★
SUN AUG 16
12 PM
Bulldog Arms
Bettendorf, IA
AC Sunday — Noon set
Free Show
Rebirth · Grassroots Live Music
BURNT
McMELBA
TOAST
A grassroots return to live music — original founders plus the next generation, bringing a fresh sound of funk, heavy rock, jazz, and psychedelic jams.
FUNK★HEAVY ROCK★JAZZ★PSYCHEDELIC JAMS★ORIGINAL MUSIC★SINCE 1990★JAM BAND★
FUNK★HEAVY ROCK★JAZZ★PSYCHEDELIC JAMS★ORIGINAL MUSIC★SINCE 1990★JAM BAND★
THE TOAST · EST. 1990
◆ The RebirthA grassroots
A grassroots
rebirth.
BURNTMCMELBATOAST is a grassroots movement back to live music — a whole new band carrying a whole new sound, built on the bones of a jam-band lineage going back to 1990.
The original founders — Matt Friesz, Rodney Shaw, and Kevin Moore — first carried the energy of the 90s jam scene, opening for Aquarium Rescue Unit and earning a reputation for adventurous live shows and original music.
Now they're back, joined by their kids: River Shaw on drums and Joe Friesz on keys and guitars. Two generations, one band — bringing a fresh sound and a renewed push for live, original music from the ground up.
FunkHeavy RockJazzPsychedelicExtended Jams
♫ Tune InListen to the
Listen to the
Toast.
Original jams, heavy grooves, and a fresh sound from a reborn lineup.
NOW PLAYINGFeatured Album · YouTube
Open on YouTube ↗★ Live On StageUpcoming
Upcoming
Shows.
New dates locked in — more dropping soon.
★
SAT AUG 29
8 PM
Redstone Room
Davenport, IA
Saturday night show
Get Tickets →◐ SnapshotsFrom the
From the
Stage.
✎ Press & BioPress
Press
Kit.
Booking-friendly highlights for venues, promoters, and writers covering the scene.
Placeholder · Available on request
- Formed1990 · Reborn today
- LineupOriginal founders + next generation
- MissionGrassroots push for live, original music
- SoundFunk / Heavy Rock / Jazz / Psychedelic — fresh take
- PedigreeOpened for Aquarium Rescue Unit
- Up nextNew album in the works for 2026
★ In the PressRiver Cities' Reader · Aug 2026 · No. 1048 River Cities' Reader · Words from the Publisher
Latest Coverage.
Long Burn the Fire: The Return of Burnt McMelba Toast
By Loren Thacher
“Burnt McMelba Toast may be the first band in history to include two father-son pairs… the flame's been kept, and it's burning brightly.”Read at RCReader.com ↗
Creation Station North: Burnt McMelba Toast 2.0 Is Set to Thrive Again
By Todd McGreevy
“The band was having a revival with second-generation blood and new variations on past themes… jazzy, funky, and bluesy, with piercing and precise math-rock solos and riffs.”Read at RCReader.com ↗
☎ Get in touch
Book BURNTMCMELBATOAST.
Venues, festivals, private events — let's talk dates.
Burntmcmelbatoastband@gmail.com