An array of bright lights, 3D visuals and the sound of funk and electronic music filled the beloved Red Rocks venue on Sept. 28 as part of the 7th annual music festival, Rowdytown, headlined by Big Gigantic.
Opening for Big Gigantic were DROELOE, best known for their heavy percussion infused with light melodies and soft vocals. Also performing were Boogie T, a live funk and blues band, taking a break from heavy electronic music, giving a soulful performance about moving on from a toxic relationship to falling in love all over again.
The most impressive opener of the night was San Holo, accompanying his music with an electric guitar and bouncing around the stage, whether it was on top of the table where his equipment was set up or the rails near the front row. The audience jumped up and down, dancing to remixes of Snoop Dogg and Holo’s original hits such as “Light” and “We Rise.”
Big Gigantic’s love for performing at Red Rocks stems from being able to perform in their home state, and this year was no different. The duo came onstage with a visual of Red Rocks with the Colorado flag painted over it, playing an entire song dedicated to the beauty of the Mile High State. Big Gigantic also brought out special guests, from Pell to Louis the Child, announcing that an upcoming release would be featuring the latter.
What made the concert innovative was its first-time use of 3D visuals. Before the show, each member of the audience received 3D glasses and were told to wait until Big Gigantic announced for the audience to put them on. When it was time for these visuals to come on, everyone put on their glasses and were treated to different animations almost reaching out to them, from a digital solar system to dancing astronauts. The grand finale of the show ended with a three dimensional fight between an astronaut and a saxophone, the duo’s signature instrument in their music.
Original hits from the duo’s 2016 release, “Brighter Future,” were played with a live horn band, ranging from trumpets to trombones. A special segment of the show was dedicated to a saxophone solo played by Dominic Lalli, one half of Big Gigantic. It was easy to notice the duo’s love of fusing electronic music with an old-school funk twist.
Rowdytown has been a Red Rocks tradition since 2012, and this year, Big Gigantic delivered another exciting, vibrant show. At the end of the show, Big G promises that next year will be even better than the last, persuading fans to wait until 2019 to see what is in store next.
