TAUK with special guests Cycles

The Shapeshifter Tour
featuring special guests Nick Gerlach and Gabriel Mervine on horns

TAUKWITH SPECIAL GUESTS CYCLES
with PHO

SAT, 7 APR 2018 at 08:30PM MDT
Ages: 16 & Over
Doors Open: 08:00PM

OnSale: Fri, 26 Jan 2018 at 10:00AM MST
Announcement: Wed, 24 Jan 2018 at 12:00PM MST

On their upcoming EP Shapeshifter I: Construct, TAUK tap into their singular chemistry to elevate and expand theirall-instrumental blend of funk, hip-hop, progressive rock, and jazz. Revealing both their refined musicality andunbridled creativity, the Oyster Bay, New York-bred rock-fusion four-piece (guitarist Matt Jalbert, bassist CharlieDolan, keyboardist Alric “A.C.” Carter, and drummer Isaac Teel) push into new sonic terrain and build entireworlds within each richly textured soundscape.
From the complex twisting of “For Laughing Out Loud” and soaring riffs of “Malware” to the urgent rhythms of“Stranger Danger” and sprawling melodies of “Premises,” Shapeshifter I: Construct finds TAUK introducing arhythmically adventurous element to their craft. And while the compositions are meticulously focused, TAUK alsodeliver the dynamic tension-and- release jams that have helped earn them a devoted following while drawing criticalacclaim (the Washington Post, for one, praised TAUK for “creating a hard-charging, often melodic fusionthat—thanks to a penchant for improv—offers limitless possibilities”).
Throughout Shapeshifter I: Construct—the first chapter in a follow-up to their 2016 album Sir Nebula—TAUK employa guided approach to steer their music into bold new directions. The band has sharpened their songwriting to craftmore intricately layered arrangements and powerfully intense grooves. As with their past releases, TAUK createdShapeshifter I in collaboration with Grammy Award-winning producer/mixer/engineer Robert Carranza (The MarsVolta, Ozomatli, Jack Johnson, Taj Mahal). But in a departure from their previous work, the band made the new EPand upcoming full length album in one concentrated period in one location rather than moving between studios. Thegroup brought their gear into an old house, creating a unique recording situation with a special atmosphere. Holingup in the makeshift studio, often pulling 12-hour workdays, TAUK ultimately found the revamped recording processhugely beneficial. “Everything just happened so naturally this time around,” says Jalbert. “I can’t think of one momentwhere it felt like anything was forced. We were all just completely focused and in the same mindset, which made thisan incredibly fun and smooth experience.”
TAUK’s creative connection traces back to childhood, when longtime friends Dolan, Jalbert, and Carter formed theirfirst band in seventh grade and held practice in their school basement. After playing together in various projects overthe years, the trio brought Teel into the fold in 2012, cementing the final lineup. “We gelled pretty quickly as friendsand as musicians, and now there’s a connection on stage that’s unspoken,” notes Teel. “You just feel it from theenergy within the band and from the response coming from the crowd—all these people in the same exactheadspace.”
Since their formation, TAUK have shared stages with an impressive list of bands (including Umphrey’s McGee,Widespread Panic, Lettuce, and Robert Randolph) in addition to appearing at festivals like Electric Forest,Bonnaroo, and The Allman Brothers’ Peach Music Festival. That rigorous touring schedule has gone a long way instrengthening their chemistry, according to Carter. “We’re doing over 100 shows a year and we pretty much live witheach other, so there’s a healthy respect and trust and love happening there,” he says. “We all have a common goaland an understanding that this is something we’re compelled to do, and that’s definitely brought us close together.”It’s also helped TAUK develop a reputation as a masterful live act: “TAUK is unstoppable,” raved Live for Live Music.“If you haven’t see them, dear God, go.”
Preparing to hit the road again for a spring tour (with upcoming dates including a two-night stint at the Brooklyn Bowland spots on the Boston Calling Music Festival and Sweetwater 420 Fest and EP Release shows in Ft Collins andDenver on 4/6 and 4/7), TAUK is focused on instilling their live show with the same kinetic energy and boundlesspassion that powered the making of Shapeshifter I. “Growing up together as musicians and collectively going on thisjourney—that’s what makes this experience really special,” says Jalbert of TAUK’s continued evolution. “It’s likeeverything we’ve learned over the years has been funneled into this band, and now it’s taking shape in a reallyexciting way. We all love what we’re doing, and the band just feels like home.”