Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart is hitting the road with his solo ensemble the Mickey Hart Band for a string of dates next month. Hart and his crew will kick things off on February 15th at Crystal Bay, Nevada's Crystal Bay Club Casino and wrap the dates up on March 6th in Solana Beach, California at the Belly Up Tavern.

Mickey Hart told us that throughout his life he's always been a fan of exotic sounds -- regardless of their origin: "I just love the sounds of the world. I've always been attracted to it. I believe that music has medicinal qualities to it, and I think it brings people together. It makes us human, and this is what, y'know, we sound like as a people -- it's a badge of identity to us."

• The Mickey Hart Band tour dates (subject to change):
  February 15 - Crystal Bay, NV - Crystal Bay Club Casino
  February 16 - Grants Pass, OR - Rogue Theatre
  February 17 - Eugene, OR - McDonald Theatre
  February 19, 20 - Nelson, BC - Capitol Theatre
  February 21 - Red Deer, AB - Red Deer Memorial Centre
  February 22, 23 - Sherwood Park, AB - Festival Place
  February 25 - Jackson, WY - Center For The Arts
  February 26 - Salt Lake City, UT - The Depot
  February 28 - Boulder, CO - Fox Theatre
  March 1 - Denver, CO - The Oriental Theater
  March 2 - Aspen, CO - Belly Up Aspen
  March 4 - Flagstaff, AZ - The Orpheum Theater
  March 5 - Tucson, AZ - Rialto Theatre
  March 6 - Solana Beach, CA - Belly Up Tavern

SIDE NOTES

• The Mickey Hart Band features vocalist Crystal Monee Hall, Joe Bagale on guitar and keyboards, Widespread Panic bassist Dave Schools, guitarist Gawain Mathews, drummer Ian "Inkx" Hermanand, and percussionist Sikiru Adepoju (Pronounced: Seek-ee-roo Ah-deh-poh-joo).
• Last year, the Mickey Hart Band released its latest album, album Mysterium Tremendum.

CHECK IT OUT: The Grateful Dead on September 10th, 1991 performing "Drums" and "Space" at Madison Square Garden:

Mickey Hart Says Music Is What Makes Us Human