Today, The Disco Biscuits announced their annual Bisco Inferno blowout in Colorado with an exciting guest: PNUMA. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg for PNUMA in 2019.

PNUMA, the virtual band that formed in Memphis, TN and later relocated to Denver, Colorado, achieved popularity in the early 2000s by touring extensively and releasing live music, recordings of their live shows, and one studio album. Combining electronic elements with hip hop, jazz, bass music, and dance music, countless fans would travel to see them play all over the country and world.

Sometime around 2008, the band quietly withdrew from the music scene and became silent for many years to come. During that time, they did not grant any interviews or appear anywhere on the internet. At the end of 2018, however, the world received the first communication from the band in a decade in the form of a live show announcement.

On December 28th, 2018, PNUMA took the stage for the first time in close to ten years, opening for STS9 at The Fillmore in Denver, CO. With considerable demand from the PNUMA fanbase, the band opted to release the soundboard recording of this first live show in years, which became available Monday of this week after reaching the goal of 1,000 followers on Instagram. You can listen to full audio of PNUMA’s return to the stage below.

PNUMA Live – 12/28/18 – The Fillmore Denver

While 2 of the 3 original members of the band—Alex Botwin (aka Paper Diamond) and Lane Shaw—will continue performing with the group, the third original member, Ben Hazelgrove, will not be part of the comeback. You can read Hazelgrove’s comments about his absence from this new iteration of PNUMA in his letter to fans below.

Letter From Ben Hazelgrove

Dear Pnuma Friends and Family,

I’d like to start off by saying what a journey. There are so many stories I would love to share in this letter and so many people individually that I would like to thank, but this would slowly turn into a book. Thank you everyone for the love and support along the way. I love you all and would not be who I am and where I am today without the Pnuma experience.

As three Virgos whose birthdays all fell in the same week, we traveled the world together, became family and made unforgettable memories. When hearing from the guys that a reunion was in the air, I was thrilled. But reality sunk in and I had to remind myself how hard the tour life was on me and the toll that it took on my mental and physical health. I retired from it due to the overwhelming anxiety I felt from playing so many shows in addition to outside personal factors. There were instances when I begged the band to let me not perform because of the level of my anxiety attacks, and there were times when I was too scared to face the crowd. The stage would later become a place where I felt moments of peace and euphoria, but the anxiety and depression remained. Regardless of the level of my anxieties, the team always had my back, and I thank them for that.

So thank you Alex and Lane, Keith, Jake, Madison House, friends, family and fans. In closing, I will always be an artist in my heart, but I am no longer the road warrior I once was. I hope y’all can understand.

Peace and Love,

Ben Hazlegrove

Read Ben Hazelgrove's Letter To Fans

The band has retained the services of a new member and is considering other live elements for future shows. More details can be found in the live recording of the Fillmore show.

Below, you can watch a video recap of PNUMA’s triumphant return in Denver and check out a list of their upcoming tour dates, including a gig supporting STS9 in New Orleans (4/6), slots at Summer Camp Music Festival (5/23–5/26) and Electric Forest (6/27–6/30) , and more. Additional dates are set to be announced soon. For more PNUMA news, hit the band’s Instagram, Facebook, or SoundCloud page.

PNUMA (Live) – 12/28/18 – Recap Video

PNUMA – Upcoming Dates

April 6th – The Fillmore – New Orleans. LA (Supporting STS9)
May 23 – 26 – Summer Camp Festival, Chillicothe, Illinois
May 25 – Red Rocks, Morrison CO (Supporting The Disco Biscuits)
June 27 – 30 – Electric Forest Festival, Rothbury Michigan

*More Dates to be Announced very soon*

View Upcoming Pnuma Dates