Gramatik Shakes up Red Rocks | Plenty of Surprises, None of the Snow

“I do not think there is any thrill that can go through the human heart like that felt by the inventor as he sees some creation of the brain unfolding to success” - Nikola Tesla

The thrill a performer feels when the crowd goes wild at a SOLD OUT Red Rocks as they play a song they created has got to be one of the greatest feelings this world has to offer. It certainly seemed this way based on the reactions from stage when Gramatik returned to Red Rocks. The weather was perfect with no clouds in sight, and it felt like we were hit with surprise after surprise up until the very last minute of the show.

photo credit: Andrew Rios

photo credit: Andrew Rios

We arrived at the venue to the beats of Geek x VRV, who made their first appearance at Red Rocks this past Friday. This electronic duo from Paris, France has been making explosive progress in the past year leading up to this show. Consisting of Axel Rondeau and Vincent Teoule, this duo has catapulted into the spotlight, opening gigs for heavyweights like Pretty Lights, Gramatik, Dillon Francis, and Griz. Make sure to keep an eye out for the next time they come through town again, they’re definitely worth the time if you're looking for a good electronic show. 

Next on the scene was Filipino music producer Antonio Cuna – better known by his stage name Sweater Beats. He did a great job keeping the crowd pumped during his Red Rocks debut with songs like “Cloud City” and “Do It For Me”. Cuna also played an awesome remix of “Where Is My Mind” by The Pixies that had everyone singing along with their hands in the air.

We didn't question why Gramatik would add Hippie Sabotage to the already stacked lineup of openers for the evening. When most people think of trap music, they think of colossal, drop-filled beats with aggressive energy that forces everyone to dance – brothers Kevin and Jeff Saurer from Sacramento CA create just that! Jeff Saurer stayed behind the turn tables for most of the set while Kevin Saurer made his way into the first few rows to rage with the fans. Taking selfies, dowsing the crowd with water bottles, and even hitting a pipe one of the kids had, the duo interacted with the audience much more than most electronic acts would (we think that was pretty cool of them). Their remix of Tove Lo’s song “Stay High” was a perfect way to bring their set to a close as it was a little slower than the rest of their songs, but it was the one crowd obviously wanted to hear most.

photo credit: Andrew Rios

Gramatik finally jumped on stage around 9:30 and he dove right into the music in full force. He had Chicago’s own Colin Grimm aka ProbCause (who is featured on “Epigram”) join him on stage to rap for the song “Back To The Future." This rapper from Evanston meshes intelligent lyrics at an incredible speed with perfect timing. Gramatik also had guitarist Andrew Block playing alongside him throughout the show, laying down killer guitar solos that you don't often see at electronic shows these days. A few songs into the set, Jašarević announced he was going to play a new song: No one could have foreseen the magnitude of the song we were about to hear. We’re still not sure of the song title, but we do know that its a massive collaboration with the insanely talented blues musician Gary Clark Jr., and Tom Morello from Rage Against The Machine! WHAT?! 

The show continued to get even better throughout the evening. Hit after hit, drop after drop, Gramatik's funky soulful beats had us nonstop dancing and even laughing out loud at times. Around 11pm, with about an hour left of show to play, Jašarević announced that he had some friends joining him on stage. A platform holding a drum kit rolled onto stage while a couple guys wielding saxophones jump behind the DJ booth – the audience went bonkers! It was none other than Dominic Lalli and Jeremy Salkin of Big Gigantic, and Grant Kwiecinski who is known by the stage name GRiZ. This ensemble of creatives appropriately named "Big GrizMatik" completely stole the show. The last time Big GrizMatik appeared onstage in Colorado was on New Years Eve at Decadence 2013-2014. That was certainly one crazy show, but nothing in the world compares to Red Rocks. These performers have only shared the stage a mere handful of times, so the audience knew this was a momentous occasion. They all had just left Summer Camp Music Festival, where they had also joined each other onstage. Towards the end of the set, Big Grizmatik played a rendition of Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition”. The last and final surprise they had for us that evening still has us shaking our heads in awe. After the group took their family photo, Jašarević told the crowd, “See you all at Vertex!”

Wait, no wait, your kidding...he didn't just say what I think he did...did he?

Music | Show Preview: Gramatik returns to Red Rocks on Friday

This Friday, June 17th Gramatik makes his return to Red Rocks looking for redemption. Last year’s show, now fondly referred to as "Blizzmatik", had to be cut short due to safety reasons because of unrelenting snow and freezing rain. It’s no secret that Colorado is anxiously awaiting the moment to “Hit That Jive”…but we hope to do so with better weather this time around.

last year's Gramatik show at Red Rocks, now referred to by fans as "Blizzmatik". (photo credit: NO COAST)

Time and time again, when searching for good tunes to play on Pandora or Spotify, Gramatik radio seems to be the "go-to" option. The complex sound of Slovenian music producer Denis Jašarević contains aspects of jazz, hip-hop, R&B and has even been described as "electro-funk". He has captured our attention over the years with his songs “Just Jammin”, “Hit That Jive”, “So Much For Love” and “Obviously” featuring Cherub and Exmag. His theory of a fee free music model has also attributed to his success, voicing his opinion publicly saying that he believes it is "morally right for music to be primarily free” .

Gramatik's musical inception has ties to Denver-based online music company and website called BeatPort from way back in 2008. His first album Street Bangers Volume 1 shocked the artist by receiving much more attention through the site than he was anticipating, and only a year later, he teamed up with Colorado’s own Derek Vincent Smith and signed to his label, Pretty Lights Music. Following that success of that venture, Jašarević went on to create his own record label called Lowtemp.

Gramatik just recently released his new album, Epigram, and has scheduled a massive world tour in support. While doing a little research we discovered something interesting on his homepage: it turns out you can create your very own paradoxical work of art through a feature on the site! The app will transform each letter of your epigram into its own symbol that shares live to the site, which you can then download along with the new album.

This Friday will be Gramatik’s sixth performance at the beautiful Red Rocks Ampitheatre. This year’s lineup includes Hippie Sabotage, ProbCause, Geek x Vrv, and Sweater Beats. We are especially excited to check out brotherly duo Hippie Sabotage; their remix of Tove Lo’s hit song “Habits (Stay High)” has received over 420 million views on YouTube! Talk about a viral video.

Make sure to follow our Instagram page for live updates and stay tuned for a full review of our experience including photos from the show by our photographer Andrew Rios.

Music | Funk on The Rocks 2016 feat. CHROMEO, Jamie XX, Four Tet, and WhatSoNot | June 2, 2016

Chromeo during Funk On The Rocks (photo credit: Andrew Rios/Ultra5280)

Canadian electro-funk duo Chromeo made a stop in Colorado last Thursday for their third installment of “Funk on the Rocks”. This year they had Jamie XX co-headlining the show along with What So Not and Four Tet. The evening kicked off with What So Not, an electronic musical production lead by DJ and producer Chris Emerson. His set had more of an exciting, hard hitting dubstep feel that injected a healthy dose of hype to what was to come for the rest of the evening. What So Not made waves in 2014 when he teamed up with RL Grimes to put together a song called “Tell Me”, and when he performed it live at Red Rocks it definitely brought out the crowds energy.

Kieran Hebden, an english electronic musician better known by the stage name Four Tet, played more of a mellow set, keeping a soft abstract beat that let everyone relax and enjoy time with friends before the two headliners. Jamie XX opened his appearance at Red Rocks with a bang! During the chorus of one of his more more popular songs “Loud Places”, his giant disco ball was hit with lights illuminating the whole stage with him as a mysterious silhouette. Well done Jamie! 

Jaime XX's disco ball lighting up the night (photo credit: Andrew Rios/Ultra5280)

When Chromeo took the stage, they were accompanied by heavy guitar riffs from lead vocalist and Dave “Dave 1” Macklovitch. Heavy white beams of light shone upon his chrome guitar reflecting the light back into the venue as he dove into the first song of their set. Patrick “P-Thugg” Gemayel held down the keyboards, synthesizer and talk box which he used on a few occasions to hype up the crowd. These two performers met in Montreal at the age of 15, and 10 years later they’re still touring extensively while making new music. The two jokingly consider themselves the only successful Arab/Jewish partnership since the dawn of human culture.They ran through all their hit songs with overwhelming crowd participation and it was clear to see why these guys carry such a following. We loved our evening at “Funk on The Rocks”, and are keeping fingers crossed we’ll be able to get funky next year.

-Andrew

Music | Twenty One Pilots soar in debut Red Rocks show | September 27, 2015

While Twenty One Pilots might not be a household name quite yet, I don't think it'll take much longer. This past Sunday, hundreds of loyal members of the “Skeleton Clique” gathered along the stairs of Red Rocks Amphitheater as early as 2am on Sunday night, forming the longest entry lines the venue has seen all season long. Some waited over 14 hours just to get up close and personal with Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun – two men who have changed the face of music as we know it in 2015.

Watching Twenty One Pilots' growth has been an exponential thing. I first discovered the band at the Bluebird Theatre two years ago: leaving their hearts onstage before a sold-out crowd of die-hard fans, and using a bigger light show than the room could physically handle. The show was unlike anything I’d seen before, you could feel this unique energy present. There was something to be said about this dynamic duo who could make a crowd explode using only a piano and a drum kit. Another thing to quickly catch my attention was the fans. They were serious about their obsession with the group - something I hadn't seen since my own teenage years - but their passion was justified: this intimate performance was one of the most high octane shows I'd ever seen, and offered something hard to find in music right now: honesty. 

It's now two years later, and the only thing that’s changed is the amount of people coming to the shows. The band has grown from playing 600 capacity venues to 10,000 seat amphitheaters in less than 24 months, a feat only somewhat similarly matched by Imagine Dragons (who went from opening for AWOLNATION at Summit Music Hall [1,000 people] to selling out the Pepsi Center [18,000 people] in just 2 years time). The diehard fans who peaked my interest in this band have only grown in numbers, with nearly every kid in attendance wearing the bands name proudly on their chest. Dozens of attendees had even donned a variety of costumes matching those worn by the band members on stage, a majority choosing to wear red beanies and black makeup all over their necks and hands, embodying “Blurryface” - the namesake character of the bands most recent release. 

Blurryface is the name that lead singer Tyler Joseph has assigned to the personal insecurities he chooses to outwardly acknowledge and battle through the record. The album is written with brutal honesty and lyrical brilliance, narrating the inner-personal struggle of discovering who you are, and which demons you choose to let define you in a world where nothing is simple, and everything is public. The catchy rhythms and upbeat melodies of each song sound misleading when compared to their deep and often dark lyrics, but this only adds dimension to the music; making it feel like each song is wearing a mask - just as Joseph himself is both literally and metaphorically.

The beauty of it all is that although Joseph has acknowledged that many of these worries stem from performing his music, you can watch his fears melt away during the group’s live shows. Dynamic lighting partnered with heart-pounding bass, backflips off pianos, and a variety of masks on both Joseph and Dun, the groups live show draws you into the world of Twenty One Pilots, only offering relief when Joseph chooses to put his costumes to rest and finally become "himself" amongst his loyal clique. “Did we do okay for you?” Tyler asked the crowd nervously from the stage towards the end of their set. “Josh and I…we didn’t think we could pull this off. We didn’t think we could do a show like this, at a venue like this. But you all came, which we didn’t think would happen either. We just want to make sure you’re having fun." 

taken on an iPhone. photo credit: Maddie Casey

With Joseph climbing the rocks as much as he was legally allowed, fans singing along to every word, and not one person standing still during their set-closing performance of “Trees,” it was made clear that this little duo from Columbus, OH gave the audience all they had, and all they could have asked for. Joseph and Dun proved on Sunday that the title of "best live band of our generation” is theirs to keep, and there’s no stopping them - be it insecurities, or Red Rocks. 

- Maddie Casey

Music | Photo Essay | Incubus, Deftones, Death From Above 1979 | August 24, 2015 | Red Rocks Amphitheater

Monday was a night for the old school, die-hard fans. Incubus, Deftones, and a recently reunited Death From Above 1979 paid their respects to the world's most beautiful amphitheater with an astoundingly beautiful show, beginning to end. Staff photographer Maddie Casey was there to capture the night, and shares her favorite moments with you all. 

 

Music | Denver Weekend Roundup: July 10 - 12, 2015.

It’s a busy weekend for music here in Denver, so let us be the first to tell you that it’s completely unacceptable for you to not go see at least one show! To try and help make the decision process easier, we’ve compiled a list of shows of varying shapes and sizes: from Red Rocks to radio festivals, down to the little “need to see” acts who are just about to blow up and the locals who always deserve your time and attention. Check this over, and see if you can’t squeak in a little live music to liven up your weekend festivities. 

If you want something BIG: KTCL 93.3 FM’s Big Gig

When: Saturday, July 11th.
Doors: 2:30pm

If you’ve been jamming to any songs currently in rotation on Denver’s top Alternative station, 93.3 FM, love a good outdoor concert, or like to blend your big names with a little local love, you couldn’t ask for a better show than the annual Big Gig. Presented by KTCL with some help from AEG, this radio station annually gathers local rockstars, national bands on the up-and-up, and pairs them up with some of the biggest names in Alternative for one massive day of shows. This year’s concert features the likes of a locals stage (featuring many of the bands from Hometown For The Holidays), Nate Ruess of fun., Andrew McMahon in The Wilderness, New Politics, Banks, Atlas Genius, and headlining is AWOLNATION. Sit back, grab a $20 beer and enjoy this eclectic lineup from the comfortable grass of Fiddler’s Green Amphitheater.
for tickets: http://www.fiddlersgreenamp.com/events/detail/274698

If you want some RED ROCKS: The Avett Brothers

When: Friday - Sunday night, July 10th - 12th.
Show start: 7:30pm on Friday/Saturday, 5:30pm Sunday. 

photo credit: Matt Smith (Ultra5280)

I must (sadly) premise this part of our list by saying that yes, all three nights of this residency from Indie/Folk/Americana superstars The Avett Brothers is already sold out. But tickets are still available via Craigslist and StubHub! if you’re interested. This band of brothers has been selling out one weekend at Red Rocks each summer for the past few years - and with good reason. The group’s harmonies are top notch, and their music varies from heartfelt, violin-riddled lullabies to leg-slappin’, Banjo filled shoe-stompers. The Avett Brothers are some of our favorite artists, and it’s a stern Ultra5280 belief that you must see them at least once, or you’re certainly missing out.
for more info: http://redrocksonline.com/concerts-events/detail/the-avett-br-7-11-2015 

If you want to say “I SAW THEM FIRST”: K.Flay

When: Saturday, July 12.
Doors: 8:00pm

I say this honestly, and from the heart: go.see.K. Flay.right.now. Well - at least on Saturday night. This brilliantly unique artist has been blowing up the internet for a few years now, while slowing growing her live presence.

Mixing brutally honest lyrics, entrancing beats, and a unique voice, K.Flay’s music is irresistible - perfect for jamming out, dancing, and my personal favorite - totally throwing down in the car while cruising on the highway, catching stares from all the people I pass. She was out on the entire Vans Warped Tour last year, and has toured with Denver darlings Air Dubai in the past - how many more reasons do I need to give you to make you? If you want a preview, check out “Can’t Sleep”, “Wishing It Was You”, or my favorite, “The Cops”. 
tickets: http://www.larimerlounge.com/event_details.cfm?blogid=1901

If you have a thing for LOCALS ONLY: The Bluebird Disctrict Music Festival

When: July 10 - 12th.
When: All Day Err Day

In it’s inaugural year, The Bluebird District Music Festival already seems to be a promising new festival rising out of the East Colfax chunk of Denver. Featuring some of our favorite locals acts like Reno Divorce, Synthetic Elements, Dirty Few, and A. Tom Collins, this festival is a great, small scale festival truly celebrating some of Denver’s best. With show happening at The Bluebird Theatre, Goosetown Tavern, Southside Bar & Kitchen, Lost Lake Lounge and Park House, easy shows with great food and drinks are available all weekend long.
For more information: http://lost-lake.com/bdmf.cfm