The Philadelphia Rare Book and Print Fair

 Friday, December 6th,  5 pm – 9 pm: Preview Night: 

Enjoy wine and canapes while having first access to the books. Glen Phillips of Toad the Wet Sprocket, will perform at the opening night at 7 pm.

Tickets: $60

Preview tickets include entry to the fair on Saturday and Sunday.

Saturday, December 7th: 11 am – 6 pm:  Book Fair: Entry to the fair will be $15, $10 for students and free for under 16s.  Tickets will cover multiple entries on Saturday and Sunday.

Sunday, December 8th: 12 pm - 5 pm: Book Fair:  Entry to the fair will be $15, $10 for students and free for under 16s.  

During his years as lead singer and main songwriter of Toad the Wet Sprocket, Glen Phillips helped to create the band’s elegant folk/pop sound with honest, introspective lyrics that forged a close bond with their fans. When Toad went on hiatus, Glen launched a solo career with his album Abulum, and stayed busy collaborating with other artists on various projects including Mutual Admiration Society, with members of Nickel Creek and Remote Tree Children, an experimental outing with John Morgan Askew.

“Until recently, I’ve seldom stayed in one place for very long,” Phillips says, explaining the genesis of his new album, THERE IS SO MUCH HERE. “I was lucky during the COVID lockdown to move in with my girlfriend, now wife, and to be home for the longest stretch I’ve had since the birth of my daughter, 20 years ago. I began noticing the little things. After a life of travel and seeking out peak experiences, I began to appreciate sitting still, watching the paint dry and loving it.

“I’ve been playing a songwriting game with Texas folk singer Matt The Electrician, for about ten years. 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.”

Phillips’ previous solo record, SWALLOWED BY THE NEW, was about grief, a post-divorce outing while THERE IS SO MUCH HERE finds Phillips writing love songs again focusing on gratitude, beauty and staying present. 

“As I sat still during the lockdown, I realized how much is always here – in the space around me, in the sensations of my body, in the sounds and smells and tastes and thoughts that emerge and drift away. It’s not a new concept, but it is a novel experience when you’ve spent your life running from one thing to another.”

Ultimately, as Phillips reflects on the album, he shares: “This is an album about showing up for what is and letting it be enough.”