England that shaped their lives.
Beginning on stage at TOAD in Cambridge, MA during a weekly residency in March of 2009, Baker Thomas Band has always been an eclectic collection of musicians and good friends getting together to make great music and have a blast. With anywhere from 7 to 10 and even more musicians on stage, the BTB is a wrecking ball of good times and great tunes
Sarah Eide writes lyrics that are all at once raw, smart and intimate, while wrapping them in expressive melodies and adventurous chord changes. It’s within these songs that she dares question aloud spirituality, morality, relationships, societal standards, her place in the world and where the line lies between right and wrong.
Mama Magnolia is your guide through a groovy and dangerous musical landscape. Their sound pushes musical boundaries while capturing the ear, touching the soul and moving the body. Their powerful blend of groovy rhythms, explosive horn lines, captivating melodies and soulful lyrics will invite you to want more. With a love of shifting meters, polyrhythmic structure, evolving harmonies and complex dynamic shape, they let the music guide them to create danceable and undeniably deep music that is tasty soul candy to those who hear it.
A KEY member of Brothers McCann (singer/songwriter/keyboardist), Pat McCann “is a salt of the earth Boston based vocalist, pianist, and a songwriter” – give a listen HERE
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.
Sunday Spins! – Vinyl Lovers Unite! 3-8pm every Sunday!
Sign up on the list and play two songs each turn.
On 8/23/20163, Amber Casares lent her vocal talent to John Powhida International Airport – right here at TOAD – tonight she’s center stage . . .
Frank Drake says he plays mostly “Americana” which includes jazz, western swing, bluegrass, roots country, a smattering of rock and pop, and some Irish and related varieties of trad. based music.
Friends, we here at The Blue Ribbons Propulsion/Stagnation/Existential Laboratories would like to take a moment to say THANK YOU to all y’all who have been coming out to TOAD on Tuesday nights. It truly is a beautiful thing to be together sharing the moment, even if that moment is loud and confusing sometimes. Thank you for listening, dancing, loving it, hating it, ignoring it…the important part is that we are all agreeing to be together for a few hours being human.
My Mother’s Moustache lists some of their influences as: The Decembrists, John Butler Trio, The Police, Dave Matthews Band, Barenaked Ladies, Leftover Salmon, Rusted Root.
Baker Thomas Band: “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
LOS GOUTOS is a Boston-based Americana band composed of five multi-instrumentalists, three of them singer-songwriters.
Trailer Park = a ten-legged rock and roll machine powered by rock and roll guitar, bass, drums, and twin tenor saxophones
Bring your vinyl over for a spin! Or perhaps pick some up on your way at The Somerville Flea!
O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?
. . . shall be right there at TOAD with thou and the other lonesome Romeos, Juliet . . .
“Heart-hitting – Juliet and the Lonesome Romeos are a group whose new songs sound as if they should be on country or pop radio … fresh and emotionally charged, as though Juliet were a long- lost sister of Lucinda Williams.”
-Steve Morse, Boston Globe
“I saw them the other night at TOAD with a friend visiting from Austin. I’d say Tim Gearan is one of the best guitar players in town.” Sam Kornstein – Something’s Brewing
More on David Johnston: You’re rushing through the city streets, maybe late for an appointment, distracted by your life’s many obligations, and you blow right past a street musician, hard at work. And you stop. And you listen. And you enter the moment and think, ‘Wow, this guy can really play.’
In 2009, when multi-award-winning singer-songwriters Amy Fairchild and Carla Ryder decided to combine their voices and join forces to start a band, Miriam was born.
Harmony singin’, lead vocal swappin’, ass-kickin’ fun.
Band interests: pizza parties, bowling, hand puppets, motorcycle clubs, swiffers, puppies . . .
yeah – that sounds about right for Fandango
“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.
Todd Thibaud is a Vermont born, Boston based Singer-Songwriter who’s songs are a slice of what life is really like…the pains and pleasures, love lost and life reborn. Using songwriters like Elvis Costello, Neil Finn, Johnny Cash and John Hiatt for inspiration, Thibaud has built a sound that is entirely his own. His music is meshed with elements of Americana, Folk, Country and Roots Pop Rock, making it seem at once familiar and new.
“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 . . .
Big Ben Hillman (AKA The Professor of Funk) is a multi-instrumental musician, composer and producer. His style is a mix of old school funky grooves, retro soul with a modern twist.
A hawk flies on the wind. Rebel Darling does the same.
