BOSTON – Fans of Toad the Wet Sprocket will have the chance to see frontman Glen Phillips live when he brings his solo tour to City Winery Boston on Tuesday, March 3 at 7:30 p.m., offering an intimate performance that spans his four-decade career.
Phillips’ journey in music began early as 1986, the year he officially formed his own band. According to Phillips’, “…the band got together 40 years ago when I was 15…We were high school theater nerds and so started making music,”.
After releasing two independent records, the band signed with Columbia Records when he was just 18. The group went on to achieve widespread success in the early 1990s before parting ways in 1997.
Rather than stepping away, Phillips launched a solo career while continuing to reunite with Toad the Wet Sprocket over the years.
“I started touring solo, put out my first solo stuff in, I guess, 2000, 2001,” said Phillips. “And so been kind of keeping both tracks alive since then.”
Most recently, the band revisited its catalog with Rings – The Acoustic Sessions, reimagining songs from across its history. Phillips explained that the goal was not simply to compile past hits, but to reinterpret them in a way that reflects who they are today.
“Instead of just doing this 40-year compilation to, like, reimagine some of the songs, really change some of the arrangements and the vibe, and make an album that just felt like an album” mentions Phillips. “It’s a representation of who we are now.”
At his upcoming solo performance in Boston, audiences can expect a dynamic set list that draws from multiple chapters of his career. According to Phillips. there will be a blend of unreleased songs, covers, Toad songs, and solo songs with a mix of the occasional song requests from fans.
Unlike a full-band show, Phillips approaches solo performances with spontaneity. “The fun thing about the solo shows is I don’t usually, I usually choose a first song and then I just see where I go,” says Phillips. “On a solo show, it’s much more about an emotional journey. So you’ll laugh, you’ll cry. It’s good.”
After 40 years in music, Phillips says the key to longevity is staying inspired. “I love performing. I love getting in the zone,” according to Phillips. “I like variety…I like to have different projects going on and see what comes out of them.”
Fans can listen to the full interview at https://soundcloud.com/myfm1013/the-weekend-wind-down-glen and purchase tickets for the March 3 show at City Winery Boston at https://www.glenphillips.com/tour-1.
