Midnight North will kick off an action packed spring tour this Thursday in celebration of their new studio album, Under The Lights, to be released on June 16. Led by guitarist Grahame Lesh, son of Phil Lesh, Midnight North is a quintet comprised of the talented Elliott Peck (vocals, guitar), Alex Jordan (vocals, organ), and Connor O’Sullivan (bass).
The Bay Area band originally got started when Lesh and O’Sullivan met on Craigslist. Lesh was looking for a bass player to join a former group, and the two really hit it off. Once Peck became a part of the picture, it wasn’t long before the harmony-driven Midnight North was born. With Phil in the family and the beloved Terrapin Crossroads venue as a stomping ground, it’s no surprise that Midnight North has been able to encapsulate that “San Francisco Sound.” The group surely knows how to nail a Dead tune, but they’ve also created an original sound highlighted by Peck’s strong, soulful vocals, train track backbeat rhythms, and talent-stricken solos from Lesh and Jordan. Midnight North is rock that is just plain soothing to the ears, and they’ve captured some well-earned attention over the last couple of years.
Written while on their first east coast and midwest tour, Under The Lights heavily reflects a theme of life on the road. One can really feel a sense of the just that with the first single off the album, “The Highway Song,” which has a nice touch of country twang to its sound. With the chorus ringing, “Meet me on a highway somewhere in between Roanoke and Baltimore,” this track will strike a chord in new and old east coast fans of Midnight North.
While the studio album presents a more clean-cut sound, listeners should expect exciting, off-the-cuff improvisational detours during Midnight North’s live performances. The group will kick off touring Thursday in Philadelphia, followed by over 25 shows throughout the country, ending with an album release celebration at Great American Music Hall on June 16 at their home base in San Francisco.
Spring 2017 Tour Dates for Midnight North
% with Nicole Atkins / “Brooklyn Is The Band” set
# supporting Twiddle
^ supporting Dead Feat
* supporting Nahko and Medicine for the People
March 30 – Ardmore Music Hall – Philadelphia, PA
March 31 – Wonder Bar – Asbury Park, NJ
April 1 – Rock n Roll Resort V7 – Kerhonkson, NY
April 2 – Jammin Java – Vienna, VA
April 5 – Brooklyn Bowl – Brooklyn, NY %
April 6 – The Acoustic – Bridgeport, CT
April 7 – Nectar’s – Burlington, VT
April 8 – Westcott Theater – Syracuse, NY #
April 9 – Beachland Ballroom – Cleveland, OH #
April 12 – Vegetable Buddies – South Bend, IN
April 13 – The Intersection – Grand Rapids, MI #
April 14 – Concord Music Hall – Chicago, IL #
April 15 – Majestic Live – Madison, WI #
April 16 – Miramar Theatre – Madison, WI #
April 19-20 – Woodlands Tavern – Columbus, OH #
April 21 – Smith’s Olde Bar – Atlanta, GA
April 22 – Pour House – Charleston, SC #
April 23 – Jack Rabbit’s – Jacksonville, FL #
April 25 – High Dive – Gainesville, FL #
April 26 – Side Bar Theatre – Tallahassee, FL #
April 27 – Bourbon Street Bar – Auburn, AL #
April 28 – Varsity Theatre – Baton Rouge, LA #
April 29 – Republic NOLA – New Orleans, LA ^
May 19 – Moe’s Alley – Santa Cruz, CA
May 20-21 – Hipnic – Big Sur, CA
June 8 – Boulder Theatre – Boulder, CO *
June 16 – Great American Music Hall – San Francisco, CA
Written by Meredith Warfield