Toad the Wet Sprocket | Cookout Concert Series

KC TURNER PRESENTS 

TOAD THE WET SPROCKET

Rings: The Acoustic Tour

+ WILLY PORTER

13th Annual COOKOUT CONCERT SERIES

HOPMONK NOVATO OUTDOOR VENUE

Sponsored by:

• JAMBAR
• Rue de Rêve Apéritifs

MOSTLY STANDING ON GROUND LEVEL

LIMITED SEATING ON LAWN & TOP OF HILL

ALL AGES

ABOUT:

Any music fan who grew up in the ‘90s, before the rise of streaming platforms, will tell you that when a record store clerk made a music recommendation, you took it seriously. Often, well-studied music nerds, these unsung tastemakers had their finger on the pulse of lesser-known, excellent bands. So it speaks volumes that many of Toad the Wet Sprocket’s earliest champions were record store clerks who put the Santa Barbara quartet’s early albums into unsuspecting listeners’ hands, convincing them to overlook their unusual band name and give them a shot, perhaps comparing them to R.E.M.

And that’s all it took. Lead singer Glen Phillips’ heartfelt, introspective lyrics expressed in his deep, buttery croon backed by the earnest instrumentation, catchy melodies and vocal harmonies of guitarist Todd Nichols, bassist Dean Dinning and drummer Randy Guss had fans hooked from the outset. Toad’s debut album, Bread & Circus, recorded DIY-style in a tract home for a meager $600 and released independently in 1988, was raw and unvarnished but clearly captured Toad’s magic as a band. The record caught the attention of major label Columbia Records, which re-released it unchanged the following year. Columbia also put out Toad’s acclaimed sophomore album, Pale, which the band recorded in Los Angeles while they were shopping for record labels, in 1990 — also in its original form at the band’s insistence. Although Pale may not have been a huge commercial success, it was a critical one, revered by journalists, with AllMusic recently raving, “Its exquisite songs mope without wallowing… Pale is early Toad at its old-soul peak.”

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EVENT INFO:

Q: Is this show outdoors?

A: Yes. This event is held in HopMonk Novato's outdoor concert venue.

Q: Are kids allowed?

A: The shows are all ages. Kids need a ticket to attend. No babies in arms.

Q: Is there seating?

A: Seating is limited and is first come. You're allowed a LOW-BACK chair in the lawn section. At the top of the hillside section there is table seating that is first come. We recommend arriving at the time doors open. Some shows are open dance floor/standing room only while others are mostly seated. Varies from show to show.

Q: Is there parking?

A: Parking is free and there is plenty of it.

NO PETS

NO COOLERS

NO BACKPACKS

NO OUTSIDE FOOD

NO UMBRELLAS