Review: Global Dance Fest at Red Rocks, 7/15/11

Britt Chester

Skrillex last night at Red Rocks

GLOBAL DANCE FEST at RED ROCKS | 07/15/11

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The line-up for the second night of Global Dance Festival had some big names on the main stage including Skrillex, Nero, Major Lazer and the night ending, ultimate party killer, LMFAO. To hit all your favorite artists would be impossible, unless the times were catering directly to your personal playlist, but that didn't stop anyone from having a good time. As our venue-empyting headliners put it, "sorry for partying."

Photo: Aaron Thackeray

The stage for Skrillex last night at Red Rocks during Global Dance Festival.

There really is no way to describe the energy emitting from the theater during Skrillex's set. He came to party with everyone, and opening with a remixed "Hips Swing" that had everyone singing was the best to build a connection with the eager crowd. So is sampling Montel Jordan. Who does that? Skrillex, apparently. "This Is How We Do It" is already a classic, but when 10,000 people join a chorus of "IT'S FRIDAY NIGHT," it resonates differently than when Jordan is singing it.

Photo by Britt Chester

Skrillex eats Bassy Pebbles for breakfast

Bits and pieces of Skrillex's catalog got play throughout the night, with an on going vocal sample screaming "Oh my god," from the "Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites" track, but the real Skrillex came shining through on "All I Ask of You," which also features that crunching (not crunchy) bass.

More photos: People of Global Dance Festival 2011

Ludacris must be blowing up somewhere because nearly every top act at this event so far has used some sample from the Southern spitter's collection, with Skrillex taking advantage of the "Move Bitch" track off of Disturbing the Peace. La Roux's "In For the Kill" didn't get played in it's entirety, but when it was used, you can bet your ass the entire place joined in song.

Photo by Britt Chester

Ishe plays dubstep -- not what people are calling dubstep -- real dubstep

The last time Skrillex played in Denver was at Beta with Colorado resident and Whomp Trucker DJ Ishe opening up the main floor. It's speculated that there was some sort of miscommunication between Ishe and Skrillex's manager because Ishe got pinched early for playing some tunes that were a little too heavy for an opener.

Such was not the case this time when Ishe took the main stage in the afternoon, and the filling venue was more than feeling his flow. Curious MC accompanied Ishe on stage, offering up some occasional vocals, but the dubstep Ishe was dropping needed no such help. Alone, Ishe could easily take the venue for a wild bass-ride, and yesterday he made his mark by dropping grimy, strategically paced bass drops. Slow head nods and two-steps made the entire venue look like everyone was under his spell, and under that jet black mohawk, somewhere nestled in that musical brain of his, Ishe was conducting an orchestral, trance-inducing state of bass consciousness.

Photo by Britt Chester

Skerrit Bwoy before the bottle of Hennessy

Major Lazer, whose beat is sampled on the Beyonce track "We Run the World (Girls)," definitely takes the cake for the night. Diplo,who came out just as Skrillex was closing and may have even scratched a disc or two before officially taking the stage, is a master on the mixers.