Toad the Wet Sprocket Reunion
a recap of their "concert" by Keith on August 1, 2006
 -Toad The Wet Sprocket- | |
|
Band Members | |
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Vocals/Guitar |
Glen Phillips |
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Guitar/Vocals |
Todd Nichols |
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Bass/Vocals |
Dean Dinning |
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Drums |
Randy Guss |
This review would have come sooner, but our webmaster decided it was okay to take a vacation and let the website crash. Next time, whoever is watching the cat ALSO watches the computer...
Toad The Wet Sprocket played the Music Box at the Borgata in Atlantic City July 16, 2006. Unfortunately, they were the opening act for some band I had never heard of before--Big Head Todd and the Monsters. Still, I decided it was worth the ride to see Toad reunited, even if it was only for an hour.
I was confused as to the time of the show--the Big Head Todd show was advertised starting at 9:00; Toad was advertised starting at 8:00. Just to be safe, I planned to get to the Borgata between 6:30 and 7:00--surely, the doors would open between 7:00 and 7:30!
The doors opened around 8:20, and don't call me Shirley! I had planned to do a little gambling before the show, and a little gambling after the show. With over an hour until the official opening of the house, I ended up gambling (and losing) all the money I had brought before the show (actually it was all gone well over 45 minutes before the show).
Still, I wasn't going to be dismayed--I was going to see Toad live!
A little after 9:00 Glen Phillips walks onstage (barefoot) soon followed by the rest of the band. The set list was basically P.S. on shuffle with a few bonus tracks thrown in:
- "Something's Always Wrong"
- "Whatever I Fear"
- "Windmills"
- "All I Want"
- "Good Intentions"
- "Come Back Down"
- "Don't Need Anything" *
- "Everything But You"
- "Brother"
- "Inside"
- "Fall Down"
- "Crazy Life"
- "Walk on the Ocean"
- "I Will Not Take These Things For Granted"
*Glen performed solo
There was some humorous chatter between songs--Glen reminisced about how the band started as an ABBA tribute band called Pale Blue before they purchased the name "Toad The Wet Sprocket" off eBay (he said it was a good deal); Randy recommended they starting acting like it was a rock show which involved some screaming and head banging; Glen peddled some of his merchandise and plugged Todd's band Lapdog; Dean told a story about how Willie Nelson saved his life in Las Vegas.
But mostly, they simply rocked (as much as a folk rock band can rock). Glen does a great live show on his own, but there's something nice when the harmonies are sang behind the songs as well. Towards the end of "Come Back Down," Randy, Todd, & Dean stepped off stage allowing Glen to perform one of his songs solo, but they quickly rejoined him for another Glen song followed by more Toad.
It was over in a hour which kinda sucked. I stuck around to catch Big Head Todd, but I wasn't all that interested (concerts just aren't that good when you know none of the songs being played). Also, shortly after BHT&tM took the stage, I realized that I had not put aside ANY money. I suddenly remembered the parking garage and tolls and saw that my wallet only had four singles! After emptying out all the change from my ashtray, I had enough money for the parking garage, both tolls on the AC Expressway, with three dollars and change. Surely, the toll to get out of NJ on the Walt Whitman bridge would be less than that...
The toll was $4, and stop calling me Shirley!
B+ Great concert which lost half a star because they were merely an opening act & another half star because Atlantic City is evil...