The 2024 Nonfiction Reader Challenge hosted by Book’d Out. The rules for this challenge are pretty simple, you just have to read some nonfiction and write up reviews for them. There are four levels to choose from and for this year I am going to challenge myself to read six nonfiction books, a Nonfiction Nibbler. (I am actually going to shoot for 8 books, but there wasn’t a level for that.)
The Legendary Toad’s Place: Stories from New Haven’s Famed Music Venue by Brian Phelps and Randolph Beach
Publication Date: October 2021
Summary from Goodreads:
Anyone who has lived near New Haven, Connecticut, in the past 40-plus years has surely heard of Toad’s Place. With a capacity of 750, Toad’s has served as the perfect spot for musicians who prefer smaller venues. U2 played one of their first US concerts there, on their Boy tour. In 1978, Bruce Springsteen was in New Haven and arrived at Toad’s unannounced, and got up and played. The surprises kept coming and the club was attracting big names, as well as up-and-comers. In 1989, the Rolling Stones played a surprise show on a Saturday night, giving 700 fans the night of their dreams. Nothing could have been better—the Rolling Stones in downtown New Haven was unimaginable! That is only a taste of the stories that are uncovered in this book. Randall Beach and Toad’s owner Brian Phelps recall the legendary shows and behind-the-scenes stories.
Confession:
I am not what you would call a music fan, I enjoy music, but I don’t go to concerts or follow bands’ careers. So why did I pick this book to read? Well, I grew up in a town next to New Haven and for many summers in the early 80’s I would find myself in the heart of Yale, dancing the night away in a club called Toad’s Place. I only went to their Dance Party nights, but I was aware that on other nights local bands would play. What I didn’t know was how many up and coming bands, many of whom are now well known world wide, also played at this venue. This book is a veritable who’s who in the music business and was an interesting look into how a small city club became a powerhouse in the music business.
The book goes into details about the history of the club, how it started as a french restaurant that was struggling in the early 70’s to its early years as a club. I really think it was a combination of being in the right place at the right time and an owner who had his ear to the music scene and really loved what he was doing. It was fascinating to read about all of the bands that played there and the stories that are told about them. This was a safe place for bands, like the Rolling Stones and Billy Joel, to try out new material as well as newcomers like U2 stopping here on their first US tour. There is a list 50 pages long in the back of the book that names all of the bands. Many I didn’t know, as they span all genres of music, but there were a lot I did recognize.
I borrowed the ebook from my local library ( I was a bit shocked that they had a copy) and I will mention that there were some formatting issues. The writing is also a bit stilted and repetitive at times. But I loved all of the anecdotes about the bands and the people who attended the shows and how much they loved and appreciated Toad’s Place. I also really enjoyed seeing all of the pictures that were taken over the years of the bands. It was also a bit nostalgic for me, as they mentioned other places in New Haven, like record and book stores and restaurants that I also have fond memories of.
I did a little bit of research after reading this book, as it was written during covid and I was worried that they perhaps didn’t survive. But I was happy to find that they did, and while they do not have the musical line-up they once did, I am sure that will come again. I also realized that they will be celebrating their 50th anniversary next year, and I am sure it will be quite the bash.
If you are into music, especially old rock and roll and some punk too, then this is a book you would enjoy. The stories about the bands are worth it, even the ones about some of the local bands that never made it big, but are still grateful to Toad’s for giving them the chance. If you ever find yourself in New Haven, Ct you need to stop by Toad’s Place, the best music club between New York and Boston.
Confessions of a Serial Reader 