Thousands of concertgoers flocked to Red Rocks Amphitheatre this weekend to partake in the final stop of the Day of the deadmau5 concert tour.
For the last destination of his annual “Day of the Dead” festivities, deadmau5 (Canadian producer Joel Zimmerman) brought his production and the talents of Volaris, Good Times Ahead, and Jauz to Red Rocks Amphitheatre for two nights of spine-chilling, body-grooving music.
“Have you heard of deadmau5?”
If you’re a long-time EDM fan, we’re fairly certain you have. Equipped with over a decade of quantifiable success and his signature mouse head, Zimmerman is arguably one of the most well-known electronic music producers around the world.
Music awards, GRAMMY nominations, and the founding of his mau5trap record label are just a few of Zimmerman’s accomplishments that most music producers can only dream of. For example, recent releases through his and Kaskade’s Kx5 side project, as well as collaborations with Rezz, are wildly popular, garnering hundreds of thousands of streams on YouTube in only a matter of months. He has earned hundreds of millions of streams across multiple online platforms — as well as the hearts of EDM fans — and is considered a pioneer in the electronic music industry.
The Lineup
Whether this was your first or fifth Day of the deadmau5, I would argue there was no room for disappointment.
First of all, the variety of talent was refreshing — they didn’t miss a beat. The opener was Volaris, a rising star boasting several releases through mau5trap records. His track “Don’t You Know” gives a taste of his excellent house vibes. As always, I highly recommend showing up early for openers. Otherwise, you miss seeing fresh music from up-and-coming artists!
DJ duo Good Times Ahead made their Red Rocks debut as well and got the crowd dancing right away. They dropped their recent track “RNCL” and everyone loved it. I felt like I was at a good club with DJs who could read the crowd and gave us what we all wanted.
Jauz didn’t hesitate and started dishing out excellent remixes. I was floored by his rendition of “A Milli” by Lil Wayne! He mashed it up into a house track that was super catchy. He also dropped his killer remix of “Ghosts n’ Stuff” toward the end of his set, which was haunted by a familiar ghost… 👻
Who could it be…?
If anyone knows how to make a dramatic stage entrance, it’s deadmau5. After revealing his identity from his sheet ghost disguise, he warmed up and began his set ten minutes early. “Monophobia” and “Moar Ghosts n’ Stuff” were accompanied by trippy visuals that flashed across the LED screens surrounding him.
Then, a surge of cheers roared through the venue as he put on his signature mouse head. It was a menacing yet beautifully decorated sugar skull design. As he continued his performance, guest vocals and lasers added depth to the show. The aesthetics of this concert were a treat for the senses and I thoroughly enjoyed them.
Watching him work the decks to produce both nostalgic and new sounds is also satisfying to say the least. He dedicated a portion of his set to drum and bass, which is a far cry from his familiar house and techno niche. The crowd met it with praise, confirming his skill as a talented producer who pushes the boundaries of electronic music genres.
Overall, this was one of the best Red Rocks shows I’ve seen. This wasn’t my first Day of the deadmau5, nor will it be my last. There are always amazing supporting artists and jaw-dropping surprises. Every year has been better than the last, and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for 2024.
Photos by Mike Rampi
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