A Lot of Play Time for Borrowed Toys

The members of Borrowed Toys pride themselves on versatility, ripping hits from Katy Perry one moment and then warming the hearts of an audience with a classic from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.

What may set the band even farther apart from your run-of-the-mill lounge act, though, is the group's endurance.

A Borrowed Toys show never presents an opportune moment for a bathroom break. The band never rests, whether it's a two-hour set or more.

Borrowed Toys, which features Montville residents Joe Ciaudelli and Nancy Johnson, recently rocked out at the Oakdale Concert Pavilion as part of the town's free summer concert series.

For Johnson, the band's lead singer, finding time for the band can occasionally be a challenge. She works full-time for Chelsea Groton Bank and is a married mother of four boys.

But she finds joy in being part of a group that dabbles in several different genres - classic rock, pop, you name it - while mixing in some original compositions.

"I think that people enjoy what we bring to the table when we perform," Johnson said. "People enjoy the variety. They say you just have a great variety of music."

Borrowed Toys features Johnson as the lead singer, Ciaudelli as guitarist, Cris Palmer on bass and Christopher J. Kent ("CK") on drums.

The band formed from the St. Mary Mother of the Redeemer choir in Groton four years ago and has played throughout the Northeast and also at the National Association of Music Merchants music convention in Anaheim, Calif.

Ciaudelli said the band's vocal talents are a big part of their performances. Every member sings and Johnson, who can sing alto or soprano, and Palmer often shine with their vocal contributions.

At the Oakdale Concert Pavilion, the band also mixed in a video board backdrop as part of its 2.5-hour show and invited a number of guest performers on stage.

Ciaudelli said that being so close with each other has also kept Borrowed Toys going strong.

"I must say that we've kind of become very family-like," Ciaudelli said. "Knowing intimately each others' personalities, all of our strengths and all our eccentricities. …

"We have a nice core. Honestly, we don't only practice and perform together, we hang out together," he added.

Borrowed Toys also has a forthcoming album, which features songs such as "Think Posi," "Better," and "Tyrannosaurus Rex." Ciaudelli said the album is being engineered by Tom Young, who has worked with Tony Bennett, and should be out by the end of the year.

In the meantime, the band will continue to play a handful of gigs each month. And it will continue to adhere to its non-stop rock mantra.

"I definitely don't see this stopping," Johnson said. "It's my joy. I will continue doing it as long as I can."

jeff.johnson@theday.com