Dave Harrington's Merry Pranksters Tickets

Dave Harrington, best known for his work with Darkside, leads the Merry Pranksters—a dynamic, rotating collective built for late-night, groove-driven improvisation. Expect a high-energy, no-rehearsal approach where Zusammenklang and spontaneous exploration take center stage. The lineup has featured notable players like Yuka Honda, Spencer Zahn, Stuart Bogie, Will Epstein, and Tim Mislock, all contributing to a sound that sits at the intersection of experimental jazz, electronic texture, and rock-driven propulsion.

With a focus on live exploration over fixed songs, the Merry Pranksters have released notable material and captured unforgettable performances. Their official live release, Live at Trans-Pecos, documents a late-night set captured on January 21, 2017, with the release following shortly after. On the studio side, Hollywood Visit (2022) brings a collaboration with Tim Mislock, credited to Merry Pranksters/Hipgnosis, and Skull Dream (2024) marks a larger ensemble in the Maximum Overdub catalog. These projects illustrate the group’s evolution from raw live sessions to expansive studio explorations.

Looking ahead, the Merry Pranksters are active in touring, with recent announcements guiding fans toward New York City venues and nearby hubs. The Sultan Room in Brooklyn has already hosted their all-star East Coast showcases in 2025, underscoring their status as a must-see act for fans of improvisational music.

For a see-before-you-buy approach, we’ve got you covered—secure your seats for upcoming shows and stay tuned for fresh collaborations and surprise guest appearances from a rotating cast of top-tier improvisers. Like having a friend in the business, we’ll help you navigate date availability and ensure you’re up to date on new releases and tour updates.

Biographically, Dave Harrington has built a reputation for driving exploratory jams under the Merry Pranksters banner, a project that thrives on collaboration and spontaneity. Their work spans live performances, deep-cut studio experiments, and cross-genre collaborations that appeal to listeners who crave immediacy, texture, and musical risk.

Discography highlights include Live at Trans-Pecos (live, 2017), Hollywood Visit (studio, 2022, with Tim Mislock; credited to Merry Pranksters/Hipgnosis on Avventura), and Skull Dream (2024, Maximum Overdub). Each release demonstrates the group’s willingness to push boundaries while keeping the groove intact.