Lettuce

The reigning kings of psychedelic funk return to the Miner Auditorium stage for a sublime summertime redux, bringing a power-packed celebration of groove in support of their new Lettuce Records album Cook.  

Over their 24-year history, the sextet evolved from enthusiastic teens at a Berklee summer program known for hitting up Boston venues for gigs with the insistent refrain “Let us play!” (hence the name Lettuce) to a modern funk supergroup, selling out major theaters all over the world and releasing nine acclaimed albums. 

Beyond their collective work, each member has amassed an impressive resume as a collaborator, with drummer Adam Deitch spending several years working with guitar great John Scofield and providing the potent grooves on his Verve albums Überjam and Up All Night. Saxophonist Ryan Zoidis long divided his time between Soulive and Maine’s Rustic Overtones, and bassist Erick “Jesus” Coomes has toured internationally with Britney Spears and The Game. Guitarist Adam “Shmeeans” Smirnoff has worked widely as a first-call sideman with Lady Gaga and Robert Randolph, while trumpeter Eric Bloom, the band’s most recent addition, has become a New Orleans stalwart, recording with Jon Cleary and Aaron Neville. 

The band’s latest, Cook, is a true sensory experience featuring 16 tracks of rib-sticking funk including the standout track “Keep On” featuring Tower of Power founder Emilio Castillo.