Los Angeles-based instrumental supergroup Circles Around The Sun is a contemporary

instrumental rock band, initially formed in 2015, when Justin Kreutzmann, son of Grateful Dead

drummer Bill, invited founder Neal Casal to compose the intermission music for the Dead’s

“Fare Thee Well” concerts.

As those shows celebrated the band’s 50th anniversary, Circles Around The Sun’s earliest

compositions Interludes For The Dead were designed to reflect the Dead’s overall spacey,

improvised, and groove-laden feel.

The response was so positive that they continued on with a follow-up project, Let It Wander, in

2018. This record was less influenced by the Dead and more free-form, delivering on the roots

influence of jazz-funk, soul, and fusion.

The band underwent a fundamental transition in 2019. After completing the Meets Joe Russo

EP and a third album, their guitarist Neal Casal died on August 26, 2019. He left his bandmates

a note asking for them to continue in his absence– to continue recording, touring, and playing

together. The band decided to carry on with a rotating cast of guitarists, landing on John Lee

Shannon as the permanent replacement. They continue the legacy to this day.

Circles Around The Sun is a first-of-its-kind band that has continued to trail-blaze the

instrumental cosmic disco space for nearly a decade, shapeshifting through several iterations.

Not just spiritually but actually and tangibly linked to Grateful Dead history, the band’s music

shares shelf space with post-rock, psych-rock, jazz-funk, and good old fashioned psychedelia,

while their recorded output has included collaborations with such diverse luminaries as Joe

Russo, Billy Strings and Mikaela Davis. Original instrumentals form the bedrock of CATS’ live

show, taking fans on a whole different journey every time.

Meet the CATS:

Adam MacDougall (keys)

Dan Horne (bass)

John Lee Shannon (guitar)

Mark Levy (drums)

[NOTE TO PROMOTERS: “The” in the band name should always be capitalized.].

About After Sunrise, the new collaborative album by Circles Around The Sun and Mikaela

Davis:

After Sunrise, the new collaboration from Circles Around The Sun and Mikaela Davis reunites

the disco cosmonauts and acclaimed harpist for further explorations of the synergy first

showcased on the title track of CATS’ 2023 album, Language.Comprised of two new original compositions,

‘Gloaming Way’ and ‘Moonbow’

, and an inspired

interpretation of Brazilian legend Sérgio Mendes’ ‘After Sunrise,

’ the album features the first

appearance of vocals on a Circles Around The Sun recording, sung by Davis. A live take on

‘Language’ rounds out the second side and brings the pairing full circle.

Once the endless night of the discotheque finally gives way to morning light, you may find

yourself seaside as the sun peeks over the horizon. As the party rolls through the dawn and into

the day, this is the soundtrack.

This is After Sunrise. If it’s nice, play it twice.