With Live Mind, the Third Mind have bottled the raw, unfiltered energy of their psychedelic improvisations and unleashed it in a stunning live album. Curated from performances at Los Angeles’ Troubadour, Ventura Music Hall, and Dallas’ Kessler Theater, this electrifying set showcases a band that thrives on the edge of spontaneity. Overseen by Don Boles, Will Golden, and Brett Brock, and produced by Dave Alvin and Victor Krummenacher, the album was mixed and mastered by Craig Parker Adams at Winslow Court in Los Angeles, ensuring every mind-bending moment is captured in full fidelity.

For a band built on fearless musical exploration, playing without a net is second nature. The Third Mind - a supergroup featuring Dave Alvin (the Blasters), Victor Krummenacher (Camper Van Beethoven), guitarist David Immerglück (Counting Crows), drummer Michael Jerome (Richard Thompson, John Cale), and vocalist Jesse Sykes - the Third Mind were born out of a desire to push boundaries. Their studio albums, The Third Mind (2020) and The Third Mind 2 (2023), embraced long-form psychedelic interpretations, but Live Mind takes that vision to another level, capturing the unpredictable magic of their concerts.

“Creating improvisatory music in a recording studio is a little scary, but attempting the same free-form, no-holds-barred musical approach in a live setting in front of an audience can be downright frightening,” says Alvin. “Fortunately, the members of the Third Mind are up for the challenge.”

Sykes, whose haunting vocals add another dimension to the band’s ever-shifting soundscapes, describes the experience as a “shared conjuring” between the musicians and the audience. “There are always certain musical moments that just can’t manifest unless an audience is there to witness and to be witnessed.”

The band’s live chemistry is further amplified by guitarist Mark Karan (Bob Weir’s RatDog, Phil Lesh), who steps in for Immerglück, and legendary L.A. musician Willie Aron on keys. “We reinterpret the songs nightly, never playing anything exactly the same way twice… staying true to the musical approach I’ve loved for so many years playing in the Grateful Dead family,” Karan explains.