Zach Gill is a riot onstage, seen performing with Jack Johnson at the Greek Theatre, July 27, 2018. Photo by Joshua Huver.
ALO’s Zach Gill, one of the Bay Area’s most prominent musicians of the last two decades, is gearing up for an August tour of the Multiverse. Which in all reality, is just California. Gill’s third solo album, Life In The Multiverse saw its release in June 2017.
Through the record’s twelve tracks, Zach leafs through moments as if flipping through a photo album of Polaroids set to a soundtrack of witty and pensive pop music punctuated by swaggering, jazz-y panache. It’s a true combination of the outward social with the inward cerebral. Joining Gill on the record are his ALO bandmates, Adam Topol and Jack Johnson, Stuart Cole (Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeroes) and other very special guest musicians.
Each upcoming date is billed as “a night of story telling, song-writing alchemy, singer-songwritering, ecstatic dance, liquid lights” and more, indicating that Gill has spent the summer overflowing with ideas.
The tour starts on Wednesday, August 15, and continues every day through Sunday, August 19, at the SoHo Restaurant and Music Club in Santa Barbara. Included along the way are stops in Mill Valley, Chico and a private house party in Gilroy.
Check out this incredibly revealing interview that Gill released at the beginning of the summer. In it, he interviews himself and goes into detail about the help he had in making the record and its deeper themes.
Any time inspiration struck, Gill was off to the “Creativity Lounge,” aka the garage of his Santa Barbara hometown to cook up a demo. “Throughout the whole recording process, I kept thinking in terms of two distinct sides,” affirms Zach. “The first half of the record is outward and social, groovy and playful, very much a part of the modern world. Full of drum machines, synthesizers, electric guitars and special guests. The second half is soft and acoustic instrument driven, dreamy and free flowing, focusing lyrically on the mysteries of life, things we feel, but can’t necessarily prove through reason.”
It’s an incredible feat to realize for such a busy musician. Having been focused on Animal Liberation Orchestra (Gill co-founded ALO) from 1998-2005, including three years of non-stop national touring from 2003-05, Gill also was a full-time music teacher and dance studio accompanist. But in 2005 a lot happened. He became a permanent member of long-time friend Jack Johnson’s band and he released his first solo EP. From 2005 through now, Gill has contributed to a total of 20 full length recordings.
Immediately following his week-long tour through the multiverse, Gill will rejoin Johnson’s band for a select number of dates and then spend a few weeks on the road with ALO. The man never stops, and his musical joy is contagious. Catch it for yourself!
An Evening with Zach Gill
Wednesday, August 15, 2018
Kuumbwa Jazz Center (Santa Cruz)
$22/$32, 7PM, All Ages
An Evening with Zach Gill
Thursday, August 16, 2018
Sweetwater Music Hall
$25, 7PM, All Ages
An Evening with Zach Gill
Friday, August 17, 2018
Chico Women’s Club
$23.76, 7:30PM, All Ages
An Evening with Zach Gill
Sunday, August 19, 2018
SoHo Restaurant & Music Club
$23/$28, 6PM doors/8PM show, All Ages
