Brainquility Festival Teaser – Lettuce
We are just a few days away from Brainquility Festival, and it promises to be one of the biggest events to hit the Tampa Bay area. Taking place Saturday, April 21st, at Waterfront Park in Safety Harbor, Brainquility Festival brings a packed roster of diverse music, unique artists and great food trucks that will have something for everyone. Bands that do not often get to Tampa will be featured including Beats Antique, Lettuce, Voodoo Visionary, TAUK, MZG and SIDE TRAKD.
Lettuce, one of the major headliners at Brainquility this year, is an absolute force to be reckoned with. Formed in 1992 in Boston, this six-piece funk and jam powerhouse has been a major festival headliner for many years now.
Lettuce was first formed at the Berklee College of Music. All of the members were students there. In 1994 they got back together and, as the story goes, would venture out to local clubs and ask the owners or musicians if they would “let us play,” which gave rise to the band name Lettuce.
Their debut CD Outta Here was released in 2002. This was followed by their first live album, Live In Tokyo, in 2004. They have released five more albums over the years culminating, in 2017’s unusual Witches Stew, which is a complete reimagining of the classic Miles Davis album Bitches Brew with nods to In A Silent Way and more. Recorded live at the Catskill Chill Festival, the album pushes the band into exciting new territory.
Over the years, members of Lettuce have made a name for themselves outside of the band as well. One of the most recognizable members of Lettuce, Erick “Jesus” Coomes, is a studio and touring bass player for Britney Spears and The Game. Adam “Schmeans” Smirnoff has toured with Lady Gaga and Robert Randolph & The Family Band. Former members Eric Krasno and Neal Evans are both members of Soulive, while Rashawn Ross went on to join Dave Matthews Band.
Lettuce has gained international fame for their complex, funk-driven jams. Their raucous, high-energy shows are driven equally by all elements of the band, from Coomes’ thundering bass to Adam Deitch’s perfect drumming to Smirnoff’s shredding guitar and Nigel Hall’s funky keys. Wrap it all up with the ‘Shady Horns’ duo of Ryan Zoidis and Benny Bloom, and you have a monster live performance.
