Orbiting Human Circus Quartet and Orchestra with: The Music Tapes announce inaugural performances

On stage for the very first time: the full group that made 2023’s Quartet Plus Two, and much of the music and stories behind the beloved Orbiting Human Circus podcast (Nightvale/NPR). These limited debut performances from The Music Tapes — Julian Koster (Neutral Milk Hotel, Elephant 6) and Robbie Cucchiaro (Nana Grizol) — will take the magic of their already legendary live shows—where one can expect the entirely unexpected—to a whole new level, promising a night unlike any other! 

In 2023, Orbiting Human Circus released Quartet Plus Two, an album that served not only as a dreamy recontextualization of classic jazz compositions but as a further expansion of the rich musical universe of Julian Koster, as he and his regular collaborators were joined by Gauvain Gamon (bass), Kolja Gjoni (drums), and Benji Miller (piano), with whom he formed the titular Quartet. Now, for the first time, the Orbiting Human Circus Orchestra and The Quartet are touring together this June! 

The tour caps off the improbable series of events that led to the creation of Quartet Plus Two, as Koster chanced across Gamon and Gjoni playing Gershwin and Mingus while on a walk through New York City’s Central Park. Miller joined at their suggestion, and the chemistry that existed between the four of them was immediately apparent. Joined by Koster’s Music Tapes bandmates—and singing saws North and Romika—the music on Quartet Plus Two is at once familiar and unrecognizable, virtuosic and homespun, enchanting and unforgettable.  Tickets for this limited engagement—their only US shows in 2024—are on sale now!

Orbiting Human Circus on tour:
Jun 19 Portland, ME – SPACE
Jun 21 Brooklyn, NY – The Sultan Room
Jun 22 Silver Spring, MD – Quarry House Tavern
Jun 23 Philadelphia, PA – Johnny Brenda’s
Jul 04-06 Egersund, NO — Egersund Visefestival