Erik Berry (Trampled by Turtles) is going back on the road with his new project LazyLightning420. Partnering with Duluth-based singer-songwriter Marc Gartman (Two Many Banjos, Glitteratti), Erik is exploring the songs and sounds of the Grateful Dead. Rather than simply performing their favorite Dead tunes, Gartman and Berry are performing entire Grateful Dead concerts, drawing the set list from the records kept at Archive.org.
"This way we play the whole vibe of the show," says Gartman. "I wouldn't choose to open a set with 'Hell in a Bucket,' but Bobby did, and that dictates everything we do after that." Berry concurs, "For our first show we learned 'El Paso.' Not my favorite tune to listen to but it definitely puts us into the space of the set. We also tackle drums and space, which is outside our ordinary musical styles." While LazyLightning420 is essentially a mandolin-guitar duo, both players utilize an array of sound effect devices to present an electric concert. "I use an envelope filter on 'Shakedown Street,' says Berry. "I have some distortion pedals. It's a rock band at heart."
LazyLightning420 will be touring regionally in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa this winter.