Article Contributed by Gratefulweb
Published on January 15, 2026
Chicago jam / funk / soul band Hot Like Mars announce a wide-ranging slate of initial 2026 tour dates, carrying the momentum of a landmark 2025 into their most ambitious year of touring yet. The run brings the band to clubs, theaters, and festivals across the Midwest, Rockies, and East Coast, underscoring their rapid rise from hometown standouts to a nationally touring force.
The tour arrives on the heels of a defining year that saw Hot Like Mars pair relentless road work with a growing catalog of releases. In 2025, the band issued their studio album One Way Ticket Up alongside the fourteen-track live release The Red Tapes, capturing the improvisational spark, deep-pocket grooves, and vocal-forward soul that have become hallmarks of their live show. Festival appearances, sold-out headlines, and first-time markets throughout the East Coast solidified the band’s expanding footprint and growing demand.
LISTEN | Hot Like Mars -One Way Ticket Up
LISTEN | Hot Like Mars – The Red Tapes
WATCH | Hot Like Mars – All Along The Watchtower (Bob Dylan Cover)
The 2026 calendar features several key moments that reflect Hot Like Mars’ accelerating trajectory. A multi-date Colorado run anchors the winter stretch, highlighted by performances in Denver, Boulder, Fort Collins, and Steamboat Springs, including high-profile support slots with members of The Motet and the Kyle Hollingsworth Band. In March, the band makes their inaugural Brooklyn Bowl NYC appearance alongside ascending theatrical groove-slingers Boojum. A subsequent return to the South includes a standout stop in Asheville, NC, an increasingly important market for the band’s growing fanbase.
Creatively, Hot Like Mars continues to bridge the gap between studio precision and live spontaneity. Recent releases include a dynamic new cover of Bob Dylan’s “All Along the Watchtower,” reimagined through the band’s soulful, jam-forward lens, and a and available now via YouTube. Alongside original material, the band’s catalog has found a home on platforms like nugs.net and Spotify’s Modern Jam Band playlist, extending their reach well beyond the stage.
“2025 was a year of cutting our teeth on the road to make a name for ourselves in the industry. We ventured out further than ever before and quickly realized we were onto something. Crowds were receptive and it encouraged us to really go for it with everything we’ve got,” explains Pat Walsh (Guitar). “In 2026 we plan on riding the momentum and really establishing ourselves as a force in the nationally touring space. We will be hitting the road harder than ever before, releasing a brand new album and digging deep into jamming and live improvisation. We can’t wait to get out there and show the world what we’re made of. Our goal is to spread love, build community and bring people together.”
Tickets for all 2026 tour dates are on sale now. For more information, please visit the band’s official website.
HOT LIKE MARS – 2026 TOUR DATES
1/9 – Minneapolis, MN !
1/23 – Indianapolis, IN – The Mousetrap
1/24 – Cincinnati, OH – MOTR Pub
1/30 – Denver, CO – Cervantes Other Side @
1/31 – Fort Collins, CO — Washington’s #
2/5 – Boulder, CO – Velvet Elk Lounge
2/6 + 7 – Steamboat Springs, CO – Old Town Pub
2/20 – Lisle, IL – Basecamp
3/6 – Columbus, OH – Woodlands Tavern
3/13 – Louisville, KY – Mellwood Tavern
3/21 – Kalamazoo, MI – Bell’s Eccentric Cafe
3/27 – Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Bowl %
3/28 – Barrington, NJ – Tonewood Brewing
4/18 – Madison, WI – High Noon Saloon
4/24 – Charleston, NC – Pour House
4/25 – Barco, NC – Morris Farm
5/9 – Kokomo, IN – The Coterie
5/14 – Richmond, VA – Big Dipper Innovation Summit
5/15 – Charlotte, NC – Rabbit Hole
5/16 – Asheville, NC – Asheville Music Hall
5/22 – Chicago, IL – Garcia’s
5/29 – Milwaukee, WI – The Cooperage
6/12 – Yuba, WI – Bonfire Music & Arts Festival
7/18 – Snowshoe, WV – 4848 Festival
! Supporting Salty Dogs
@ Supporting Dave Watts of The Motet
# Supporting Kyle Hollingsworth Band
% with Boojum
