Friday night’s session of Higher Love at Red Rocks Amphitheatre was a gem among EDM shows. Seven Lions, the stage name of Jeff Montalvo, curated a lineup featuring artists from his Ophelia Records label. Performances featured trippy screen visuals throughout the night, paired with a variety of electronic music styles and collaborations.
Montalvo announced a special surprise guest the morning of the show — on the local news, no less! A Red Rocks headliner in her own right, Lindsey Stirling was not on my bingo card coming into the weekend. She lit up the stage as she joined Seven Lions for several tracks. Highlights include a stirring rendition of “Rush Over Me” and a vibey Led Zeppelin cover. She wowed the crowd with her signature acrobatic violin playing and dancing.
I’ve had the pleasure of seeing Stirling and Seven Lions separately a couple of times each, and this crossover was magical. It was equally enjoyable to observe the crowd’s immaculate vibes, fun furry-themed ‘fits, and PLUR interactions. I noticed a decrease in rampant seat saving, which had been a point of contention after early-season shows at the venue.
The Sights And Sounds of Seven Lions
Friday’s show was part of Seven Lions’ Asleep In The Garden Of Infernal Stars tour, which closes out this weekend in San Francisco. The sold-out crowd filled in quickly, and by halfway through Quackson‘s opening set, most of the seats were claimed. I posted up on the left side in a planter box, opting for shots of the crowd and the rocks over a straight-on stage-and-screen view.
From that vantage point, I saw a wide selection of animal-themed outfits, featuring various takes on lion lounge wear — and even a full-body shark costume! I had layered up and brought waterproof gear in tow, mixing fun and function. Rain splashed down during the opening acts, and the temps cooled as the night went on, so both proved practical choices. Fur-adorned onesies seemed like a winning choice for the weather, preferably with a poncho to keep dry.
It’s always entertaining observing the audience’s varied responses to rain. Some run for cover, some bundle up in a ball waiting for it to end, and some seem (and possibly are) entirely oblivious. I fall into a fourth category: those who gear up and keep dancing. As Red Rocks is well known for its temperamental weather, most of the crowd was prepared to groove on.
Higher Love Returns to Red Rocks
This was Montalvo’s seventh time headlining Red Rocks, and the fourth installment of Higher Love. Across a variety of sounds, each of the night’s performers shared something in common: High energy!
Out of the gate with Quackson, the audience was engaged and dancing. He mixed melodic dubstep with poppy ambience, blending the heavy with the heavenly. Trippy visuals accompanied each artist on the Seven Lions’ custom-bordered big screen. Artist and crowd shots played on the flanking screens, keeping things entertaining.
Second to the stage, Hvdes combined pop sensibility with dark, brooding mixes and visuals. Her cool demeanor and hot tracks kept us engaged and guessing what was next. An extra wubby selection with a classic ‘eh, oh, let’s go’ chant had the whole crowd moving! Trivecta joined her for a recent remix they dropped together, his first of several cameos.
Kill The Noise punished the crowd with an oft-crushing set. His production was laden with big-name collabs and spiced with tinges of rock and pop influence. Darkness fell as he played, with the gleaming lights adding to the aura. Weaving between harder dub and catchy hooks, he kept the audience engaged. Trivecta was back for a track, and the pair showed off their ballroom dance skills together after imploring the crowd to find a partner.
Trivecta B2B MitiS Brought The Boom
Beyond showcasing his production skills as part of a tantalizing back-to-back set with MitiS, Trivecta showed off serious guitar chops. Breaking out his custom Schechter axe, he jammed along with a couple of tracks, whipping the crowd into a frenzy. With a background in rock and metal groups, he can rightfully shred!
The B2B set highlighted the diverse bass styles that each artist performs. Trivecta plays more rock and funk-oriented cuts. MitiS gives more dream-pop and melodic feels. Together, it worked wonderfully, see-sawing between serene vocals with slow builds and anthemic, soaring moments. The tandem’s synergy paved the way perfectly for Seven Lions’ breathtaking closing act.
In This Jungle, the Lion Doesn’t Sleep
Having been to a Higher Love show, I was ready for the blissful vibes and beautiful moments throughout the night. What blew me away was the extra star power of having Lindsey freaking Stirling show up! I’d been at work and missed the big announcement on the news (and socials). When her unmistakable essence appeared onstage — without an official intro — I did a triple-take to assure I wasn’t seeing things!
The only downside to such an epic evening of music is figuring out how to top that for his next Red Rocks headliner. Personally, I am stoked for next year to see what Seven Lions has in store for us!
