I would like to start this off by saying if you haven’t heard of ToKiMONSTA, do yourself a favor and go listen. Grammy nominated producer Jennifer Lee seems to be always up to something, the latest being a collaborative project via her label Young Art Records, called Young Art Sound II. This follows up the first Young Art Sound compilation, which featured artists like Anderson .Paak, Gavin Turek, Two Fresh, etc. and continues to showcase the obvious musical journey all these wonderful artists are on.

You can listen to the project here.

In regard to her latest visit to Denver, ToKiMONSTA threw down at Vinyl on Thursday, and it was the best $25 dollars anyone in there ever spent. Not only was Lee’s signature style of mixing bass, hip hop, and electronica ever present, but surprise guest Anderson .Paak took the stage with ToKi to perform their hit, “Realla” to the crowd’s surprise. He was obviously in town for Friday’s Red Rocks performance, but as friends and collaborators it was really tight to have them both on the same stage, and in front of potential fans that may not have had the opportunity to see him otherwise.

In comparison to other times I’ve seen ToKi, she definitely added weirder elements to her set, while still keeping up her impeccable energy and adorable style. A live trumpeter and trippy visuals gave jazz and house elements that haven’t been as prominent in previous performances. Plenty of rap bangers like “Mo Bamba” and “Plain Jane” kept the crowd engaged, and lively world music with heavy bass lines kept the whole dance floor bumping. There was something for everyone at this show, and that’s extremely representative of Lee’s body of work.

Ultimately a great time, this show really reminded me to keep club shows on my radar as they’re typically underrated as hell!

Saturday night The Gothic Theatre played host to Lucius who are currently in the midst of their North America Tour. The five piece from Brooklyn came in hot off their first album Wildewoman, and much acclaimed praise off their current album Good Grief. Opening number "Madness", set the tone early for the band with a carefully orchestrated numbers focusing on the harmonies of Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig. Feeding off each other the whole night the duo didn't miss a beat and it translated over to a well balanced show. The crowd seemed to enjoy as they sang lyric by lyric in unison to radio friendly hits such as "Turn It Around", "Go Home", and "Born Again Teen". Having a penchant for style the duo came out in matching gowns (as they always do) to the delight of those in attendance. In a way it compliments their ability to hold their talented voices in perfect harmony just like their matching ensembles. A fun band to see, you never know what to expect from Lucius, one thing is for certain, be prepared for a visual stimulating grand time. Be sure to catch them as they continue on their current tour across the states.

Words and Photos: Robert Castro