Calendar
Amber Angelina has performed off and on for years as Amber Casares. She has performed as a backing vocalist with John Powhida International Airport and has been collaborating with locals the Blue Ribbons for years. Mix of country and rock
The Z-Boys is a power trio playing surf rock, soul and funk for your listening and dancing pleasure.
“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
Texas guitar slinger, songwriter & vocalist Willie J Laws developed his “funky blues” guitar and vocal sound, influenced by Texas Blues and R&B, Tex-Mex Tejano/Conjunto, Louisiana Zydeco, and Country. Fans call him “the Real Deal” and we could not agree more. Please join us tonight and experience an evening you are not likely to forget!
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.
Local Favorite
The Ken Clark Organ Trio gives you originals in funk, soul, rock, and jazz styles. Instrumentation includes organ, vocals, guitar, drums, percussion, and saxophone. Ken is a master on Hammond organ and is lead vocalist.
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.
Cody Nilsen, Boston Music Award Nominee for session Musician of the year.
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.
New Band featuring Dennis Brennan, Andrew Stern, Jim Heggarty and Chris Anzalone
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!
“You guys put on a hell of a show, a lot of fun!” – Steve Morse, long time Boston Globe music critic and freelance writer on the Baker Thomas Band . . .
Organically Good Trio is a hammond organ trio with a reggae spin out of Boston. Founded by Slightly
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
New Band featuring Dennis Brennan, Andrew Stern, Jim Heggarty and Chris Anzalone
“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.
Muddy Ruckus is a duo of “darkly inventive americana” according to the New York Music Daily. Guitarist Ryan Flaherty and drummer Erika Stahl of Portland, Maine play a grungy style of railroad indie punk blues. This stripped-down power-duo blends rootsy guitar and edgy percussion on a suitcase drum kit, and is known for a full rock band sound.
“Using the striking, heavy language of romanticism, the emotional impact of the words is not so much overwhelming as it is effective. Rare that a song can accomplish what classic literature sought to.” – Gas Mask Magazine
“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
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.
Featuring Dana Colley from Morphine
Abbie Barrett, Boston Music Award Winner for Songwriter in 2015, fronts her band featuring Ed Valauskas (bass), Jack Hamilton (keys), Josh Kiggans (drums), and Mike Oram (guitar).
Paul Robicheau of The Improper wrote that their album, That Shame, showcases her in full rock mode, sometimes evoking the tone and phrasing of the Pretenders’ Chrissie Hynde…[Her] craftsmanship extends from the gorgeous vocals of “As I Wanted You” and the soaring crescendos of “Falling” to the catchy ’80s-flavored punch of “Take It in Stride.”
A beloved fixture in the Boston music scene for more than 25 years, Tim Gearan has become a bonafide local music hero. His warm, raspy baritone, jaw-dropping guitar skills and wry, poignant songwriting have graced the bars, pubs, and music halls throughout New England, creating a loyal cult-like following.
Texas guitar slinger, songwriter & vocalist Willie J Laws developed his “funky blues” guitar and vocal sound, influenced by Texas Blues and R&B, Tex-Mex Tejano/Conjunto, Louisiana Zydeco, and Country. Fans call him “the Real Deal” and we could not agree more. Please join us tonight and experience an evening you are not likely to forget!
Julie Rhodes has received many nominations for several years in the Boston music awards. She will be a featured performer at this years Boston Calling festival.
THE DENNIS BRENNAN BAND
The Dennis Brennan Band is an all-star unit featuring guitarists Duke Levine (who doubles as Peter Wolf’s guitarist and has toured with Mary Chapin Carpenter, plus has his own solo career) and Kevin Barry, who also has been in Carpenter’s band and toured with multiple Grammy nominee Paula Cole. They’re joined by drummer Billy Beard (Patty Griffin, Face to Face, and the Twinemen) and bassist Andrew Mazzone, whose credits are exhaustive when he’s not handling entertainment law for Cambridge’s HI-N-DRY Records, which occupies the space where the late legend Mark Sandman (of Morphine) once lived.
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.
Thank God For Science is a one of a kind musical medium that explores sonic and musical vocabularies.
The players have performed dozens of shows, released “Live”, “Humans Are Special” and coalesced into what is now known as Thank God For Science: a group that continues to search for harmony, chaos, enlightenment, and every note in between.
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.
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!
“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 . . .
Lady Lupine is a Boston based heavy soul band that delivers high energy performances of unique original material. The band creates an engaging live experience by cultivating visceral connections through sound. Fronted by vocalist, Christina Lacoste, Lady Lupine draws inspiration from the soul of Amy Winehouse, and the sonic eclecticism of Portishead. Traces of Vulfpeck’s tight, technical funk, and Jimi Hendrix’s fuzz rock grooves can be heard in the band’s sound as well.
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).
John Powhida International Airport won the Boston 2011 Rock and Roll Rumble! Hot Dog! 5 yrs after The Rudds took silver JPX takes Gold!!!
John Powhida is a singer/songwriter living in Boston. John is a multiple Boston Music Award nominee and his songs have been featured in episodes of My Name is Earl and Men in Trees. He has sung on recordings by The Click Five, Sarah Borges and The Gentlemen. You may have seen him perform with his beloved Boston rock and soul combo The Rudds or even as guitarist with rock n roll icon and author Bebe Buell.
Powhida’s main boogie from here on out will continue to be John Powhida International Airport, a potent 6 piece rock, disco, soul, pop fuzion entertainment unit of the highest original order.
New Band featuring Dennis Brennan, Andrew Stern, Jim Heggarty and Chris Anzalone
