Pretty Lights @ Red Rocks

Pretty Lights returned to Denver on August 2, 2024, bringing a two night run to the iconic Red Rocks Amphitheatre and without question, selling out both nights. The popular venue along with the PL fam were ecstatic to welcome Derek and the band back, seeing as their last performance between the rocks was in 2018. Soon after, Derek took a step back to focus on more personal matters before making a slow return late last year. The band has since made a powerful come back starting off their 2024 tour this past May at the Hampton Coliseum in Virginia. In between their first show and their huge return to Red Rocks, they’ve headlined two popular large scale festivals – Bonnaroo and Electric Forest.

Pretty Lights

I had the absolute pleasure of covering night one of two, only finding out that afternoon that I was approved. The excitement that settled with me was as heightened, if not more than any ticket holder attending the show. What I gathered since I wasn’t at night two – night one was the absolute vibe and set that would be the hardest to top throughout the remainder of the tour (possibly even their career). For several reasons I’ll get to shortly.

Pretty Lights was the only act who played between both nights, however, each night was split into two separate sets. This for a total of 4 between nights 1 & 2, with a 25 minute break in between & an encore. Night one absolutely blew me away – captivated me for lack of better words. These sets & this night were so beautiful that no words can do it justice. You simply had to be there.

To Start

As I waited for the show to start, I watched a set of prisms with 2 little figures on opposite ends of each other. One wooden and one made out of tiny squared mirrors that ultimately resembled a disco ball. They rotated slowly on top of a round platform with a black material draped over it. The prisms reflected rainbows of color and would shine a bright blue flare here and there. The figures looked like they were wearing cloaks, as they knelt down evenly with the prisms that were placed in front of them, and with both their hands placed together as if they were praying. The camera that sat on the ground in front of it mirrored what I was staring at. Projecting it onto the LED screen that covered the front of the platform where Derek would perform throughout the night.

Eventually, my attention was drawn away from the display. Chris Karns walked out with both hands up & waving at the crowd. Following behind him was Alvin Ford Jr, throwing up a peace sign to the crowd. The remaining three members slowly trickled in behind them as they settled into their positions for the night. As the five started up the set, beams of light shone behind them, with red squares flashing periodically.

As the night grew darker, the production got better & a lot more colorful. To be expected from a Pretty Lights set. There were all different colors and even shapes that shone out into the crowd throughout the night. There was one point in time that the lights resembled auroras (better known as northern lights). I had never seen an artist have lighting like that and I really liked it and thought it was beautiful. I’m obsessed with the Northern Lights.

Both Sets

The first set had a very melodic feel to it. It was smooth, chill and the perfect start to an unforgettable night ahead. It was so easy to get lost in the music and the overall environment. Fans danced throughout the steps and connected with those around them. Whether that be that friends they came with or random fans that surrounded them – myself included. The vibes were high and everyone was living their best life. Before you knew it, time had passed & Derek was on the mic announcing the short break. When returning for their second set, they thanked the fans that stood before him. Clearly happy to be where he was and doing what he was in that moment of time.

The second set of the night was my favorite. Still on the melodic side but a little bit more oomph that really got the crowd moving. There were times throughout this set that gave me Blue Man Group vibes. A lot of the sounds resembled points where they bang on white PVC piping. Doing so in a way that creates harmony and expression with various sounds.

There was also a pretty big chunk of time where Derek performed solo while the rest of the band sat quietly and watched him from behind their instruments. He stayed turned with his back facing the crowd a majority of the time, occasionally turning back forward producing synthetic frequencies and modular synths using the tall board that stood behind him and the table that lay in front of him. It was all done live and in the moment. There was nothing pre-recorded about it. You could literally see what he was doing no matter how far up you were (thank you to the video workers for projecting it onto the side stage LED screens).

Special Guests

Earlier I had mentioned that this set would be hard for Pretty Lights to top and I don’t just mean this for the duration of the tour, this is likely for the remainder of their career. Why do I say that, what happened that made it that amazing? There were two surprise guests that sat backstage waiting to come out around the middle and end of set two. Some attendees knew. Some had no idea. But even those who knew to expect guest appearances didn’t necessarily know who to expect.

Out comes the first, a male playing the saxophone – Griz?! I hoped it would be Griz, another artist who has recently been on hiatus and has given no indication on his return. It only took me seconds to figure out whose style it was that I was hearing, it was Dominic Lolli from Big Gigantic and that man did not hold back. He wailed on his sax and it flowed so nicely with the band. There were some moments I think Dom took over this portion of the show (this is not me complaining, GO DOM – GET IT!). He gave it his all and then some. It had been a while since I had seen Big G and honestly of all the times I’ve seen them, I don’t think I could honestly say that I’ve witnessed Dom go that hard. It was wild.

Now before I get into the second guest, I have to say that I had to have left just moments before this person came out and I am SO mad about it. There was just 20 minutes of the show left when I decided to leave and I did not expect to miss what and who it was that I missed. I woke up to a text message from my best friend the following morning “I’ve seen posts saying Pretty Lights brought out Tipper last night at the show”.

Are you kidding me?! I did not miss Tipper again AND at Pretty Lights returning Red Rocks show. Great job Amanda *add facepalm here*. I couldn’t believe it. I didn’t want to believe it. But no, she was right. Pretty Lights brought out Tipper and they played together and it was absolutely ridiculous and a monumental moment in this beautiful community and music genre’s history.

I watched all the videos I could find and couldn’t help but imagine how beautiful it must have sounded live and how amazing the experience felt for those that were there in the flesh to witness it. For that, it made me happy because that is a moment in time that you will likely never see or hear of again since Dave Tipper is calling it quits this year.

And that is why Pretty Lights will have a hard time topping this set…