Global Dance Fest 2016 Shakes Red Rocks

 

Over the years the parking lots of Red Rocks have filled and the steps have been packed to see some of the world’s greatest EDM artists. Top artists include greats like Tiesto, Paul Van Dyk, Benny Benassi and so many more. For the weekend of July 8-10 more of those greats graced the main stage, and smaller stages, for Global Dance Festival 2016, to bring EDM lovers some of the best and funkiest sets they’ve ever heard, in the most beautiful setting they’ve ever seen.

As our first official festival of the summer Global Dance Fest 2016 surprised and pleased us to no end. Bringing in some old favorites, and some new acts, GDF 2016 was definitely a highlight for the season. The people at Global Dance and AEG know how to throw a party, and especially know how to throw in the sparkles and glitter to truly top it all off. Three stages, at beautiful the Red Rocks amphitheater adorned with all the lights, lasers, graphics and dancers you could ever ask for.

I’ll admit I had my reservations; typically 18+ events end in shit-show like catastrophes. Excess drinking and lack of knowledge toward handling your recreational substances almost always result in bad news – but bravo people of Global Dance Fest 2016 you held it together so well!! This festival was truly an opportunity for people to come together and really enjoy the music that they love, with some added Pokémon GO play. We saw some pretty amazing performances there that weekend, a few I would gladly see again in a heartbeat.

Friday had the perfect lineup to start the weekend on the right foot. Armed with three stages there was a sound and groove for whatever people were vibing on that night. The lowest stage, GlobalDanceMusic.Com stage, housed smaller lesser-known sets that varied from slow melodic jams to some harder hitting air-horn button smashing loudness. We didn’t hang down at the last stage for very long, but that’s only because there was so much talent at the two stages above.

The NRG stage was located at the top of the amphitheater, with a large monolith looming over behind the stage, there was plenty of room to dance and grove to the likes of J’adore, Unlike Pluto and Hermitude, all of which put on fantastic performances. Being a huge fan of Unlike Pluto already, I was pumped to see him live and I was not disappointed. Making the whole crowd jump with his hard hitting beats, his sound set himself apart from the crowed for sure.

Hermitude was another act I was really looking forward to seeing, after watching a few videos of them performing in Atlanta (via some Facebook friends) I was really pumped to see the two Aussie’s jam out live myself. The multitalented duo spun and played for the crowed with amazing mixes and plenty of original songs that made the whole crowd go nuts. They had the largest crowed for the weekend at this stage, really ringing out their trap, hip-hop influenced EDM sound.

The main stage, of course, housed the biggest names at the festival. Night one TROYBOI, Dash Berlin and Knife Party had back-to-back mind blowing sets. TroyBoi seriously brought the bass, while showing his more progressive side that’s been peaking out since his last album release. Truly some down and dirty trapness.

Dash Berlin, slowed things down just a bit with some good ol’ lovey dovey trance Global Dance Fest 2016 guests really got into. Pounding beats with mystical sounds allowed us to get lost in the warm embrace of his progressive house sounds. And the crowd went nuts with a burst of happy positive vibes when he pulled up his ipad to send some heart emojis and loving thanks to the audience and to Red Rocks.

Knife party wrapped up day one by picking things back up with some booty-shakin down and dirty dub-wub sounds that stay true to their fun and bouncy vibes. Though we didn’t stay long through their set because exhaustion is real and we still had two more days to shake and shoot.

Day two was hot, that’s for sure, but that didn’t stop the rump-shakin EDM Global Dance Fest lovers one bit. Getting there a bit earlier than the days before we had plenty of time to wander around and check out all the lovely people and shops Global Dance Fest had to offer. Our main interest for Saturday’s lineup was mostly at the main stage. Back-to-back-to-back-to-BACK performances from Cash Cash, Paul Oakenfold, Brillz, and Above and Beyond – day two was definitely a day to stake out your spot at the main stage and stick there. Seriously you didn’t want to miss a thing.

Cash Cash was just as fun and entertaining as I always hoped they would be. As one of my favorites I had a few songs I was really hoping to hear and they literally played. Them. All. I was thrilled. They even dropped a new hit for us all, Millionaire featuring one of my childhood crushes Nelly (don’t judge me, there was something about that face band aid…) a super fun and summery hit that had everyone dancing. Listen for yourself and imagine you were dancing in my shoes.

Paul Oakenfold, trance vet and EDM pioneer filled everyone’s hearts and had everyone on their feet for his set. Truly an old-school throwback that felt anything but “old-school” people of all ages were vibin on the magnetic energy Oakenfold was emitting from his speakers and from his heart. Clearly slightly whacked from the years and years immersed in the underground rave scene – You could definitely tell, past the years of him performing and playing for large audiences, the sheer energy of Red Rocks touched him in a place only Red Rocks could.

Then Brillz came on stage. Not that I mean that in a bad way… just a majorly different way. I listen to Brillz a lot, his hard sounds and trap beats are perfect for getting down and dirty, or working out. Brillz, TWONK TEAM extraordinaire, hyped up the crowed tremendously following the fluffy love journey Oakenfold took us all on. I for one got very low with the dude next to me in VIP who had the best energy I’ve ever seen at a festival.

Sunday at Global Dance Fest was almost the exact opposite stage-wise when it came to what we wanted to see. Sticking to the upper level stage we saw Unlike Pluto and Hermitude who, like I said before, both put on great performances. After Unlike Pluto’s set we moseyed our way down Red Rocks steps to chill in until Hermitude. There we caught Tritonal, and some of Ephwurd, which were great shows, aside from Tritonal constantly claiming ownership to their songs… after a while that got old. Ephwurd, whom I never heard of before, had great dub step sound. Their remix of I Do Coke was definitely a crowd pleaser.

All and all Global Dance Festival 2016 was a huge success. The people at Global Dance and AEG deserve major props for putting on such a great festival in such an unexpected venue for a festival. Who knew they could put more stages around Red Rocks? If you’re a solid planner and you’re already budgeting for next summer’s music festival tour, definitely add Global Dance Festival Colorado to your list.

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