On October 21st, longtime bass music icon Liquid Stranger executed the first-ever sold-out Wakaan Rocks.
After years of rapid growth within the Wakaan music collective, Liquid Stranger (real name Martin Staaf) finally got to showcase incredible artists within the label and put on a top-notch performance himself at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado.
Opening Support Lineup
Wakaan Rocks’ opening support included a handful of Wakaan favorites that gave a glimpse into the dynamic world of experimental bass. Drinkurwater opened the show with juicy, bangers mixing the sounds of traditional dubstep, free-form bass, and water sound effects. Up next was Canabliss. She threw down a deep, multi-genre set full of her original music that spanned drum and bass, techno and more.
Ravenscoon played as the next act, bringing a unique sound by mixing dreamy beats with hip-hop samples and throwing in some heavy bangers as well. TVBOO closed out the opening support acts clad in camo overalls, nipple pasties, and full blown mullet swinging in the wind. TVBOO’s set was a whole experience with personalized South Park visuals and heavy hitting dubstep with a southern twang.
All the supporting acts are favorites by both Martin and the Wakaan fan base; they served as perfect examples of the collective’s talent. They all expressed feelings of gratitude for the opportunity to perform at a venue like Red Rocks. Overall, this set the stage for the rest of the night.
Long Time Coming
Staaf is no stranger to the Red Rocks roster. He has a record of co-headlining and opening for shows like Global Dub Festival and Deadrocks. He also headlined a massive, three-night run last year at Mission Ballroom.
Upon the announcement of Wakaan Rocks, many fans were stoked to finally experience the presence of Wakaan at Red Rocks. Fans and artists shared excitement for a night curated by Staaf rather than seeing him as an opener.
The Growth of Wakaan
Liquid Stranger is the pioneer behind the Wakaan music collective. He started his early career in the late ’90s by mainly producing and playing psychedelic trance. Since then, Staaf started incorporating other genres like drill, drum and bass, and deep dubstep into his repertoire. By 2015, he was ready to expand on their visions and thus founded the Wakaan record label. Its is to sign like-minded artists and direct a community that fosters creativity and personal well-being.
Hit Em’ With Liquid
Those familiar and new to Liquid Stranger agree that the man slayed a diverse, transcendental set with top-notch visual production straight from space. Staaf loves to include music from Wakaan artists to uplift and show off the hard work they’ve put in. He also played a good stretch of songs from his best friend and fellow Wakaan brother LSDREAM, including unreleased collabs between the two.
The production was incredibly on point, with the Wakaan logo triangles projected with laser beams shooting out into the crowd. Psychedelic and vibrant visuals lit the stage, creating an immersive audio-visual experience.
We Are The Revloution
Staaf is known to be highly vocal on the mic during his set, acting as a guide through the musical experience. He expressed his gratitude for his fans and other artists, which shined through at the end of his set. He explained that the supportive community surrounding EDM saved his life when he was a depressed teen because he didn’t feel like he belonged. He stated that with Wakaan, “we are not building a tower, we are building a village,” and thanked the crowd for participating in a sacred gathering that was Wakaan Rocks.
The show ended with him saying that when people gather for this music, they leave with a renewed sense of self and others. They are ultimately kinder, cleaner, and more aware of how these memorable experiences can be turned into better behavior. These words resonate deeply with all concert lovers; for that, Staaf stands his ground as an inspiration within the bass music community.
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