Gramatik – June 17th – Red Rocks Amphitheatre

Estimated read time 3 min read

Gramatik 2016-06-17-30-7835Photos by Jim Mimna

The Scene: Gramatik returned to Red Rocks Amphitheater with Hippy Sabotage, Sweater Beats, The Geek X Vrv and ProbCause for a thrilling Friday night affair.  After last year’s ‘Blizzmatik’ event in which wet snow hammered fans and performers throughout the night, fans flocked to the sold-out rerun at Red Rocks on Friday night. Gramatik brought along close friends from the All Good Records family to join the party among many others. This time around the weather was benign and the young-colorful crowd gathered in the parking lot before the show to laugh about last years’ fun and enjoy the sunset.

Gramatik has released a dizzying amount of quality music over the last few years and has spread his contagious sound by playing festivals across the world. He has maintained his organic, soulful sound despite dabbling in a heavier spectrum lately.  Always looking the part of stealthy dance floor assassin with dark shades and his arms triumphantly raised in the air, Denis Jasarevic has mastered the art of rocking crowds and we are all witness to the magic.

Gramatik: Gramatik took the stage at 9:30 and dropped one of the finest sets I’ve heard from the New York City based Slovenian producer. His setup on stage is extensive with keyboards and mixers, helping him to shed the standard DJ label.  The multi-panel shifting light display lit up the stage in dazzling color and smoke explosions.

The addition of legendary guitarist Andrew Block helped to bring the Red Rocks crowd to their dancing feet. It was pure energy to see Andrew shredding with Denis in front of him and there were ample spaces in the music for him to let it go on the guitar.

Chicago Hip-Hop original ProbCause joined Gramatik on stage on for the beginning of the set. The Hip-Hop element of Denis’ music remains his ultimate powerhouse and it’s always good to see him showcase that on stage.  The show then settled into a train of House, Soul and Funk tracks occasionally punctuated by crunchy bass and Trap that doesn’t fit with the rest of his music. Songs from Street Bangerz to the Epigram were mixed into the two-hour plus set that had it highs and lows throughout.

We moved to the surprisingly sparse front section of the crowd for the end of the set. Fortunately, electro-trumpet king Russ Liquid jumped on stage for the highlight of the evening just when the crowd was at its peak. After a brief exit to let the crowd roar, Gramatik was joined by a few guests including Griz and Dominic Lalli on Saxophone and Jeremy Salken on drums (Big Gigantic) to finish the show as BigGrizMatic.  This rare mash up of friends on the same stage brought the crowd to absolute hysteria.

In the wave of early season shows at Red Rocks, Gramatik stands out as a highlight performance. Although the electronic scene sometimes brings out negativity in crowds and venues these days, Gramatik is a beacon of light in a crowded game.

Energy: A-
Musicianship: B-
Sound: B
Stage Presence: B+
Set/Light Show: A-

Overall: B+

Jon Cass

I’ve worked various positions in the music industry with Madison House, Rock The Earth and Bohemian Nights. My dream is to travel the world and seek out all the good tunes, beer and food that make life so special. I have a healthy obsession with live music and I’m thrilled to share the epic moments with you.

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