Hot Tuna’s 50th (!) Anniversary Tour comes to the Calvin Theatre in Northampton on Thursday, September 4th at 8PM. David Lindley opens.

Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady, founding members of the seminal west coast psychedelic group, Jefferson Airplane, and members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, are in the midst of their 2008 World Tour which makes a stop at the Calvin Theatre on Thursday, September 4th with very special guest David Lindley. This isn’t just another tour. It’s their 50th Anniversary of making music together.

Kaukonen and Casady began playing music together during the 1950’s around the Washington, DC area. In the early 60’s Jorma followed his muse to California and later, Jack followed. Soon the duo found themselves at the epicenter of the “San Francisco Sound” as members of the legendary Jefferson Airplane. While Jorma and Jack led the charge in improvised psychedelia and the hard rock driven sound of the band, these two musicians longed to perform and pay homage to their blues roots. From this spirit, Hot Tuna evolved.

For over 35 years, Hot Tuna has captivated music lovers the world over and provided a constant reminder of what has been and what is yet to come. All along, Hot Tuna has maintained a devoted fan base that is as dedicated as the band itself. Over the course of 25 records, Hot Tuna has explored the musical frontiers of blues, acoustic instrumentals, and hard rock even before it was known as such.

Jorma and Jack are in good company for the show, joined by multi instrumentalist Barry Mitterhoff and drummer Erik Diaz. Mitterhoff has been accompanying Jorma on tour since the Grammy nominated “Blue Country Heart” was released in 2002 and has been a member of Hot Tuna for the past five years. Drummer Erick Diaz is both a teacher and arranger and it is his driving rhythm that propels the band to soar. They forge on to entice new fans and reiterate to stalwarts- there is only one HOT TUNA.

The show begins at 8PM with multi-instrumentalist David Lindley. Lindley performs music that redefines the word "eclectic." Well known for his many years as the featured accompanist with Jackson Browne, and leader of his own band El Rayo-X, he has long championed the concept of world music. The David Lindley electro-acoustic performance effortlessly combines American folk, blues, and bluegrass traditions with elements from African, Arabic, Asian, Celtic, Malagasy, and Turkish musical sources. Lindley incorporates an incredible array of stringed instruments including but not limited to Kona and Weissenborn Hawaiian lap steel guitar, Turkish saz and chumbus, Middle Eastern oud, and Irish bouzouki. The eye-poppingly clad "Mr. Dave's" uncanny vocal mimicry and demented sense of humor make his onstage banter a highlight of the show





Tickets for all IHEG shows are available at the Northampton Box Office. Charge by phone 586-8686. Order online at www.iheg.com.