Toad's Place

Last night we went, as a family (Mom, Dad & brother) to see Toots & The Maytals at Toad’s Place in New Haven.

While my brother & i have gone many times, this was the first time for both of my parents in many years, if ever. As the early portion of the night was very slow and empty, it also meant we got to look around more than previous as well.

We’d never been to the ‘rainforest’ area, a greener bar with a pool table and a few more tables, located at the far end of the place, just off the stage.

Toad’s Place opened in 1975, and has been rocking since. If you check out their MySpace page, there is a list of the many famous acts that have played there, along with the hundreds, if not thousands, of lesser known acts.

It’s also fun to look at the various posters and other memorabila on the walls, representing the various acts that have played there. Because of it’s location near New York City, Toad’s has become a pretty famous place for huge acts, like the Rolling Stones, to play small shows.

It isn’t the perfect venue. It’s had long running issues with various codes and laws, that recently resulted in a 3 month shutdown. Still, it has come back strong.