Disregarding the fact that I was going to go see Vulfpeck live, I was excited due to the fact I got to go see another show at the beautiful Red Rocks Amphitheatre. An amazing friend of mine, Rachel, and I managed to arrive at the venue before any of the openers came on. After what felt like forever of waiting and sipping on overpriced beer, KNOWER opened the concert. I unfortunately was unaware of their music so I couldn’t identify their setlist, but after KNOWER’s set, Kamasi Washington set the vibe for the concert playing some of his popular songs such as ‘Desire’ and ‘Truth’ as well as a couple of new singles: ‘Fists of Fury’ and ‘The Space Travelers Lullaby’ both of which are exactly how they sound.
Probably the main reason why I find Red Rocks Amphitheatre, as a venue, so enchanting is because of the space and the beauty it holds; the lights that were emitted from the stage when Vulfpeck came on, cast a magenta glow over the packed amphitheater full of music loving concert-goers in breath-taking mountainous scenery (with a view!). The beginning of the setlist started with older Vulf tunes such as ‘Fugue State’ and ‘Cory Wong’, but what I found especially stupendous about this concert is that as Vulfpeck progressed further into the night, Kamasi Washington was gradually integrated into the setlist. Early into the set, Kamasi performed ‘Outro’ with Vulfpeck as well as several solo breaks scattered throughout the night. Vulfpeck performed popular jams such as ‘Wait for the Moment’, ‘Baby I Don’t Know (With Charles Jones)’, and of course, ‘Back Pocket.’ However, Vulfpeck started ‘Back Pocket’ as an acapella with a drop into the rhythm and melody (which was a grand rendition of the song). Halfway through the night Jack Stratton gave a “TED Rocks” talk in which he expressed Vulfpeck’s gratitude to perform at Red Rocks, expressed his gratitude towards Vulfpeck’s fans, and personally declared himself “the number 1, number 2 man”. Numerous covers were performed as well including: ‘I Want You Back’ by The Jackson 5, ‘Boogie on a Reggae Woman’ by Stevie Wonder, and ‘September’ by Earth, Wind, and Fire. The concert’s encore concluded with ‘It Gets Funkier’, a wonderful representation of the sound that is Vulfpeck, FUNK!
All in all, Vulfpeck at Red Rocks Amphitheatre made it into my top 3 concerts of all time, due to their stage presence, collaboration with the openers, and interaction with the crowd. Personally, I think that there’s nothing greater than enjoying music with friends. I am so grateful for what it provides—being able to connect and have a blast with each other through music. If Vulpeck return to anywhere in the Denver area, I HIGHLY recommend grabbing a ticket as I can almost guarantee that it will be a concert to remember. I know I will never forget my experience.
By Alex Parks