Toad the Wet Sprocket frontman Glen Phillips is helming quite a tour this spring, featuring east Nashvillian Amber Rubarth and Nashville-based sideman extraordinnaire Jonathan Kingham. Recently the trio essayed “Joy” during its encore, though the song was aborted in laughter a minute or so in. Still, Phillips managed to work in the phrase “East Nashville” and the phrase “West Nashville.” I learned later they had soundchecked it, but it still wasn’t quite ready.
Phillips’ producer on his new record is Paul Bryan, who had a brief stint as Lu’s touring bassist between Produniak & Sutton (the Pettibone-Heffington era). He’s played with Bettye LaVette, another “Joy” tie-in.
Amber Rubarth’s stellar opening solo set (with Phillips on one song) featured seven nifty originals + an REM cover. Let’s give a Tennessee lass some love. She also plays in Applewood Road, which paulfromlosangeles can no doubt endorse. And she was on a festival bill with our Lu in Bristol UK last summer, though I don’t believe they met.
Kingham did this crazy cover during Glenn’s set of a Bobby Brown (70’s?) soul song, interpolating “local” lyrics. The crowd was dancin’.
Catch this tour, ye Easterners.