“When Mike Hastings isn’t playing at local venues such as Toad, he can often be found busking around Davis and Harvard Square. Next time you’re out, keep an ear out for the sound of guitar and a tambourine, and if you see Mike, stop and listen for a while. You just might leave a little warmer.” – Sound of Boston

Give a listen HERE

“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!

On 8/23/2016, Amber Casares lent her vocal talent to John Powhida International Airport – right here at TOAD – tonight she’s center stage . . .

take a listen HERE

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!

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 . . .

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.

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.” –

. . . tonight TOAD welcomes  Organ in Orbit

Organ In Orbit is a jazz/funk organ trio from Boston, formed originally as a side-project of the Freelance Bishops leader/keyboardist, Jeremy Parker, back in 2004. Jeremy had a dream and a newly customized Hammond A-100, with a high-power Leslie cabinet and subwoofer he designed and built himself. With a smart selection of covers by artists ranging from the Meters to John Scofield,and styles ranging from shuffles to boogaloos to modern funk, the roots of the trio’s musical influence were growing wide and deep. And it certainly didn’t hurt to have a similarly deep bench of musical talent to contribute to this vision. On guitar, local luminaries like Justin Piper, Mike Mele, and Bruce Bartlett would be on call. And on drums, you’d likely see Benny Benson, Pete Maclean, or Steve Langone. After many years of regular gigs at their favorite local venues, the trio has developed a unique chemistry and dynamic musical interaction that truly engages the audience. Fast forward to 2017, and the band lineup has solidified and is working on brand-new original material composed by Jeremy, with a new album release eminent. Things are about to get interesting…

Come hear for yourself why this jazz-funk organ quartet from Boston is Out of THIS World!

Rea (Maria White) is a singer-songwriter, producer from St. John’s, Newfoundland. Rea’s lyrics have been described as honest and witty, her harmonies smart and natural.

Her style is unique, yet shows such influences of Norah Jones vocal stylings, the melodic inspirations of Laura Nyro, Priscilla Ahn’s lyrical and instrumental techniques, the soulful vibe of Emily King, and inspired by vocal and musical genre of Yuna.

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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

“Pat Stone & The Dirty Boots play it similar to acts like Uncle Tupelo and Old 97’s. That is to say it’s often rock (or even punk) masquerading as a country band, often times not even in a very comprehensive disguise. While they may be hiding a bunch of tattoos under their flannels, Pat Stone and his band of merry ramblers deftly keep things gritty and a little dust-covered in the way that all the best alt country acts are able to.” – Chip McCabe

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Noble Dust is a motley collection of reformed band geeks, we’re all about lyrically driven progressive folk pop, toast, and fitting onto tiny stages.

Pioneers of Frog Pop, as far as we know . . .

Drawing from his Nasvhille roots, film composer, singer songwriter, producer, and performer Andy Tubman aka Skinnytubs creates lilting melodies and sensual grooves which captivate with warm intimacy. Songs such “Do It Again” from the 2016 Keith Gattis produced album, Sea of Sin, evoke the sounds of Jeff Buckley and Ray LaMontagne with emotional spellbinding and stunning simplicity.

The co-founding member of the LA based Jane Does, Skinnytubs now prepares for his self-produced and soon-to-be-released solo album Ether. With a diverse collaborative cast including  Dennis Hamm of Thundercat (keys and synth), and James King of Fitz and the Tantrums (flute), Ether is a soul pop masterwork that woos listeners into melancholy rapture.

Bees Deluxe is a full-tilt, acid blues/funk/rock collective comprised of Boston-based musicians.

Their unique repertoire includes originals and re-interpreted 60s, 70s, and 80s covers from Billie Holiday, Miles Davis, Joe Zawinul, Charles Mingus, B.B. King, Kenny Burrell, Freddie King, Herbie Hancock, Albert King, Etta James, Muddy Waters, The Meters, Little Feat, Ray Charles, Jimi Hendrix, Roy Buchanan, Curtis Mayfield, The Butterfield Blues Band, Derek Trucks, Donny Hathaway, Amy Winehouse, Steely Dan, Etta James, ZZ Top, Robben Ford, Bonnie Raitt, Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland, SoulLive, Derek and the Dominoes, Robert Cray, Edgar Winter, among many others. Taking the road less traveled, they discover and share off-the-beaten songs and instrumentals and fuse them into their own original works. They dare to be risk-takers on stage, digging deep into the vaults of blues/jazz antiquity. The result is an effortless take-no-prisoners-approach that wittingly captures the audience’s hearts.

“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!

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

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.” –

Sarah Mendelsohn’s new album, “IF”, is not your grandmother’s Mendelssohn! This album is a collection of Sarah’s original songs, at once beautifully melodic with catchy hooks, rich harmonies and heartfelt lyrics. They are songs of love, loss, vulnerability, motherhood, hope and determination.

“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 . . .

Traditional Blues band based in Boston MA. GA-20 plays 50’s & 60’s heavy blues music featuring Matthew Stubbs (Charlie Musselwhite band)-Guitar, Pat Faherty-Vocals & Guitar and Chris Anzalone-Drums.

Influences include:  Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Little Walter, Charlie Musselwhite, Freddie King, Paul Butterfield, John Lee Hooker, Magic Sam, Jimmy Reed, Sonny Boy Williamson II, Bo Diddley, Chuck Berry, Sonny Boy Williamson I, Big Joe Williams

Electric Heaters are a instro/surf/spy band from Boston. Lead by Matt Heaton, you can check out the full band quartet, trio, or the “semi electric” duo. Surf’s up. 

Lady Lupine is a Boston based soul and rock band that delivers thrilling performances of original and covered music. Their sound is a unique blend of poignant lyrics, robust rhythms and alluring melodies. Drawing inspiration from artists like Stevie Wonder, Hiatus Kaiyote, Erykah Badu and Santigold, Lady Lupine creates an engaging experience while cultivating visceral connections through sound.

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

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

le Prestige is an attempt by Boston bassist Chris Forkey to create an instrumental music inspired by the jazz-sample heavy sounds of 90’s hip-hop, electronica and lounge, all performed live with just horns, upright bass, and drums. “Repertoire”, finished in 2012, also features Scott Getchell on trumpet, Kit Buckley on tenor sax, John Glenshaw on drums, and Jim Hobbs on alto sax.

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!

The Revs are Andrea Gillis, Jen D’Angora (aka Jenny Dee), Chis Cote, Chris Anzalone and Ed Valauskas. They enjoy and perform R&B, soul, gospel and other musical stylings.

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.” –