The following article appeared in the Centennial Newsletter on May 19th, 2025.
Where the Legends Play – Fifty Years of Toad’s Place
In 1975, as Albertus Magnus College turned the page on its first 50 years, a small restaurant opened its doors a little ways off campus in downtown New Haven. Many restaurants tried and failed to stay afloat at the location on 300 York Street, but this wasn’t just another eating establishment; this was Toad’s Place. 50 years later, and coinciding with Albertus’ historic Centennial year, Toad’s Place still stands as host to some of the biggest names in music throughout the decades including Johnny Cash, David Bowie, Cyndie Lauper, Cardi B, Post Malone, and Kendrick Lamar among many, many others. It also remains a permanent fixture of Connecticut’s vibrant music scene, where people go to see some of the best live performances from local artists.
Like any long standing institution, Toad’s story is one of ups and downs alongside challenge and triumph. In 1976, owner Mike Spoerndle brought Brian Phelps on as the venue’s manager. Fresh out of school at the University of New Haven, Phelps saw an opportunity in bringing live music to Toad’s. He got in touch with music promoter Jim Koplik and worked to bring in local musicians as well as renowned blues artists like Muddy Waters and Bo’ Diddley. It wasn’t until August 25, 1978, however, that Toad’s would catch its big break when Koplik booked Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band at the New Haven Coliseum. That night, Springsteen unexpectedly took the stage at Toad’s and performed a 30-minute set with Rhode Island rock act John Cafferty & the Beaver Brown Band.
It soon became tradition for big names to take a break from their sold-out arena tours to perform more intimate sets at Toad’s Place, often for free. Irish rock band U2 performed there three times in the early 1980’s, and in 1989 the Rolling Stones played their first show in eight years at Toad’s with a surprise gig ahead of their Steel Wheels album tour. Toad’s prominence would continue through the 1990’s, and Albertus students were along for the ride. Brian Johnson ‘92 recalled his experience seeing his favorite band, The Wonder Stuff, in the November 1991 issue of the Silver Horn: “The Wonder Stuff’s music, an explosive and unusual mixture of ‘alternative rock’ with fiddles, accordions, mandolins, banjos, and of course a bull horn,” Johnson wrote, “was perfectly matched to the small club atmosphere of Toad’s.”
Phelps became the sole owner of Toad’s Place in 1995, and going into the 21st century the club brought on DJ’s and hosted a wider range of artists from hip-hop to heavy metal. Toad’s has stayed engaged with the younger crowd over the years, which is the key to success in a college city like New Haven. That success is part of New Haven’s status as the center of this region’s arts and culture. Thom Duffy wrote in Billboard, “While the walls of Toad’s Place may not talk, they are emblazoned with the names of acts that played the club early in their careers.” With half a century of history, the walls of Toads could certainly tell a tale. Reflecting on stories such as those intertwined with 100 years of Albertus Magnus College’s own history, one can’t help but look eagerly towards what the future will bring.
Contributed by:
Steven Sciaraffa ‘22, ‘25
Library Technology & Resources Coordinator