Find out who's coming to The Bridge at Santa Fe Brewing with the Drive-By Truckers

On this Friday afternoon, Patterson Hood is soaking in the time he has at home before heading out on tour.

But first, the co-founder of the rock band Drive-By Truckers, has a couple of solo shows.

“I’m excited to get back out on the road,” he says. “The Truckers have been mostly off this year. We did a one-off show in Atlanta a few weeks ago and it was really fun. It was the first time we’ve played together this year.”

The Drive-By Truckers will mark the group’s 30th anniversary in 2026. Hood and Mike Cooley are originally from The Shoals region of northern Alabama and met as roommates at the University of North Alabama.

The band began in Athens, Georgia, and currently consists of Cooley, Hood, Brad Morgan, Jay Gonzalez and Matt Patton.

Hood and crew are currently on the co-headlining “Charm and Decadence Tour” with Deer Tick, which will make a stop at 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 3, at The Bridge at Santa Fe Brewing in Santa Fe.

“We actually have a song called ‘Santa Fe,’ which was written there,” Hood says. “We’ve never really performed it in many places. It just may make the list of songs that we will choose from for the night.”

The band released a deluxe edition of its 2016 album, “American Band” in October 2024.

Hood released his first solo album in 12 years, “Exploding Trees & Airplane Screams,” on Feb. 21.

Hood tapped Chris Funk to produce the 10-track LP, which was recorded at various studios in his current hometown of Portland, Oregon. The album features guest appearances from Waxahatchee, Kevin Morby, Wednesday, Steve Berlin (Los Lobos) and more.

Whether it’s his solo shows or Drive-By Truckers shows, Hood tackles the live performance the same way.

“My love for performance has never wavered,” he explains. “There are aspects of life on the road that I don’t live. The things that made me fall in love with music as a kid are still the reasons I pack up every year and hit the road. I actually enjoy waking up in a new place each day.”

Over the course of nearly 30 years as a band, Hood says there have been different eras — some that brought in some dysfunction.

Through it all, he’s tried to keep it running as smoothly as possible.

“As much as we tour, we’ve never done a set list,” he says. “Last year, we performed (2001’s) ‘Southern Rock Opera’ and we played that from start to finish. That’s the only time we knew what we were going to do. We will have a group of songs to choose from, and each of us will give signs on what we’re doing next. We decide the first song of the set at least 10 minutes before show time. Our goal is to make the show as seamless as possible.”

Hood wanted to get on the road with the band because music is the common thread for society.

“Despite all the horrific things going on in the world, performing is a way to escape,” he says. “For the band and for the fans. It’s a way to come together and forget about your daily worries for a few hours. We’re grateful to still be able to do this, and our musical reach continues to grow and surprise us.”