Two years ago I saw Big Gigantic in a venue with about 90 people. This time there were hundreds and hundreds of people! A big change, but such a great change it was! They played four nights in Colorado last week starting in Aspen, then in Ft. Collins and Boulder before they got to my city, Denver. Big Gigantic is such a cool music group. Their group consist of two guys - one who plays the saxophone and works the computer while the other plays the drums. The saxophone gives them such a unique and fun style! Who doesn't love some saxophone? This was such a fun show and they had the crowd going nuts from the very beginning. Sometimes artists will have a slow start up but seriously the crowd was jumping around for the first song like they had been doing it all night! (The opening acts were great I must add, but I'm sure Big G is why they were pumped up). Big Gigantic's style is fresh and fantastic! You should definitely check these guys out if you haven't already. Below is a video Kevin took at the show of them playing their remix of "Black & Yellow." (Remember to mute my music playlist).
These guys also just released a new album on January 11 called "Nocturnal." I'm still getting acquainted with most of the songs, but some of my older favorites from Big G include, "Light of Day", "High Life", and "Wide Awake". And by the way, I have to comment on their new(?) light set up that you can see in the picture below. I loved the "pod"-looking light set ups they had that displayed amazing visuals throughout the show. Haven't seen any like this yet!
I have SO much respect for STS9! I've known about them for a good while now, but really haven't been that into them until this past summer. I have many friends that are obsessed with this group, and haven't really understood why until I saw them at Red Rocks this past September. Those shows were amazing, just as these two shows this past weekend were. Except if I had to pick which set of shows were better, I'd pick the shows this weekend. Venues can really make or break the show that the artist puts on, and The Fillmore this past weekend was and is definitely a wonderful venue to see artists play live. It is a big indoor venue, and has many different viewing levels for the audience. The first time I ever saw STS9 was an outside venue that had sound restrictions (so it was NOT loud enough) and the crowd was too small for how big the venue was. Needless to say it just was not the greatest situation to get into a band for the first time. However if it was anyone's first time seeing them this weekend, I bet they'll tell you they had the time of their life. They always play really well put together sets, and you can download any specific show's set online. (Not many artists do this!)
STS9 - The Fillmore - Denver, CO 1/14/12
I am still learning so much of Sound Tribe's music, and the more I listen the more I love! They are so unique in their style, as they blend all kinds of genres of music together while adding intense bass with striking electronic sounds. Two of my favorite songs of theirs are "Golden Gate" and "The Rabble". I also love how they have a lot of piano in their songs! Check out my video from this weekend's show below of them playing their song, "Breathe In". It has really great visuals too! (Remember to mute my playlist).
I also enjoyed all of the friends I saw this weekend at these shows too. Including my girl Shannon who asked if this picture below was going to be on my blog. So thanks for asking Shannon, because you reminded me that I hadn't uploaded pictures of friends and myself on here in a while. So here we are at Sound Tribe!
Shannon, me, & Anna at STS9
STS9 really loves Colorado. They have played here numerous times over the last year, and I know they'll be back again soon in 2012. Their current tour is called "The Great Cycle Spectacles" and they claim it is unlike any show they've ever put on before. The tour is celebrating the end and the beginning of the Mayan calendar cycle, and the performance they put on for this is one of a kind. They are playing next in Chicago at the Congress Theatre on January 20th and 21st. If you're in the area, you definitely should go! I have a lot of friends headed to that show as well. I can't wait to hear what they think about it.
STS9 - The Fillmore - Denver, CO 1/14/12
I'm headed to Big Gigantic this weekend and haven't seen them since I lived in Raleigh sometime last year so I'm super excited because they just had a new album come out! It came out January 11th and is called Nocturnal, definitely should check it out! :-D
Pretty Lights NYE - 1st Bank Center - Broomfield, CO
I've seen Pretty Lights 8 times now and this time was by far my favorite! Derek really put on a great show this New Years Eve and I'm so glad he is was in Colorado for my friends and me to see him. Everyone knows Pretty Lights has awesome lights.. hence the name - but he also has high quality lasers that really make the visual experience spectacular. I experienced this show from the very back of the venue and it was really awesome to get to see the lights from this view since I'm usually up pretty close at shows. I got a really good video of his visuals below, check it out (and remember to mute my music playlist).
Derek dropped some sick new songs on New Years too. I'm talkin' songs with BASS! I can't wait for him to release all of his new music he's been saving for his live shows. The songs he played on this night all flowed so perfectly too. He played a lot of "oldies but goodies" and gave us a good amount of new stuff. And of course he played "I Know The Truth" - one of his newest songs that everyone seems to go crazy for at his shows! He also played "Pretty Lights vs Radiohead vs Nirvana vs NIN" which I really like even more now. Check out my other video of right before the midnight countdown when he played "The Final Countdown." Gets crazyyy!
After midnight Derek played, "After Midnight"!!! I was SO excited! I've always wanted to hear this song live and obviously New Years Eve was a great time for him to play it (after creating it for his New Years Eve show in 2010). All sorts of balloons and confetti dropped from the ceiling at 12 and everyone was going crazy. I also saw that Derek was wearing a GoPro camera on his head during the show and "cheers'ing" with champagne at midnight!!! How cool!
Derek from Pretty Lights - Celebrating New Years Eve!
Towards the end of the show when Derek was telling everybody about how much he loves Colorado (where he's from) he threw this visual up on his screens. His normal city lights with Colorado mountains in the background! The crowd definitely loved this... not to mention he was playing a new sick song when this happened.
Pretty Lights - Colorado mountains!
I caught Zedd before Pretty Lights and he was definitely getting the crowd pumped for the night! He played some intense dubstep songs that everyone seemed to enjoy. Here's a picture I took of the crowd while he was playing (behind the stage!)
ZEDD before Pretty Lights on New Years Eve
This really was such a great concert/fun night and I'm really looking forward to the music Derek creates in the future!
I'm headed to see my friend Raul [BASS.THOVEN] this weekend & then STS9 the weekend after next! Check back for a post each week because there are really sick shows in my area every weekend this month (when aren't there! Ha). And if you haven't done so already, "LIKE" my blog's facebook page! :-)
