The Aquarium Rescue Unit is back! For the first time since 2011, Col. Bruce Hampton is reviving the ARU for a series of headlining performances this summer. Not only that, but Hampton is bringing an all-star cast of longtime members to the reunion, including guitarist Jimmy Herring, drummer Jeff Sipe, bassist Oteil Burbridge and keyboardist Matt Slocum.
Aquarium Rescue Unit was influential in the jam scene in the early-to-mid 90’s, helping to start the H.O.R.D.E. Festival that launched Phish, Widespread Panic, and more into the limelight. Some of the artists in ARU addressed the band and its legacy in a statement surrounding the tour:
Jeff Sipe: “Being a part of Bruce’s musical world is a liberating experience in that he entices the players to discover their true and full expression… Musicians and friends who have spent time in Camp Hampton have an understanding of where honest music comes from…”
Jimmy Herring: “We basically lived on the road, and we got the chance to play every day in a situation where we could try new things, without fear of getting fired for playing ‘wrong’ notes. These ‘wrong’ notes eventually became our thing. We have said for years that there are two kinds of musicians… those that have played with Bruce, and those who haven’t.”
Check out the full tour schedule below, and head to the official website for details.
Col. Bruce Hampton & ARU Reunion Tour Dates:
7/29 & 7/30 – Boulder, CO @ Fox Theatre
7/31 – Bellevue, CO @ Mishawaka
8/1 – Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre
8/5 – Birmingham, AL @ Iron City
8/6 – Nashville, TN @ Cannery
8/7 – Atlanta, GA @ Buckhead Theatre
8/8 – Athens, GA @ Georgia Theatre
8/9 – Asheville, NC @ Orange Peel
8/12 – Raleigh, NC @ The Ritz
8/13 – Richmond, VA @ The National
8/14 – Washington DC @ The Howard Theatre
8/15 – Port Chester, NY @ The Capitol Theatre
8/16 – Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Bowl