Glen Phillips to play solo acoustic show

By: Cari Zahn – Staff Writer

Glenn Phillips, former lead singer of Toad the Wet Sprocket, will play a solo acoustic show Thursday at Canal Public House in the Oregon District. This will be the first time singer-songwriter Glenn Phillips will appear in the Dayton region to play a show.

Attendees should expect an acoustic blend of songs from several different records that have been in the making for the last 25 years. Toad the Wet Sprocket fans may be surprised to experience a different feel to this Glenn Phillips show.

“It’s different than a Toad show,” Phillips said. “There’s no set list or technical constraints.”

The show will have a much more personal feel, in which listeners may find an emotional connection. Phillips will have 15 more years worth of self-written songs to share, including many personal tunes that tell a story. Serious fans of Toad the Wet Sprocket shouldn’t despair, as some of those songs may be thrown in the mix, but Phillips’ ability to play more than just “Toad songs” is part of what he says makes the show a different experience.

“Solo acoustic shows are just you, your guitar and a song. You’ve got to show up in a more personal way and I really enjoy that challenge,” Phillips said.

Phillips got his start in music his first year of high school. Toad the Wet Sprocket was his first band, formed with band-mate Todd Nichols, and carried him through the years. He started out knowing how to play basic classics, such as the riff from “More than a Feeling,” or the solo in “Stairway to Heaven.” He evolved from a metal-head when introduced to bands such as U2 and R.E.M., and Toad the Wet Sprocket was born.

Despite the enjoyment and success Phillips gets out of his solo career, he also highly enjoys the music projects he is involved in with his friends. Some of his favorite projects include Nickel Creek and Works Progress Administration. Phillips has had the chance to work with Greg Leisz and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and cites these as some of his favorite music accomplishments.

Phillips is glad he’s had the opportunity to collaborate with different artists on so many projects so that he doesn’t end up doing the same thing over and over. He singled out an example of this with the RemoteTreeChildren project he worked on as being something that allowed him to work on a more “technical and geeky” side of music.

Though Phillips has never played music in Dayton before, he cited Ohio as being kind of a “home state,” saying he thinks he has played here more than anywhere else. For that reason, he’s excited to discover and explore Dayton and what it has to offer.

Anyone looking for a personal show with a variety of songs, or something to do that they’ve definitely never done in Dayton before, might enjoy coming out to see this performance. Jonathan Kingham, a friend of Phillips, will open the show.

Glen Philliips will perform at Canal Public House, on East First Street on Thursday. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. and the performance will begin at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door.  For more information, visit glenphillips.com.