Brand new year, brand new band: Holly Bowling, Tom Hamilton, and more have come together to form a fresh project, dubbed Ghost Light. The new band, which also features Steve Lyons, Raina Mullen, and Scotty Zwang, has announced its official emergence, as well as the first leg of their debut tour. Their spring tour will kick off March 20th in San Diego, CA, and feature shows in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Brooklyn, Philadelphia, Washington DC and more.

The first half of 2018 will see the band playing major venues in major markets coast to coast, followed by heavy rotation on the festival circuit. The debut record will be released in the second half of the year, and will be supported by an extensive tour. In 2018, you will get to know Ghost Light, and the future seems bright.

Ghost Light is a true musical collaboration; five personalities, five perspectives, and five unique approaches towards one common sound. Rather than initially focusing on live shows, as many new groups do, the band played together for the first time in a recording studio in Philadelphia. This decision gave the band the ability to come to the project with fresh ears and no pre-conceived notions. They developed the songs as they developed their musical communication, which led to trust, creativity and an adventurous take on the process. As Scotty Zwang explains in a press release about the new band, “It’s a unique and interesting approach we get to take…we are being patient with each other and figuring out what the song needs.”

“Having played with everyone involved in a live setting before, I had a pretty firm grasp of what we all brought to the table and it was exciting”, says Hamilton. “There is a wonderful freedom that comes with knowing that you don’t have to carry the entire load over the finish line. So when Raina and I were workshopping ideas to bring to this new band, we felt super comfortable going in any direction, knowing that with our new bandmates, the songs will get to where they needs to go. And in the live setting, that confidence is just as strong.”

Although Ghost Light took their first steps in the studio rather than on the stage, the live experience is what will define this band. “In the parts of the sessions where we have had a little more room to just let things go, there have been these little glimmers of what the improvisation will feel like live. That’s a whole other thing and it’s very exciting,” notes Bowling.

The band has yet to release any music, but members of the group have played together numerous times. While we wait for music from this new band, listen to Tom Hamilton and Holly Bowling (and Don Was and Duane Trucks) join Bob Weir  at Christmas Jam 2016 below (uploaded by JamBuzz; audio via taper nolamule):

Check out a full list of Ghost Light tour dates below. All shows will go on-sale tomorrow, Friday January 12th at Noon local time. You can find ticket links for specific shows at www.ghostlightband.com.

INITIAL GHOST LIGHT TOUR DATES:

March 20th – Winstons – San Diego, CA
March 21st – The Mint – Los Angeles, CA
March 23rd & 24th – Terrapin Crossroads – San Rafael, CA
March 27th – Humboldt Brews – Arcata, CA
March 28th – HiFi Lounge – Eugene, OR
March 29th – Volcanic Theater Pub – Bend, OR
March 30th – Mission Theater – Portland, OR
April 11th – Brooklyn Bowl – Brooklyn, NY
April 12th – Ardmore Music Hall – Ardmore, PA
April 13th – The Acoustic – Bridgeport, CT
April 14th – Thunder Road – Boston, MA
April 17th – Gypsy Sally’s – Washington, DC
April 18th – Lincoln Theater – Raleigh, NC
April 19th – 5 Points Sanctuary – Roanoke, VA
April 20th – Asheville Music Hall – Asheville, NC

[Cover Photo via www.ghostlightband.com]