Grammy-nominated Boston funk band Lettuce will bring its distinctive vintage sound to The Refinery’s outdoor amphitheater July 3. English roots reggae act Steel Pulse will join the high-powered six-piece band.
Lettuce drummer Adam Deitch told the Charleston City Paper he was always destined to be a performing artist. “I was born into music,” he said. “My parents play most instruments. So that was a big part of my early years.”
Deitch became a professional percussionist at quite a young age — he’s worked alongside his bandmates since the guys were teenagers in the early 1990s. That long shared history has helped the act firmly establish itself as one of the best on the live music circuit.
“We have developed a psychic musical connection that helps the music breathe, rise, rage and whisper. Team play is the wave,” Deitch said.
Lettuce has also been prolific in the studio over the years, most recently assembling its eighth LP Unify in the heart of the Rocky Mountains. “We love Colorado,” Deitch said. “The energy is always on point. We have a great system going at Colorado Sound studios with our engineer Jesse O’Brien.”
To Deitch, the process of producing that particular record also illustrated the solid band dynamic that exists at the moment. “The trust we had in each other — to write, produce, mix and master the album, and the ability to finalize the arrangements on the spot — was at an all time high. Everyone got an equal say. It was beautiful.”
The Unify project also featured a very special guest, R&B/soul bassist Bootsy Collins. “I reached out to Bootsy through our buddy Paul Levine who books him sometimes. He heard the song ‘Keep That Funk Alive’ as a demo and hit us right back. He’s a gem of a human and an icon to the world. His influence on us is massive,” Deitch said.
Collins isn’t the only influential musician that has entered Deitch’s orbit lately. This summer, Lettuce has paired with Steel Pulse for a run of shows that lands both groups back in Charleston this week — and Deitch couldn’t be more stoked about the joint tour.
“We’ve listened to them in the band van for years,” he said. “They are legends. They are the best living roots reggae band on Earth, and these shows have been amazing.”
Lettuce, Steel Pulse and Makua Rothman perform at The Refinery 7 p.m. July 3.
For more details and ticket information, visit therefinerychs.com.
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