Has your summer seemed to whiz by like a film’s time-lapse sequence? Time flies when you’re getting down, apparently. August is here already, and given it’s the last full month of summer, we’re pretty much in the homestretch. If you’ve been procrastinating in the outdoor concert department, carpe noctem—seize the night. Last month’s editor’s letter focused on Red Rocks—Kaskade, Justice, Jack White, Skrillex, Beats Antique, Pretty Lights and Gotye (if only for the 10,000 person “Somebody That I Used to Know” sing-a-long) are among August’s guests. Note what percentage of the remaining recommendations are EDM. Morrison’s outdoor amphitheater has seen more dance music talent this season than any other in the venue’s history, further proof that electronica has arrived.
As always, Red Rocks is the go-to spot for high-profile open air shows in Colorado, but it doesn’t quite have a stranglehold on the state’s thin air acoustics. Aspen has Benedict Music Tent (site of Jazz Aspen Snowmass Labor Day weekend), Vail’s got the Gerald Ford Amphitheater, Denver has City Park (Jazz in the Park every Sunday) and The Botanic Gardens and Poudre Canyon’s got “The Mish,” where Portland’s March Fourth Marching Band gets “horny” August 18.
Met your sun ray quota for the summer? LCD Soundsytem mastermind James Murphy DJs The Boulder Theater this Thursday, South Africa’s Die Antwoord makes its Colorado debut Monday at The Ogden and Dead Can Dance finally returns August 19. Local heroes Flobots are celebrating their first independent album since being released from their major label deal August 24 at The Hi-Dive. And Gauntlet Hair is saying farewell-goodbye-adieu-sayonara to the Mile High near the end of the month.
Carpe noctem, as if you needed a reminder.
George Peele enjoys strapping on height enhancers and aurally ambushing strangers. He is Music Editor for dev-303magazine.pantheonsite.io. Follow Peele on Twitter: @Orangepeelmoses. Avatar image courtesy Jonathan Shoup.