Toad the Wet Sprocket was my second favorite band in the 90s. They actually reminded me a lot of U2. They had that same passion and the guitar reminded me of Edge. I saw Toad several times in concert back then and then once a few years ago. I was a bit disappointed with that show a few years ago at Rams Head in Baltimore because they played all sorts of new songs that I didn’t know, leaving out most of the songs I love from their first three albums. But last year at Rams Head in Annapolis, Toad the Wet Sprocket played a fantastic show. They did play some new stuff, but they played my old favorites as well.

I went to Annapolis early and had dinner at Rams Head before the show, then sat in the lobby waiting for the 9pm show to start hoping the band would walk out – and they did. First the drummer came out and signed and took a picture with a fan, even though he said they weren’t supposed to until after the second show. Then Glen Phillips came out and spoke with friends, who were really fans I think, but they knew him. I took pictures, but didn’t feel it was the right setting to approach him. We were seated at 8:15pm. My seat was right on the stage, but on the side. It’s such an intimate venue. The tables are right up against the stage. The audience didn’t look like your typical concert-going crowd, but they were really into Toad and knew the songs – well the newer songs anyway.

Toad the Wet Sprocket took the stage around 9:15 and played for an hour and a half. They sounded even better than they did in the 90s. Glenn’s voice is just beautiful – and he still performs barefoot! I can’t give a complete set list because I don’t really know the songs after the first four albums, but they did play three of my favorite songs. So here is the set list according to the songs I knew: Fly From Heaven, Something’s Always Wrong, Good Intentions, Torn, I Will Not Take These Things For Granted, Come Back Down, Nightingale Song, All I Want, Fall Down, Come Down, Walk on the Ocean. 

This blog post is part of my A to Z April Challenge about ‘My Music’ – music I love from A to Z. Thanks for stopping by. I am also blogging the A to Z Challenge on my other blog On the Road with U2 about ‘My U2′ – what I love about U2 from A to Z.