Fara Francis Red Rocks is used to iconic debuts, but Martin Garrix arrived with a different kind of force. After
two shows sold out almost instantly, a third was added, turning his 2025 debut into a three-night,
mountain takeover. And with a lineup that read like a mini-festival — Marshmello, Afrojack, and
his underground alias Kapuchon all taking turns on deck. It wasn’t just stacked; it felt like the
EDM Avengers clocked in for a shift at altitude.
Martin Garrix b2b Marshmello
How do you start a night like this? Apparently by casually tossing two of the biggest names in EDM onstage together. Garrix and Marshmello stepped up side-by-side, like co-conspirators ready to cause trouble. This was not a “let’s stretch first” opening — it felt joyful. Sweet, then explosive.The two seamlessly blended Garrix’s melodic anthems with Marshmello’s punchy pop-leaning drops without ever losing momentum. There was something special about seeing them onstage together, like a throwback to peak festival-playlist era, except bigger and louder and somehow even more dopamine-soaked.
The chemistry between them felt easy, not forced, like two artists who don’t need to prove anything and are just having fun doing stupid-big things on a stupid-big stage. Their remix of “Animals” reminding everyone that both producers have grown far beyond their early-era hits without ditching what made them massive in the first place. Once they wrapped, the crowd finally exhaled.
Photos by Fara Francis. All images © 2025 Copyright Fara Francis. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Kapuchon/Afrojack
Then came one of the night’s coolest shifts: Kapuchon. He opened his set with a measured, underground energy that contrasted sharply with the festival-level chaos of the night’s opening b2b. Afrojack’s underground persona brought a stripped-down, tech-house approach — deep basslines, rolling drums, minimal vocal chops. It was a reset moment in the best way, pulling the energy down into something hypnotic.
And then came the flip.
You see the hat come off, the tempo bumps slightly, and suddenly the deep-house haze clears as Kapuchon dissolves into Afrojack. No dramatic announcement, just a shift you could feel immediately.
The transition wasn’t a pivot, it was a reveal. A DJ showing two sides of the same creative heart without breaking the flow for a second. Drops hit harder, synths soared, and the same artist who had been subtle moments ago was now commanding the entire amphitheater. For the fans, it was a rare opportunity to see both sides of an artist on the same stage, seamlessly intertwined. Watching the sets back-to-back made it obvious: he’s still evolving, not just revisiting old tricks.
Photos by Fara Francis. All images © 2025 Copyright Fara Francis. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Martin Garrix
Finally, Garrix returned solo, and the whole canyon shook again. Production was razor-sharp, combining musical precision with an insane lighting setup that made Red Rocks feel like a nightclub under the stars. Lasers darting across the cliffs, strobes flashing with every beat, smoke curling through the crowd —amplifying every drop and build. Every track landed perfectly, balancing euphoric peaks with earth shaking drops. The audience didn’t just watch the set; they were enveloped by it. Garrix has this ability to make the biggest moments feel personal, and looking around, you could see people sharing it — friends linking arms, strangers shouting lyrics together, the crowd jumping together like a singular heartbeat.
The lineup showcased the full spectrum of what mainstage electronic music looks like right now: melodic, emotional, heavy when it needs to be, and still leaving room for underground influence. From B2B energy to hypnotic underground grooves, and smoke everywhere, the amphitheater felt alive. Each artist brought their own flavor, but the visual production tied it all together, leaving the crowd awestruck. Red Rocks has seen epic shows before, but this one lit up the mountain like nothing else.
Photos by Fara Francis. All images © 2025 Copyright Fara Francis. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
If any information in this coverage is incorrect or needs to be fixed, please email PCD Editor at jessica@postconcertdepression.com. Thank you!
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