Tom Hamilton and Holly Bowling offered the world debut of their new ambient duo, Lacuna, with a performance at (Le) Poisson Rouge in New York on Friday. The performance came a week after the group released its self-titled debut.
The new project from the Ghost Light bandmates finds Hamilton utilizing an acoustic guitar and Bowling a piano to explore ambient spaces. The instrumental music arose from a completely improvisational in-studio session the two conducted during quarantine, and the live performance retained that element of spontaneity. The duo delivered a surprise for the encore, however, with an extended “Don’t Fall Apart Just Yet, My Dear” from the Ghost Light catalog.
“We were just playing to play,” Bowling said of the project upon its announcement. “I was so intensely missing that spark and connection of playing music with someone else and having that back and forth. It was the happiest I had been in ages, even though the music sounds pretty dark in places, and it was definitely a very dark time. Tapping into that and then getting it out was cathartic.”
Lacuna went on to play another show in Hamilton’s native Philadelphia the following night at The Ballroom. The band has three Colorado shows scheduled for next month in Boulder (12/17), Beaver Creek (12/18), and Denver (12/19). Lacuna also has a lone 2022 date in San Francisco on March 5th.
Scroll down to see a gallery of images from Lacuna at (Le) Poisson Rouge courtesy of photographer Shelby Pfau and visit the band’s website for tickets. Full-show audio is available thanks to taper McRoberts.
Lacuna – (Le) Poisson Rouge – New York, NY – 11/26/21
On Saturday, December 4th, Holly Bowling will take part in the full-day music marathon Denver Comes Alive at Denver, CO’s Mission Ballroom.
The thoughtfully curated event features nationally touring acts like Circles Around The Sun, Tank and the Bangas, Judith Hill, DJ Logic in addition to the debut of a new band, Ramble On Revival, featuring Oteil Burbridge (Dead & Company), guitarists Steve Kimock (Phil Lesh & Friends) and Eric Krasno (Soulive), Bowling, drummer Jeff Sipe (Col. Bruce Hampton and the Aquarium Rescue Unit), saxophonist Skerik, and vocalist/trumpeter Jennifer Hartswick (Trey Anastasio Band). Tickets are on sale here.
