STS9 stands for Sound Tribe Sector 9. Based in Northern California, the electronic-jam quintet started quietly with a niche following in the late '90s, playing shows mainly in Boulder, Colo., Santa Cruz, Calif., and Atlanta, Ga. Word of mouth spread rapidly among the highly viral jam-band community, and STS9 is now considered one of the leaders in the post-Phish jam world. Playing over 100 live shows per year, including a number of major festivals, STS9 ranks among the top 30 current touring acts, acording to Poll Star. Like many of their jam-band peers, STS9 is part of the movement of working-class musicians successfully navigating the country with a highly devoted fan base in each city.
On the surface, STS9's sound breathes with simplistic overtones that take root in guitarist Hunter Brown's subtle shape-shifting tactics. Harnessing the sonic freedoms of jazz fusion, STS9 chisels away at electronic beats through the use of live instruments, only to construct something twice as organic in return. With the exception of minimal vocal sampling, STS9 hits you with dramatic instrumentals that slowly gather momentum and explode over an epic synth-laden backdrop. While STS9 finds ease in guiding listeners through their adventurous brew of melodic catch and release, they are also equally effective in smoother down-tempo numbers, perhaps exuding their version of the electronic ballad. The voyages may vary, but at the core of each is a relentless rhythmic assault, led by drummer Zach Velmer's perpetual stammering and unapologetic crashes and bassist David Murphy's elegant low-end struts, and completed by percussionist Jeffree Lerner's constant tip-toeing. To further fill the air, Dave Phillips tosses a thick dose of effect-heavy keys into the mix, which further elevates the jams to an epic nature. If that was not enough, each member also incorporates a laptop and Midi-keyboard into their rig, providing them with a range far beyond the capability of their specific instrument.
With an endless array of structural possibilities comes and even more diverse body of work: For tasty hip-hop beats, check out "One a Day," "Bigs," and "Arigato"; for funk-infused grooves drizzling with juicy guitar sprints, look into "Aimlessly," "Tap In," and "Grow"; for curious, yet remarkably graceful reflections, get lost with "Breathe In," "Circus," and "Jebez."
Like any thriving jam band, STS9 showcases its true form in the live setting. This summer, along with worthy jam-band colleagues Umphrey's McGee, STS9 will embark on one of their biggest tours to date. They are also expected to release their first studio album since 2005's Artifact in the coming months. This will be busy year for STS9, which is nothing out of the ordinary for this group of working-class musicians.
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