We made our annual pilgrimage to see Pretty Lights this past weekend at Red Rocks. What has become a tradition for the Colorado resident, he managed to play two back to back sold out shows once again at the famed venue. Every year we have had a chance to cover Pretty Lights and every year his creativity has taken it to a whole new level. This year was no exception, in what has become a regular theme nowadays for many artist, The Colorado Symphony was called into duty to provide an extra dose of musical bliss.
Read MorePretty Lights | Red Rocks Amphitheatre | August 16
The Red Rocks Amphitheatre welcomed its own Derek Vincent Smith aka Pretty Lights back home with two nights of all out dance electronic-hip-hop-bass music during his customary two night residency at the venue. With his new album dropping not too long ago it was a chance for Pretty Lights to once again set the bar for his live show. This year in conjunction with his customary mind-blowing light production, he incorporated a live band to his arsenal. A perfect way to compliment his recently released album A Color Map of The Sun. The albums organic sound was brought perfectly to life with the inclusion of horns and drums and even Smith holding his own on bass. Each section stood out as they performed on elevated glowing platforms that would change colors. The first night saw openers Blue Sky Black Death and recent collaborator Talib Kweli who is featured on the albums first single "Around The Block". The second night was a chance for the PL label to shine as label mates Supervision, Paul Basic, and Michal Menert got the crowd hyped before the headliner. Here is what he had to say after the two nights...
Playing at Red Rocks is an amazing experience. I've now done it multiple times and I've learned to slow down and cherish every moment because it's always over too quick.
I wanted to do something different and create a show that was a new evolution of Pretty Lights Music. The band that came together to do that with me are all amazing musicians and people and they as well as the whole PL crew worked relentlessly to make it possible. Red Rocks was the first step. I have a vision for a different kind of approach to live music based on my style of beat production. It will continue to evolve very quickly and become more & more beautiful, bangin, and engaging for every person at a PL show. Thank you to everyone who came out to the shows and experienced the first step with us. All Love. -Pretty Lights
David Iwane is a Denver based photographer, freelance graphic designer and illustrator. Check out some of his work here.
Pretty Lights Adds Red Rocks Dates: August 16-17
Pre-sale begins Thursday, April 25th at 10am MST HERE
Public sale begins Saturday, April 27th at 10am MST at Ticketmaster
Derek Vincent Smith is returning to his home state to perform at the breathtaking Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, CO for two nights - Friday, August 16th and Saturday, August 17th. These will be two of the biggest and most exciting Pretty Lights shows of the year, and there are bound to be a few surprises. Pretty Lights will be supported by the BKMC, Talib Kweli, and Seattle based production duo Blue Sky Black Death on the 16th. Kweli is featured on "Around the Block" - the first single from PL's new full-length album, to be released on July 2nd. The second night will feature artists from the PLM record label and will be a true showcase of Colorado's prolific and evolving electronic music scene. The following will be available during the Pretty Lights pre-sale in limited quantities April 25th at 10am MST HERE.
(1) Discounted 2-Day General Admission tickets at $83.50 + reduced ticketing fees
(2) Single Day VIP tickets at $87.50 each + reduced ticketing fees
Single Day VIP are ONLY available through the fan pre-sale
Single-day and two-day passes will be available to the public April 27th at 10am MST at
Ticketmaster. Tickets for these shows are expected to sell out quick, so don't delay! As always, we'll take the steps we can to prevent and minimize scalping.Pretty Lights | Red Rocks Amphitheatre | August 17
This past weekend Red Rocks hosted a homecoming for the Pretty Lights music crew. Colorado homegrown Pretty Lights took residence at the majestic venue for an all out dance party on Friday and Saturday. In what can be billed as one of the summer’s most anticipated shows, Derek Vincent Smith brought some high expectations this weekend. We were able to catch the first night, and can simply say that Pretty Lights' live shows are becoming more complex and engineered as he continues to push the boundaries of the electronic music scene.
Friday night gave fans a chance to hear some of the new album; having a greater emphasis on live instrumentation and vocals, broadening the spectrum. With the constant evolution of the electronic dance genre, Pretty Lights has built his reputation on quality music and a close relation to his fan base. It was apparent at first glance of the first few rows, a group known as the Pretty Lights Family made their presence known. As the screen displayed a five minute countdown clock, the anticipation grew as Pretty Lights took control behind the stage. With a production show built to compliment the music; the complex laser show and the strobes and fog made listening to the music an unimaginable experience.
The night began with the soulful crooner Lee Fields and the Expressions, and the hip hop duo out of California known as Grouch and Eligh, who later joined Pretty Lights in a collaboration towards the end of the evening. The sold out crowd, covered in Day-Glo and glitter, danced through the night, as the Colorado music scene was widely present and respected. Check out more photos here.