Glen Phillips, Judd and Maggie

At a recent show a barefooted Glen Phillips responded to requests from the crowd with a begrudging, “I get it, you only want to hear the old Toad the Wet Sprocket stuff.” He was only half right, because the crowd responded almost as well to the less familiar songs off of his new solo release, Winter Pays for Summer, as they did to songs like “Fall Down” or “Walk on the Ocean” that his former band charted with a decade ago. More mellow on his own, but just as earnest, the self-described “Birkenstock geek-rock dude” is still capable of breaking out an apropos Randy Newman cover or dropping a line like, “I want to be the toy in your cereal box/I want to be Carter in your peace talks,” with a straight face. Phillips also has a knack for picking great opening bands, so show up early to stake a good place on the floor and catch Judd and Maggie.