Reed Mathis has announced a one-off appearance with his In The Now ensemble. The group will perform their first gig on US soil on Friday, April 12, at Sweetwater Music Hall in Mill Valley, Calif., opening for Circles Around the Sun. Besides Mathis’ inclusion, the Sweetwater lineup also features drummer Jay Lane (Dead & Co./Primus) and bassist Steve Adams (ALO).

Prior to rumblings of the In The Now billing, Mathis, Lane, and Circles Around the Sun keyboardist Adam MacDougall came together in the studio in 2022 to work on an enigmatic double album that will see the light of day later this year. During the forthcoming stand, Mathis will play guitar–his preferred instrument since the pandemic era lockdowns–despite his bass association. 

In a quote shared exclusively with Relix, Mathis expanded on his instrumental lean, “To me, guitar isn’t INSTEAD of the bass, it’s more like a piano player having a left hand AND a right hand.” 

Mathis rose to prominence, supporting Bill Kreutzmann’s Billy & The Kids project following the establishment and success of Tea Leaf Green and the Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey. The artist is actively involved in Bone Diggers: The Paul Simon Songbook and Golden Gate Wingmen, in addition to his relaunched In The Now band, a preferred outlet to deliver his original compositions. 

In The Now band, prides itself on a fluid lineup, and debuted last year during the Bajaja Music Festival in El Pescadero, Mexico, with Adams, Jeremy Black (Apollo Sun), and Jeremy Korpas (Big Light). Moreover, Reed and Lane previously joined forces, touring with the classic Electric Beethoven lineup, and still perform in Golden Gate Wingmen, set to appear at the 2024 iteration of SKULL & Roses in Ventura, Calif. After, Lane will join his Dead & Company bandmates, taking part in their 24-show residency at Las Vegas’ The Sphere.

Tickets for Circle Around the Sun’s central billing, featuring an opening frame from In The Now, are on sale now.

For more on Mathis, read his 2023 Jambands.com interview: Music Is Magic.