Circles Around The Sun

Circles Around The Sun
The Wildmans

Wednesday, June 24, 2026

Thunderbird Music Hall
4053 Butler Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15201

Doors @ 7PM
Show @  8PM

AGE RESTRICTION: 18+

https://www.circlesaroundthesun.com/
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.

https://www.thewildmans.net/
Not far from the tiny town of Floyd, Virginia, surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains, is the childhood home of The Wildmans. The sibling duo are currently navigating the release of their debut album, Longtime Friend, for New West Records. And today truly feels like a full circle moment. “It’s surreal. It’s weird,” says Elisha Wildman. “We’re really excited for something to happen, to share our original music. And this feels like a really great jumping point.” Alongside his sister, Aila, the Americana/indie-folk act have been garnering a lot of attention in recent years, with Longtime Friend showcasing their interlacing harmonies and musical virtuosity — the sound itself at the sonic crossroads of Americana, alt-country and folk.