
Glen Phillips (of Toad the Wet Sprocket)
Thu, 19 Feb, 8:00 PM CST
Doors open
7:00 PM CST
SPACE
1245 Chicago Avenue, Evanston, IL 60202
Description
During his almost 40 years as lead singer and main songwriter of Toad the Wet Sprocket, Glen Phillips has helped create the band’s elegant folk/pop sound with honest, introspective lyrics that forged a close bond with fans. Alongside his work with Toad, Glen has released acclaimed solo albums and collaborated on projects ranging from Mutual Admiration Society (with members of Nickel Creek) to the experimental Remote Tree Children.
“I’ve been playing a songwriting game with Texas folk singer Matt The Electrician for about ten years,” Glen says. “Every Friday, he sends out a title. We have a week to write a song that includes it. The process allows me to write songs I wouldn’t write on my own. I’m always surprised at what comes out.” That sense of curiosity and play continues to fuel his creative life.
Coming off a very full year of music, Glen played to packed solo shows across the US, toured the Rockies with John Craigie, and hit the road with Toad the Wet Sprocket for a massive summer tour that featured openers The Jayhawks, Sixpence None the Richer, KT Tunstall, and Vertical Horizon. This fall he heads overseas to tour the UK with Colin Hay, and in October he hosts his first-ever European river cruise on the Danube, traveling from Budapest to Nuremberg.
Glen has also launched a new partnership with Volume, where he’ll be live streaming at least once a month. These shows give him the chance to connect with fans when he and Toad are off the road, offering a space for community, new songs, deep cuts, and the stories behind the music. “I have a long history of livestreaming, and am excited to start a new chapter with Volume. Their format allows me not just to do livestreams, but also post new material and host online get-togethers.”
Looking ahead, Glen plans to begin work on a new solo album in 2026. “I’ll be spending this year writing new material for both Toad and solo projects. There’s also an acoustic Toad album coming out, as well as a side project solo collection of songs. Between that and touring, I’ll be plenty busy.”
Event Information
Age Limit
All Ages

Alternative Rock
Glen Phillips
Glen Phillips
Alternative Rock
Glen Phillips started his first band, Toad The Wet Sprocket in Santa Barbara at age 15. It was that group's third album -- the jangling, orchestral Fear -- that truly broke the group, garnering heavy radio play with the singles "All I Want" and "Walk on the Ocean." After three years away from the recording studio, Toad returned to the mainstream with Dulcinea, which again found one of its singles, "Fall Down," in heavy radio rotation. After six albums and a substantial string of hits, the group disbanded in 1998. Phillips began touring as a solo act after Toad the Wet Sprocket's demise, and has released 5 solo records and two EPs, collaborated on two projects (Mutual Admiration Society and Works Progress Administration), released an EP with Plover (with Neilson Hubbard and Garrison Starr) and an album as RemoteTreeChildren (with Portland's John Askew).
In 2006, while supporting the Mr. Lemons album, he also toured North American with a reunited Toad the Wet Sprocket. Toad has toured off and on since that time, and in 2011 played 70 shows and decided to begin writing for a new album, to be released late in 2012. Glen is currently at home except for a long weekend of shows each month, and is writing songs for Toad as well as future solo releases. He still lives in Santa Barbara with his wife and three daughters.