What. A. Night.
First off, the fact that I’ve been in my twenties for five years and still hadn’t been to Toad’s Place is wild. But hey, I was just waiting for the right moment, okay?
For those who don’t know, Toad’s Place is the spot in rock history—an iconic venue where legends have played (and honestly, still do!). My good friend Jimmy Koplik (yes, that Jimmy!) promoted shows like The Rolling Stones in ’89, Bob Dylan in ’90—his longest show ever at over four hours—and even U2 back in ’81. And that’s just scratching the surface.
Tonight, I was there to see none other than Billy Sherwood. As I waited to hear if I made the guest list, I took a moment to meditate and manifest meeting him. Billy is someone I’ve looked up to for years. If you’re a fan of YES, John Wetton, Toto, Chris Squire, Deep Purple, Paul Rodgers—or even Air Supply—you may already know the brilliance of this man. He’s the kind of musician who gets a shoutout from Steve Howe during YES’ Rock and Roll Hall of Fame acceptance speech (2017). That’s how much he’s respected.
Hearing Billy’s solo work live was like diving into a hidden vault of musical genius. As a bassist and songwriter, the guy is simply phenomenal. But let me give credit where it’s due—his band was mind-blowing. John Thomas made his guitar sound like it came from another galaxy. Scott Walton’s keyboards transported us to dreamscapes. And drummer Scott Connor? He reminded us all that this was still rock and roll. Hard-hitting, electrifying, and alive.
The moment I walked in, I felt it. The energy, the history, the echoes of all the greats that played here. The hype around Toad’s Place? Totally real. For context—Badfinger once played here (year TBD), and Jellyfish graced the stage in ’93. Those are two of my all-time faves!
This show was a little more intimate—tables and seats set up—but you could still tell this is a place where mosh pits are born. I grabbed my seat and got chatting with a few YES fans. These folks are dedicated, and it’s seriously inspiring to see people so fired up about the music they love. Huge shoutout to Joe Cass (his YES tribute band even gets love from the OGs!) and Ed—loved talking shows and fandom with you both.
My favorite song of the night? “New Star Rising”, written by Billy and the late, great John Wetton of King Crimson and Asia. John was one of my rock heroes, and hearing this tribute felt both powerful and deeply personal. I only wish I could’ve met him before he passed.
The show itself was only an hour long—which, honestly, was perfect. Because that meant… they were coming out to hang. First up was John Thomas—got a photo with him and invited him on Unlikely Places! Then came Billy—scored a selfie with the legend himself. After that, I chatted with Scott Connor and invited him on the show, too. I didn’t catch Scott Walton on the way out, but let it be known: his keyboard work was next level.
Thank you, Toad’s Place. Thank you, Billy & the band. And thank you, YES fans, for making this a night I’ll never forget.
-J