Since officially breaking onto the scene a little over two years ago with his debut album Soul Insight, guitarist Marcus King has become highly regarded as the heir apparent to the southern blues and rock throne. With the endorsement and support of veteran axe men like Derek Trucks and Warren Haynes (both artists appear on 2016’s The Marcus King Band, and the latter produced every track), King’s ascension through the ranks of the live music community has been swift. The young guitarist plays with maturity well beyond his years and a keen sense for showmanship that simply can’t be taught. With a well-oiled and polished machine backing him, The Marcus King Band will be making their way to Boulder, CO’s The Fox Theatre for a special Dead & Company pre-party on Thursday, June 8th, with Tom Hamilton’s American Babies rounding out the bill (purchase tix here).

The Marcus King Band Reintroduce Themselves With Stellar Self-Titled Second Album [Review/Stream]

While Soul Insight gave the masses their first taste of Marcus’ abilities, The Marcus King Band’s self-titled 2016 album (the first with their current lineup) serves as a bold mission statement for the band. King’s natural ability to take deeply personal experiences from his own life and put them out into the universe in song form is on display throughout the LP. Take a listen to tracks like “Devil’s Land” and “Guitar In My Hands” and you will quickly realize the vivid storytelling abilities of this young musician. Backed by Jack Ryan on drums and percussion, Stephen Campbell on bass, Matt Jennings on keys and organ, Dean Mitchell on saxophone, and Justin Johnson on trumpet, trombone and backing vocals, The Marcus King Band is truly a force to be reckoned with, and for many years to come at that.

Joe Russo’s Almost Dead guitarist Tom Hamilton could very easily be described as one of the hardest working musicians in the scene today. With Almost Dead taking on a life of its own since its initial inception, Hamilton’s own American Babies is the project that allows the former Brothers Past lead man to showcase his own uniquely creative songwriting side. The group’s latest album, An Epic Battle Between Light and Dark, sees Hamilton backed by Justin Mazer (guitar), Al Smith (drums), Raina Mullen (acoustic guitar, vocals), and Mark Sosnoskie (bass), and taking on everything from Americana, to prog-rock, to indie-rock (think The War on Drugs). The band sounds tight and cohesive, and the material feels primed to breathe and take on new life onstage.

Tickets for the show are $10 in advance, currently on-sale and can be purchased via the venue website. For show updates and additional information, join the Facebook Event page. You can also check out the other Dead & Company pre-shows and post-shows presented by Boulder Theatre and Fox Theatre here, which will also see performances by Easy Star All-Stars (performing Radiodread), White Denim, Circles Around The Sun, Shakedown Street, Boombox, Dopapod, and Hudson (featuring Jack DeJohnette, Larry Grenadier, John Medeski, and John Scofield).

[cover photo courtesy of Emily Butler Photography]