Thomas Breen photos
Rohn Lawrence and Jay Rowe light up the stage.
Toad’s owner Brian Phelps (center) with SBA CT Director Marx, Rep. DeLauro, and Sen. Blumenthal.
For the first time in 15 months, musicians took the stage at Toad’s Place — with the promise of more tunes to come, thanks to a federal bailout slowly making its way to shuttered venues across the country.
The guitarist and keyboard player on stage at the iconic York Street venue Friday afternoon were New Haven jazz scene stalwarts Rohn Lawrence and Jay Rowe.
Outside and inside Toad’s, at 300 York St.
For roughly 10 minutes, the two long-time local collaborators lit up the nearly empty venue with Lawrence’s familiar brand of joyful, smooth, R&B‑inspired jazz.
Sketch portraits of previous Toad’s performers, from The Rolling Stones to Kanye West to Cardi B., looked from the walls with approval.
The cause for musical celebration?
Toad’s, a rock club that first opened over 45 years ago and that has been closed since March 8, 2020 due to the pandemic, will resume hosting concerts and college dance parties starting Aug. 20.
Phelps and Rep. DeLauro.
Toad’s owner Brian Phelps joined U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, and Small Business Administration (SBA) Connecticut District Director Catherine Marx on stage — along with Lawrence and Rowe — to celebrate the role that a nearly $1 million federal Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) has played in ensuring that the York Street venue will survive Covid-19.
Toad’s, like many shuttered performance venues across the country, was “facing utter devastation” before this $14 billion SVOG bailout bill passed at the end of last year, Phelps said.
He said the grant Toad’s recently received will go towards catching up on mortgage payments, property taxes, utilities and maintenance costs, and towards hiring back staff that have not been able to work at the closed venue for over a year.
“It’s been absolutely horrible,” Phelps said about keeping the venue closed for more than 15 months.
Sen. Blumenthal.
Blumenthal and DeLauro praised Toad’s a local cultural landmark. They urged other performance venues across the city and the state to apply for SVOG money if they haven’t already.
“There’s money” available,” Blumenthal said.
Nationwide, roughly 14,000 applications have been submitted, totally roughly $11 billion in requested grants. The program as a whole has $16 billion allocated.
Only 90 SVOG awards have actually gone out to applicants so far, Blumenthal said.
The lengthy and convoluted application process for SVOG has proven notoriously difficult for venues looking to tap into the much-needed bailout money.
Marx said that only 10 venues in Connecticut have received money so far from this federal bailout fund.
Before the press conference, Phelps spoke of just how difficult it was to complete his application for SVOG.
“I had 46 downloads” as he worked through all the online paperwork, he said.
Blumenthal, DeLauro, and Marx said that the federal government has prioritized awarding grants to venues that have seen a 90 percent loss in revenue during the pandemic, and is working to get the grants distributed more quickly in the weeks and months ahead.
While Toad’s has been closed, Toad’s operating manager James Torello (pictured) said, he’s largely been on unemployment, eagerly awaiting a return to the venue he’s worked for for the past 17 years.
“Just looking forward to getting back to work.”
His favorite concerts at Toad’s over the decades?
“Toots & the Maytalls,” Torello said. And a Buddy Guy show where John Mayer unexpectedly joinedl.
Toad’s general manager Ed Dingus (pictured) said he too has been on unemployment for much of the pandemic, and is ready to come back to a venue he’s worked for since June 21, 1991.
“It’s been tough, just skating through,” Dingus said about the year-plus that Toad’s has been closed. He said the first show back will likely be a reggae concert, and that the fall should see a full lineup of concerts and dance parties.
How did it feel for Lawrence (pictured) to be back at Toad’s for the first time since the pandemic hit?
“I’ve played this stage many times,” Lawrence said with comfort and a smile.
He plugged his guitar into his amp, checked the sound, and prepared to play.
“We’re back,” he said. “We’re pretty much at full strength.”
Click here to apply for SVOG, and click on the video below to watch Friday’s presser.