EDM found its way into the Denver music scene not through external interlopers, but homegrown artists whose mixes and tracks range from intricate compositions to funky chaos.

With a drastic increase in the number of local EDM festivals and venues, there’s no denying this genre’s place in the Centennial State.

Check Out These Artists

From Pretty Lights to Big Gigantic, Colorado’s EDM scene is thriving. Not all of the artists mentioned in this story got their start in Colorado; however, all of them either now call Colorado home or have touched the state in a remarkable way.

Pretty Lights

Hailing from Fort Collins, Derek Vincent Smith rose to the top of the local EDM world with an array of interlacing mixes that beam you to the past and future all at once. His EDM persona, Pretty Lights, is known for selling out local venues, including Red Rocks, as well as its synonymous festival in Telluride.

Breathe Carolina

Originally started in 2006 with two members, Breathe Carolina now tours with its lead member, David Schmitt, and a live backing band. With a sound that at times balances extremes like melodic beats and hardcore screaming, there’s no other band quite like Breathe Carolina. The act’s music has somewhat mellowed since bandmate Kyle Even’s departure in 2013, but it still invites raucous energy.

Illenium

Chicago-born and San Francisco-raised, Nicholas Miller (a.k.a. Illenium) became inspired to devote himself to his musical craft after a show at Red Rocks in 2012. Since then, he’s released two EPs and three studio albums. On the back of his most recent release, Ascend, Illenium now finds himself on a thirty-city North American tour, mixing his unique, electronically-backed singer/songwriter-esque singles.

Dabin

Despite his reputation as a performer whose live shows push the boundaries of what electronic music can do with live instrumentation, Dabin initially found fame online; his mixes have been played millions of times across all of his streaming platforms. Dabin’s most recent album, Wild Youth, also brought his first headlining tour and further recognition in the melodic bass subgenre.

Said the Sky

A musician from before he hit double digits, Trevor Christensen, professionally known as Said the Sky, began taking piano lessons when he was eight years old. He later blossomed as an electronic dance artist, releasing singles throughout the mid-2010s, and eventually dropping his first album, Wide Eyed, in 2018 to rave reviews. Christensen brings technical craftsmanship to his often emotional work, which mixes sunny melodies with evocative basslines.

GRiZ

Before you try to look up “energy” in the dictionary, you should probably put the book away and play GRiZ’s latest album, Ride Waves. Playing a genre he calls “future funk,” GRiZ, known offstage as Grant Kwiecinski, brings the dynamite to his live shows, which feature his patented mix of soul, funk, electronic and live saxophone. Whatever you call his multi-hyphenated genre, you’ll find yourself getting up and dancing when he performs at local venues.

Big Gigantic

With its home base in Boulder, Big Gigantic deserves praise for its role in Colorado’s EDM scene. Its beats mix funk, jazz, hip-hop and electronica, and its Rowdy Town festival supports local artists year after year.

Where to Find Them

EDM’s burgeoning place in Denver’s music scene brings with it an increase in the number of festivals catering to fans of the genre. The Global Dance Festival began at the legendary Red Rocks Amphitheatre but recently moved to Broncos Stadium at Mile High to provide space for growing attendance numbers.

Combining the ultimate party scenario of a New Year’s Eve bash and EDM performance space, Decadence proved to be a big hit in 2018. With a vast lineup, including many of the homegrown artists listed above, it’s hard for the year to end (or begin) poorly at Decadence.

While the Global Dance Festival changed locations, that shouldn’t discount the importance of Red Rocks to local musicians. An outdoor venue chiseled out of a rock, Red Rocks holds more than a hundred concerts throughout the year.

Colorado Music Hall of Fame

If you’re excited about Colorado musicians, check out more from the Colorado Music Hall of Fame. Our calendar shows upcoming music events, such as Hall of Fame inductions and performances.

Image Credit: Getty Images / DisobeyArt

Colorado has a rich musical history. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the contributions of legendary music promoter Chuck Morris, and 97.3 KBCO that got its start in Boulder, Colorado. Morris and 97.3 are set to be inducted into the Colorado Music Hall of Fame this December 3rd at the Paramount Theater. Read on to learn more about these two titans of the Colorado music scene and get tickets to be part of this historic community event.

Chuck Morris

Originally from Brooklyn, New York, Chuck Morris established himself as a Colorado music industry institution. After leaving the Ph.D. program in political science at the University of Colorado in Boulder, Morris was offered a job managing The Sink, a restaurant and bar on the Hill where he brought in acts as varied as Tommy Bolin and Flash Cadillac. With partner Herb Kauvar, they bought and re-opened Tulagi nightclub. At Tulagi, Morris brought Boulder the first real concert hall experience, bringing in Linda Ronstadt, the Eagles, ZZ Top, Bonnie Raitt, and The Doobie Brothers on their very first tours.

In 1974, he brought his prolific ear for music to Denver where he booked early tours of Richard Pryor, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Steve Martin, and Carole King at Ebbets Field Nightclub with his financial partner Barry Fey. Morris recently told The Daily Camera, “I thought I would be doing this music thing for six months and then go back to graduate school. That was 50 years ago.”

Since then, Morris has continued to drive the Colorado music community as a world-class promoter and an artist manager, and most recently in a bid to bring a 4,000-seat theater to downtown Denver called the Mission Ballroom opening in 2019.

KBCO

97.3 first went on the airwaves in 1977 and established itself in the Boulder community as the premier station for playing both well-known artist’s deep album cuts and discovering young unknown artists. At the time, there were no stations that gave airtime to indie bands and performers, and KBCO found a massive audience hungry for new, upcoming bands and performers. The strength of KBCO’s increased transmission power brought the station to the entire Front Range and that combined with their deep community involvement, from Kinetics to the Studio C sessions released on CD. This supported The Boulder Valley Aids Project and Food Bank of The Rockies with millions of dollars in fundraising that led to 97.3 KBCO becoming not just world-class rock, but a Colorado music icon that is as vibrant today as it was when it started in the 1970s. From their featuring of local artists on “Local Edition” to their hosting of the national Triple A Radio Convention and its long history of environmental activism, 97.3 KBCO is more than just radio; it is the music of our lives.

Be a Part of Colorado History

The inductees will be honored on December 3rd at the Paramount Theater. More than seven musical acts will pay tribute including The Lumineers, Leo Kottke, Isaac Slade of the Fray, Amos Lee, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, members of Leftover Salmon, String Cheese Incident, and surprise guests – plus

Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper leading a “roast” of Morris this is a not-to-be-missed event. To attend this fun event and honor some of the most prolific members of the Colorado music scene, grab tickets here. If you’re interested in learning more about Colorado’s musical history, visit the Colorado Music Hall of Fame and check out our exhibits that range from 20th Century Pioneers to John Denver.

Category: Upcoming

A Look into Colorado’s Growing EDM Scene