“…AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT!”
Those out there whose lives have been greatly enhanced over the last two, almost three decades by Toad the Wet Sprocket should very easily get the meaning behind that quote.
Toad the Wet Sprocket is a band made up of four down-to-earth, kind, humble friends that have known each other for a long time. I actually bumped right into them as they were heading back stage at Farm Aid 2013, believe me these are some nice guys that sincerely appreciate their fans.
Throughout the years the group has tried very hard and for numerous reasons to sabotage, derail and destroy their collective music career. All attempts were proven to be in vain and this small band of brothers simply would not and could not go away. The reason is simple…
THEY ARE JUST THAT GOOD!
Glen, Todd, Dean and Randy graced the stage at Farm Aid 2013 in Saratoga Springs this last Saturday and as expected the crowd went crazy! They launched into their set with “All I Want”, which is not only a song that has stood the test of time, but absolutely refuses to age. They blessed us with the title track from their first full length studio production since 1997, “New Constellation”. This welcome revelation followed by the popular “Fall Down”. Now, if that wasn’t enough, TTWS turned it up and demonstrated why Farm Aid is such a force to be reckoned with. The audience roared into frenzy while witnessing a Toad the Wet Sprocket rendition of “Shotgun Willie” accompanied by Lukas Nelson on guitar! Their set finale would have been perfect enough with “Walk On The Ocean”, but of course they just have to do everything possible to enhance the enjoyment of their audience. Henceforth, they thankfully held the ridiculously talented Lukas Nelson hostage on stage while inviting his sister Amy Nelson to the mix along with Michael Siegfried “Mickey” Raphael on harmonica! I really can’t figure out who’s luckier, performing with TTWS or an on-stage collaboration with the Nelson family…and yes I absolutely include Mickey in that category.
So what makes Toad the Wet Sprocket so incredible? Their music, lyrics, vibe and sound make the listener just flat out feel good! Whether it be a chill love song like “I Will Not Take These Things For Granted”, the energy laced “Fall Down”, the rock out “Woodburning”, the insightfully brooding “All She Said” or the thank God they’re back, “New Constellation”.
Like Neil Young’s dream biofuel, Toad the Wet Sprocket’s music and chemistry are both Clean and Sustainable!
How do I know this?
Well, let’s see…the guys decided to try crowdfunding to support their new release, “New Constellation”. They set a funding goal of $50,000.00 starting June 5, 2013 and ending August 4, 2013. A fifty thousand dollar, sixty-day campaign for a band of this caliber certainly would appear possible. Sadly, the band miscalculated…THEY RAISED $50,000.00 IN LESS THAN 24 HOURS!!! On August 4, 2013, sixty days from the start, they ended the campaign with $264,762.00. If people put their money where their mouth is and if it’s true people truly vote with their wallets and pocketbooks…what the public has proclaimed at the top of their more than a quarter of a million dollar funding lungs is, “WE ARE GLAD YOU GUYS ARE BACK, WE’VE MISSED YOU, MAKE MORE MUSIC AND NEVER EVER TRY TO LEAVE US AGAIN!!!!”
Anyway, it shouldn’t be shocking to anyone that I will be buying tickets to a show!
Until then, I’ll be rehearsing for my audition to take over the lead vocals in a new band. I hear there’s an opening in Poached Salmon In A White Wine Sauce.
TOAD THE WET SPROCKET’S OFFICIAL WEBSITE
NEW CONSTELLATION RELEASES: OCTOBER 16, 2013
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