Artist Swap: Reed Mathis’ In The Now Project and Circles Around The Sun Trade Players During Sweetwater Concert
Photo by Matthew Ream
On Friday, April 12, Reed Mathis introduced his new project, In The Now, for the first time on U.S. soil at Sweetwater Music Hall in Mill Valley, Calif., featuring Jay Lane (Dead & Co./Primus) and bassist Steve Adams (ALO). The musicians opened the night before headliners Circles Around The Sun arrived. During both band presentations, players swapped spots at select moments, adding to the event’s collaborative nature and the overall fluidity of the formatting.
Presented as a trio, In The Now showcased a range of Mathis originals during their time on stage. As the performance progressed, the group expanded, transforming into a quartet with the addition of Circles Around The Sun keyboardist Adam MacDougall. The musical journey culminated in a powerful rendition of the bandleader’s self-penned “Moving On.”
Later on, during Circles Around The Sun’s slot, the Los Angeles-based instrumental supergroup brought up Lane for a surprise double drum encore. The ensemble landed on “Babyman” as their choice number, which initially appeared on their 2020 self-titled set, welcoming the drummer, who is currently on the books to perform with Dead & Co., during their highly anticipated 24-show Las Vegas Residency, filling in for Bill Kreutzmann.
During the final joint effort, the musicians and their guest stretched “Babyman” to the 20-minute mark, peppering their delivery with wild improvisation and many percussion-driven jams. After Circles Around The Sun’s Bay Arena concert, the seasoned musicians will take their talents to Sin City, performing a two-night spread around Phish’s Sphere dates, including a sold-out “Night Zero” show at Area 15 on Wednesday, April 17.
Limited tickets remain for the band’s “Night One: Night Cap” event on April 17, a double-bill with Dopapod that features both bands performing simultaneously on two separate stages. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit circlesaroundthesun.com.
