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Toad the Wet Sprocket
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Starland Ballroom
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Sayreville, NJ |
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June 4, 2006
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| This was the third night of a brief summer tour of Toad the Wet Sprocket (Glen Phillips, Todd Nichols, Dean Dinning, and Randy Guss). After breaking up in 1998 (except for a short reunion tour in 2003), the members have continued with their musical careers, with Phillips pursuing a solo effort while Nichols, along with Dining and Guss, created the band Lapdog. For many fans, though, there is nothing like the original. And, for some, this was the first time to see the band live. Needless to say, the energy level (and expectations) was pretty high. |
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Not wasting any time, the set opened with the fan favorite, ‘Something’s Always Wrong,’ and the band continued to please the crowd with their hits including ‘Walk on the Ocean’ and ‘All I Want.’ Diehard fans were treated to rarities from Toad’s back catalog such as ‘High On A Riverbed’, ‘Know Me’, ‘Won’t Let It’ (only played live a handful of times), and ‘Amnesia.’ At the mid-point, Phillips played a few acoustic songs from his recent solo projects including his unique cover of Huey Lewis and The News’ ‘I Want A New Drug.’ Then, the guys returned to the stage to perform an amazing, full on rock version of Phillips’ new single, ‘Everything But You.’
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Of course, having not played together in a few years, there were a few hiccups like forgetting a few lyrics (or an entire verse), announcing the wrong song on the set list, and tuning issues. To make up for those slips, the audience was treated to a few moments of silliness between band members. At one point, Phillips apologized for the ‘dead air’ in between songs saying, “I haven’t worked out my rock and roll banter,” to which Nichols chimed in, “I haven’t worked out.”
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Even for us lucky folks who have heard Phillips continue to perform these great Toad songs as a solo artist, experiencing them in their original form is always a moving experience. There are a number of shows left on the summer schedule so if you get the chance, make sure you catch a show before the boys go their separate ways once again.
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To find out more information about Toad the Wet Sprocket, visit the website at
www.myspace.com/toadthewetsprocket.
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