Hot Tuna Tickets

Hot Tuna, a spin-off of the popular band Jefferson Airplane, is an acoustic band-turned-heavy rock band that was originally formed as a side project of the band members, but later became an accomplished group in their own right.

The History of Hot Tuna Tickets

Originally formed in 1969 under the name Hot Sh*t, Hot Tuna was a side project of Jefferson Airplane band members Jack Casady and Jorma Kaukonen, who formed the band when their vocalist, Grace Slick, had to take a hiatus to recover from throat surgery.

Casady and Kaukonen, along with Paul Kantner and Joey Covington, began to play shows and sell Hot Tuna tickets around the San Francisco area. Hot Tuna played material derived mainly from Jefferson Airplane's work, but they also covered American country blues artists, such as Gary Davis, Bo Carter and Arthur Blake.

After playing many shows and selling many Hot Tuna tickets at the New Orleans House, Hot Tuna recorded and released their self-titled, debut album in 1970. Hot Tuna began performing as an opening act for Jefferson Airplane and would perform both electric and acoustic sets, much of which had a traditional blues vibe.

In 1970, Hot Tuna's label, RCA, sent the band to Jamaica to record their sophomore album.  Although the album was never finished, Jefferson Airplane and Hot Tuna continued to tour and sell Hot Tuna tickets.

By September 1970, Hot Tuna left the security of Jefferson Airplane and played two acoustic shows on their own at Pepperland. After receiving good reviews, the band regrouped (Jefferson Airplane, at the time, was winding down), began selling Hot Tuna tickets and performing live at a number of venues. The band also moved to an electric band format at this time.

The band released the album, First Pull Up, then Pull Down, in 1971, which was a live performance. Two studio albums followed in 1972 and 1973. The band then took off on a 1974 tour with Rat, and Hot Tuna soon changed their traditional, bluesy sound to a heavy rock band sound. They released three albums (two in 1975 and one in 1976), showcasing this new sound. These years were often referred to as the "rampage years" by the band.

Live performances during this time were very long (often up to six hours long), and they played many free-flow, improvisational jams for their Hot Tuna tickets holders. Hot Tuna stopped touring in 1977 and parted ways shortly thereafter. However, 1983 saw a reunion with the band, and throughout much of the 1990s, the band alternated between acoustic and electric styles. Hot Tuna now appears at many musical festivals throughout the year, including Bonnaroo and Merlefest.

Hot Tuna Tickets: What to Expect

Hot Tuna, whether performing acoustic or heavy metal music, draws in fans of both traditional blues music and heavy rock music.

Hot Tuna Tickets: Who Should Attend?

This popular rock and blues band, although they have changed their sound over the years, has managed to keep a following of die-hard fans.