Review: Big Gigantic brings livetronica to Echostage

Few names within the livetronica movement are as recognizable as Big Gigantic. Dominic Lalli and Jeremy Salken, a Boulder, Colorado, duo known for bringing "Sax & Drums" to the main stage, brought their unique show to Echostage on Saturday with a stacked lineup of up-and-comers and a whole lot of sax.

Openers Louis the Child and Mija each showcased their own distinct mixing styles before the headliner. Louis the Child, a Chicago duo who describe their sound as "music that makes you happy," had a strong trip-hop set that definitely made the growing crowd very happy as their night started.

Skrillex protege Mija took to the stage shortly after 11:00 p.m. and her mentor's influence was apparent. The multigenre spanning set went from the heaviest of bass drops to some wildly energetic happy-hardcore tracks.

Audience members exchanged colorful bracelets made of plastic beads, known as kandi, to the sound of the low end as a sign of love within the dance community. Glovers were out in full force, performing with their LED-adorned fingers for the masses in time with the beat. The crowd was the perfect example of the current EDM enthusiast, decked out in colorful garb and dancing carelessly to the music enveloping them.

The club was barely full when Mija started her set, but by the time the crew was putting the final touches on Big Gigantic's massive setup, it was packed to the brim. Echostage's regular LED wall was supplemented by a 104-light rig behind the drum set and table that make up the duo's performance equipment.

Lalli and Salken took their spots in front of the crowd, bathed in green light, and were met with the cheers of a lively crowd ready to dance. As Lalli played the first notes on his saxophone, Salken built up to the first drop on his drum set. When it broke, the ravers went wild.

The high energy persisted throughout the rest of the night as tune after tune went off and the audience danced along to every single beat. Salken and Lalli closed out the night by gathering at the front of the stage for a selfie with the crowd.

Originally published in The Diamondback