Particle/Freekbass/Octopus Prime

Part Pink Floyd, part Grateful Dead, Particle is one of the pioneers of the livetronica genres. Dubbed by their fans (Particle People) as “space porn,” Particle lays out a relaxed ’70s-influenced jazz-fusion sound complimented seamlessly by electronic effects and synths. They’ve got a nice mix of prog-rock, funk, and electronic soundscapes that shift from introspective shoe gazing songs to bombastic dance tunes. Before their debut album Launchpad dropped in 2004, the band garnered attention by playing intensely long sets (around five hours) at Bonnaroo, Coachella and Lollapalooza. If you ever wanted to hear Joe Satriani, DJ Logic and Blackalicious collaborate with a jam-band from the future, check out Particle’s 2006 release, Transformations Live for the People. The band just wrote 13 new songs for a forthcoming album. Expect to hear at least a few of those tunes on this spring tour.