For the first time in over ten years, South Mountain Lights is reuniting to play Stinkweeds on January 20th at 8 PM.

From Rick Heins, guitarist: “For the first time in over ten years, South Mountain Lights is playing a show at @stinkweedsrecords on Friday, January 20th at 8pm. Our bass player is flying in to join us for a set of dynamic improvised music to officially celebrate the release of our double album. Arizona friends, please join us for an evening of live music that should be one for the history books!”

South Mountain Lights didn’t start out in 2005 as an improvisational instrumental band; in fact, we didn’t start out as “South Mountain Lights” at all. In our seemingly endless quest for a band name, the trio – consisting of Rick Heins on guitar and vocals, Jason Farrell on drums and Adam Crofts on bass – burned through Sky Harbor, Pacific, Sea of Cortez and countless other monikers before settling on the name that conjured the very lights that light the way to Phoenix, Arizona; our hometown. Whether driving north from Tucson on the I-10 or south from Flagstaff on the I-17, the lights that sit atop South Mountain are a beacon having directed the three of us home countless times.
After writing and recording two albums’ worth of traditionally-structured songs – and playing countless shows (to no one) – South Mountain Lights went on hiatus in 2007 so Adam could take up a new career in Idaho and Jason could attend graduate school. Over the next few years, the band reunited over the holidays to reminisce, eat Rubio’s and jam out for no other reason than it’s who we are and what we do. Fortunately, we recorded these sessions which, unlike most jam sessions, were 100 percent improvised; there were no charts to read or warmups to play. The songs don’t include overdubs or autotune. What they do include is no shortage of “happy accidents” and sounds that were created using a sort of musical telepathy.
Music is a form of communication, and like all forms of communication, it can take decades to master. Even more so, music, played in a band format, is founded on intercommunication. In this instance, three-way intercommunication, requiring a level of telepathy that only transpires when three people make music together over time. We’ve grown to appreciate these sessions over the years and believe it’s time to share them with those who are willing to listen. The Buena Terror Sessions showcase how our music ebbs and flows, producing light and shade, and solace and bombast in equal measure. We hope you enjoy the music we made as much as we enjoyed making it. – SML, April 2022