Lotus

Lotus, innovators in blending electronic dance music with the jamband model of improvisation, have captivated audiences with high-energy, dance-inducing shows and intrepid studio work. Drawing from psychedelic rock, krautrock, post-rock, disco, and funk, the four-piece band is known for festival-favorite performances and intriguing songwriting, moving from high-flying guitar solos to modular synth workouts and combining tightly composed songs with free-ranging group improvisation.

Their 11th studio album, “How To Dream In Color,” features 12 tracks that traverse a spectrum of soundscapes. While primarily instrumental, it also includes traditional and electronically manipulated vocals, creating distinct atmospheres. Highlights include “How Do I Come Down,” with Radiohead-esque vocals from Gabe Otto; the groovy “Watching the Distant Storm”; and the driving krautrock instrumental “In the Shadow of the Mountain.”

The album originated from demos recorded on an old 8-track reel-to-reel tape machine, balancing gritty analog sounds with hi-fi studio production. Its dreamlike narrative brings incongruities into a cohesive whole, with guest vocals, horns, violin, handpan, modular synths, and modern electronic techniques.

Over the last two decades, Lotus has toured actively throughout the US, working its way from clubs to world-class venues such as Red Rocks, where the band has performed 15 times. They’ve played festivals including Bonnaroo, Outside Lands, and Electric Forest. This year, the band celebrates the sixteenth anniversary of its annual festival, Summerdance, in Garrettsville, OH.

Michael Wilbur is an internationally touring saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist from Brockton, Massachusetts. He has redefined dance music with raw brass energy and genre-defying innovation.

After nearly three decades of mastering the saxophone and 16 years of professional performance worldwide, Wilbur co-founded Moon Hooch, the pioneering two-saxophone-led dance band. Rising from NYC subway busking to global stages, the band has headlined festivals and played in over 20 countries, blending EDM, jazz, hip-hop, soul, and house.

Now performing solo under his own name, Wilbur channels that dance-floor energy through live looping on bass saxophone, tenor saxophone, trumpet, and voice. His collaborations include Too Many Zooz, TAUK, The Motet, Honeycomb, Mike Doughty, and Thundersmack, his side project with saxophonist Leo P.

Wilbur’s performances are ritualistic journeys, turning strangers into a sweating, swaying congregation united by rhythm and breath. His fusion of live-looped horns, electronic production, and vocals creates a sound that’s equal parts futuristic and primal. As Wilbur declares: “Music is the healing force of the universe!”