Galactic tackles 'Left Coast Run' this fall

Currently in the midst of a summer tour, New Orleans-based jazz/funk band Galactic has unveiled the itinerary for a fall outing dubbed the "Left Coast Run."

The newly scheduled stretch of headlining shows launches in mid-October, and comprises nine dates, eight of which are set in California. The group has also penciled in a Sept. 16 set at the Austin City Limits Festival in Austin, TX; an Oct. 29 performance at the second-annual Vegoose Festival in Las Vegas; and a Halloween show on its home turf of New Orleans. Details are shown below.

The Stanton Moore Trio--which features Galactic guitarist Will Bernard and New Orleans organist Brian Coogan--will hold down the opening slot from Oct. 17 through Oct. 27, according to a press release.

The "Left Coast Run" follows a summer outing that wraps up at the end of the month.

Also on the group's radar is an early 2007 headlining stint on Jam Cruise 5, a five-day excursion that sets sail on Jan. 2 from Ft. Lauderdale, FL. More information is available at the cruise's website.

Galactic--guitarist Jeff Raines, bassist Robert Mercurio, saxophonist Ben Ellman, keyboardist Rich Vogel and drummer Stanton Moore--formed in the mid-'90s. The band describes its sound as "jazz-funk-rock fusion ... informed by ongoing influence from a wide range of genres, including hip-hop, blues, pop and electronica."

"Ruckus," Galactic's most recent studio album, surfaced in 2003. Earlier this year, the group's publicist said that the band was planning to begin work soon on a follow-up. No info about the forthcoming disc has since surfaced.