The Platinum-Selling Gypsy Jazzsters will Perform the Record in its Entirety During “In the Afterlife” Tour Dates
When Hot first hit the airwaves in 1996, it didn’t just ignite excitement — it sparked a cultural bonfire. With its infectious blend of swing, jazz, Delta blues, and Southern storytelling, Hot rocketed the Squirrel Nut Zippers from the underground scene of Chapel Hill, NC, to the national stage, achieving Platinum status and defining a generation’s rediscovery of vintage Americana.
Now, three decades later, the Zippers are rekindling that fire with “In the Afterlife” tour dates, a 30th anniversary celebration of the album that captured lightning in a bottle and cemented the band’s legacy as one of the most original and unpredictable acts of the era. The first three shows, which will feature the band performing Hot in its entirety, will kick off February 13 in Los Angeles, CA at the Teragram Ballroom and hit the Music Box on February 14 in San Diego, CA and Pappy & Harriet’s on February 15 in Pioneertown, CA. Additional tour dates will be released throughout the year.
Tickets for the February “In the Afterlife” tour dates will be available starting Friday, October 17 at https://www.snzippers.com/tourdates.
Recorded at the famed Kingsway Studio in New Orleans (owned by Daneil Lanois), Hot radiated authenticity. The album’s warm analog sound and wry, vivid storytelling made it a critical and commercial success, topping the Billboard 200 for an impressive 51 weeks. The record produced standout tracks such as “Put a Lid On It,” “Blue Angel,” and the band’s biggest hit to date, “Hell.”
“Hell,” an unlikely radio single at the time, defied expectations, climbing to #13 on Billboard’s Alternative Airplay Chart and embedding itself in pop culture history. Nearly 30 years later, it continues to resonate with new audiences, recently featured in hit TV series like Wednesday (2025) and Lucifer (2021).
“Hot was pure alchemy — a mix of mischief, melody, and magic,” said bandleader Jimbo Mathus. “It was never meant to chase trends; it was meant to burn bright and last. And somehow, it still does.”
Formed in 1993 by Mathus, Katharine Whalen, and a tight-knit crew of musical misfits, the Squirrel Nut Zippers defied genre from the start. Their sound — a spirited blend of prohibition-era jazz, big band bravado, and punk-rock irreverence — invited listeners into a world where vaudeville met voodoo and speakeasy swagger met Southern soul.
Led today by Mathus, and managed by founding drummer Chris Phillips, the modern-day Zippers continue to honor that rich legacy while bringing fresh fire to their beloved catalog. The 30th anniversary of Hot is more than a milestone — it’s a testament to resilience, reinvention, and the enduring power of music that swings, sings, and sizzles with soul.
Official “In the Afterlife” tour dates are as follows:
February 13 Teragram Ballroom Los Angeles, CA
February 14 Music Box San Diego, CA
February 15 Pappy & Harriet’s Pioneertown, CA
Fans old and new can expect a show that’s equal parts celebration and revival — a joyful journey through the sound that started it all.
For the most up-to-date information on the band visit:
https://www.facebook.com/SNZippers
https://www.instagram.com/snzippers/
About Squirrel Nut Zippers
The Platinum recording artists have sold over three million albums to-date with their watershed album, Hot (1996), making them a household name. Recorded in the heat of New Orleans, fueled by a smoldering mix of booze and a youthful hunger to unlock the secrets of old-world jazz, this pivotal release was just the beginning for the band.
Since then, SNZ has unveiled such hits as Beasts Of Burgundy (2018), which debuted at #4 on the Billboard Jazz Albums Chart, and Christmas Caravan (1998), which went on to sell a quarter of a million copies and reach #12 on the Billboard Holiday Albums chart.
Their most recent record Lost Songs of Doc Souchon debuted in late 2020. It featured 10 tracks – a combination of newly-penned Zippers songs, along with a few tunes from past times – and has received acclaim from fans and critics alike.
Since reactivating in mid-2016, SNZ have been performing to packed houses across the country and around the world. As Mathus has said since the band’s re-launch, “it’s not a reunion, it’s a revival.”
