Music

When Denver artist Illenium takes the stage at Empower Field at Mile High on June 17th, it will not only be the biggest electronic music concert in Colorado history, but also one of the most important events for Colorado artists. .

"The next biggest venue on my (fall) tour will probably hold 25,000 people," says Illenium, also known as platinum-selling DJ, producer and songwriter Nick Miller. "Most seats are between 8,000 and 15,000, and I think I'm playing in a football stadium in Chicago."

The show was the highlight of the week, with Colorado EDM acts GRiZ (of Denver) and Big Gigantic (of Boulder) performing at the Denver Nuggets Victory Parade on June 15, raising the city's spirits for nearly 1 million Denver residents. who was present

Despite, and in some cases because of, the COVID-19 pandemic, Colorado EDM fans and artists have never had a better choice. The momentum of the scene is based on more than two decades of milestones, from early noises to the annual Global Triad Dragon dance festival, the Beatport label, unique clubs like Beta (since closed) and Church, and the Decadence New Year party. .

With all eyes on Illenium, Denver also completed its decades-long transformation not only into the "Amsterdam of the West," as many artists call it, but also into the new center of the bass music subgenre. The move helped bring international talent to live, work and tour beyond the Mile High City, as well as provide electronic dance music fans with a world-class concert series.

To be sure, Miller's stature is atypical. He began playing the 500-seat Bluebird Theater in 2015, so Empower Field has sold more than 40,000 tickets, according to his publicist, an 8,000% increase from the days when he ran the modest East Colfax theater.

Miller can only be compared to Colorado bands like The Lumineers, who headlined Coors Field last year, and Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats, who sold out shows at the Ball Arena and Red Rocks Amphitheater. : Still, its exponential growth mirrors Denver's rise to the same level as EDM heavyweights like Chicago (house), Detroit (techno), and Miami (bass).

"I don't think a scene with less history or depth could have the same impact," said Diego Felix, an EDM.com contributor and artist development coordinator for the nonprofit Fort Collins Music District. "The decadent material builds on longstanding events like Skylab and House of Bass in Fort Collins, as well as the growing takeover of the Red Rocks calendar by EDM acts."

Many genres and artists.

In particular, Decadence annually attracts EDM titans such as Tiësto, Zeds Dead and REZZ, as well as Colorado bands GRiZ, CloZee, Said the Sky, Mersiv and Pretty Lights, all local Red Rocks headliners and global tours. according to your right.

"I moved here in 2020 because it's the center of my musical style," says Clozey, also known as French DJ and producer Chloe Heri, who will headline Colorado's Sonic Bloom festival on June 17. "I had a lot of friends already and my tour manager is here, and I knew artistically it was the best thing for my (career)."

CloZee's latest album, Microworlds, will be released this summer following her debut performance at Red Rocks last year. When he was 16 and growing up in a small French town, he watched Red Rocks videos on YouTube and one of his goals was to play in the stadium.

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"The demand for (EDM) shows here is huge and it's easier to connect with the industry and other artists than in other cities," said Harry, label manager at Odyzey Music. He's already scheduled for New Year's Eve shows at the Mission Ballroom on December 30 and 31, and will return home to Denver for the final shows of his Microworlds tour.

EDM artists are flocking to Denver because they say there's a clear path to growth. Bands that start out in small clubs like the Larimer Lounge can quickly grow, proving their appeal and work ethic to AEG Live promoter Rocky Mountains, the region's dominant sports book. They helped make EDM, a loose term for drum and bass, dubstep, house, techno, trance and other genres, one of the major genres of the 21st century.

Evolution at all levels

In 1999, a group of Denver DJs formed Milehhighhouse Productions to support the early days of electronic music (as it was called), throwing parties and releasing nearly three dozen records on world tours. Co-founder Tom Hawke Jr. also joined the fledgling Denver-based Beatport site and label, essentially an iTunes for DJs, in the early 2000s to help make it a global name.

"EDM has been fragmented into a limited number of nightclubs and events," Hoch said, honoring Denver pioneers like artist and producer Ha Ho, who founded the Global Dance Festival (returning for its 20th year, 21 and 22 Jul. Empoderar campo ). ) "But these walls are completely destroyed."

Denver's Temple Nightclub, which has been around for 6 years, has hosted many artists including Machine Gun Kelly and Lil John, but has also made a name for itself in EDM acts. San Francisco owner Paul Hemming has extended his brand to Denver, noting that the city's live music calendar holds one of the busiest and most visited scenes in the country, with the same (or more) venues per capita like Austin, Texas. data. . Rolling stone.

"San Francisco was hit hard during the pandemic and there was a mass exodus," said Hemming, who is also a DJ and former record store owner. "But we're seeing growth in the Denver market, thanks in part to the vibrant music scene."

Denver's legal recreational cannabis and decriminalized hallucinogenic mushrooms create an atmosphere of acceptance and exploration, with fans equally devoted to massive parties like the Zeds Dead & Friends Backyard Jamboree on July 4 in Civic Center Park, as well as a growing demand for EDM. small countries. clubs.

Rave parties will definitely never go out of style.

A global place, online and offline

Denver house band NITE RINSE, which hosts "hidden warehouse events" across the city and at ReelWorks in the Ballpark District, is one of the winners in the post-pandemic race to return to live events. But even as 2020 was dark in many places, Denver membership-based nonprofit Knew Conscious debuted the Live of Knew Conscious series, featuring weekly live streams from Denver artists including CloZee, SunSquabi and The Eminence Ensemble.

According to founder Kurt Redeker, it's a constant security system for artists and fans.

"In addition to developing a community outside of Denver that can watch the show from anywhere, it also protects businesses during unprecedented events like a pandemic," he said. "Everything that hurts live music shows again!"

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This month, the like-minded folks at River Beats TV launched an EDM show based on the culture of Denver-based parent company River Beats Dance. The channel launched in 2020 and has aired over 400 hours of live broadcasts, raising $150,000 for independent venues. This includes Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom, where River Beats launched the SHIFT series on Thursdays in 2021.

"People love their live music as much as they love craft beer here," said River Beats co-founder Ben Dillis, who also launched The Deep, a live EDM series at X Denver on June 3. "You can't stick to one genre, but you can offer enough variety to satisfy fans of (different sounds)."

Whether they're putting on shows, collaborating or touring, they say working in the digital realm keeps Denver EDM artists busy.

"I'm primarily a studio musician and songwriter, so I've been able to record vocals at home and work with people online," said Laura Brehm, whose songs have garnered more than a billion streams thanks to the work of her seductive and melodic solo. . and EDM. . cooperation. Originally from Colorado, he has been recording and releasing music on the Front Range for nearly three decades. She remembers a time when the EDM scene in Denver was much more relaxed.

"Denver is a second Los Angeles now," enthuses Bram, who released the single "Wonder" in April with London DJ Nikonn. “There are more artists, more label offices and more PR than ever before. It's a place where you really want to live and the concerts are always full of people."

Protect the reputation of the scene

Writers have recently made strides to keep Denver's EDM mainstay alive with sober series like Secret Dance Addiction and the sober Sundown Colorado festival from producers and artists Amber and Mike Handby, as well as tackling sexism, drug overdoses, and more. problems. that have negatively stigmatized you in the past.

According to the educational nonprofit DanceSafe, people who use recreational drugs are increasingly able to test for fentanyl at stations on and off dance floors. Clubs like Cervantes use spiked drinks to prevent overdoses, and cards posted in restrooms can be discreetly handed to staff if someone is in trouble, thanks to recommendations from The Blue Bench, a prevention nonprofit. sexual violence. .

"There's a lot more purpose," says Felix, a writer for EDM.com. "Bookers are creating lineups that include more artists and more diverse venues, especially in the wake of the pandemic and protests over the killing of George Floyd. People are more interested in feeling safe."

EDM fans can only hope that the scene will continue to grow, even if sober artists and artists have known this all along.

"There aren't many markets where you can go up (artistically) like Denver," said Illenium's Miller. “These days, the Red Rocks summer season is like a six-month dance festival, and the positive vibes come from support and ticket sales. If you are an artist here, you can show your height. Where else can this be done?

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