This edition of ON the Beat was originally emailed to subscribers on September 5, 2024. To receive Josef Woodard's music newsletter in your inbox on Fridays, sign up at independent.com/newsletters.
When the proudly homegrown and 805-based Toad the Wet Sprocket alighted the lofty Lobero stage in a two-night stint three years ago, it was in a collectively emotional moment signaling the more-than-welcome return of concerts during the pandemic blur. Along with fellow starry Santa Barbaran Jackson Browne at the Bowl on the same September weekend, Toad and Browne served as our official locavore COVID-buster acts.
Last Thursday night, Toad returned to the Lobero for another inspired blast from the past and present. ( see Leslie Dinaberg’s review here ). The core threesome — lead singer Glen Phillips, bassist/harmonizing king Dean Dinning, and guitarist/vocalist Todd Nichols, boldly backed by drummer Carl Thompson and multi-man Jon Sosin — delivered an altogether tight yet organic-feeling set from their early ‘90s hit-making days through songs from their 2021 album Starting Now (some of which, ironically, ripples with late ‘80s rhythmic sauce).