In what may go down as the funkiest show Red Rocks Amphitheatre sees all year, Lettuce and friends descended on the historic venue Saturday night for an evening aptly dubbed “Rage Rocks.” The supergroup headliners brought along quite a cast: opening sets from Brooklyn’s Turkuaz and the Russ Liquid Test as well as a barrage of sit-ins that included Ghostface Killah of the Wu-Tang Clan, George Porter Jr., and jazz great John Scofield.

The Russ Liquid Test got the evening crowd hyped early with a set of bass-heavy funk production. The trio was anchored by producer and brass specialist Russell Scott, who enlisted drummer Deven Trusclair and guitarist Andrew Block to bring his vision to life. The result was a refreshing, at times aggressive sound that blended gritty funk with booming EDM drops.

Next was Turkuaz, the first of two 10-piece funk outfits to take the stage. The band has taken the jam scene by storm in recent years with their high-energy, color-coordinated attack, and the big stage inspired them to a new level of tightness. The usual suspects were joined by percussionist Nate Werth of Snarky Puppy fame, who together with drummer Michelangelo Carubba kept the set cooking and ended almost every cut with a syncopated bang.

The setlist was heavy on material from their latest release Digitonium, a throwback sound that pays homage to theatrical funk greats like the Talking Heads. Frontman guitarist Dave Brandwein holds the band together, but it was baritone sax player Josh Schwartz’ voice and beatboxing as well as the synchronized dance moves of singers Shira Elias and Sammi Garett that captured your attention.

At long last it was time for Lettuce. Making their debut at the top of a Red Rocks bill, the veteran ensemble prepared one of the most star-studded and versatile performances in recent memory. No matter what your flavor, you were sure to get a taste during two jam-packed sets.

Backed by the powerful chops of the Shady Horns (Eric Bloom- trumpet, Ryan Zoidis- saxophone) and the swagger and pocket of Erick “Jesus” Coomes on bass stage center, Lettuce came out firing with progressive originals like “Blast Off” and “Bowler” before diving into guest appearances. First up was 20-year-old guitar prodigy Marcus King, whose soulful slide brought a Southern rock edge to the night as he crooned “Love Is Too Strong.”

Next was John Scofield, who joined guitarists Eric Krasno and Adam Smirnoff for tasteful takes of “Back In Effect” and “The Flu.” The jazz great was low in the mix initially, but once the band dialed things back during solo sections Scofield’s instantly recognizable tone shined. Soon after keyboardist Nigel Hall took over frontman duties, grabbing a mic and leading the band James Brown style through the set-ending sing-a-long “Do It Like You Do.”

Then it was time for hip-hop. J Rocc of the Beat Junkies played a brief tweener set of old-school classics before Lettuce returned to the stage in ominous dark hooded robes. The crowd fell silent as a figure made his way to the front of the stage, then erupted as it was unveiled to be Ghostface Killah. The rapper led the band through a medley of Wu-Tang bangers, including “C.R.E.A.M” and Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s “Shimmy Shimmy Ya.”

Shifting gears yet again, New Orleans legends Cyrill Neville and bassist George Porter Jr. joined the band, sparking a switch to a rag-tag groove and bass battle between Porter Jr. and Coomes. Though Lettuce’s sound has evolved much from the straight-ahead ditties of the Meters, the respect and admiration the band held for their funk elders was quite evident.

Falling back into their core lineup, the highlight of night came on an extended “Phyllis” that saw the band open up into their deepest exploration yet. Drummer Adam Deitch, a tour-de-force the whole night, held together a psychedelic jam that spiraled into space while the lighting director’s movers projected entangling spirals directly onto the rock behind the stage.  

Bringing things back down to earth, Nigel Hall took the mic yet again and fired up the crowd for an encore of the hit “Sounds Like a Party (To Me).” Saturday night on the rocks, it sure did.

Check out more photos from the show.

For the second year in a row, Colorado’s own funk powerhouse The Motet headlined Red Rocks Amphitheatre Friday night, this time with a little help from hip-hop hitmakers Jurassic 5 and the California Honeydrops. Though the band played through torrential weather their last two stops on the rocks, clear skies this time around made for one of the nicest nights Morrison has seen all year.

Formed busking on the streets of the Bay Area and led by the smooth voice and stellar fashion of frontman Lech Wierzynski, the California Honeydrops kicked the evening off with an authentic, rag-tag sound. The seven-piece band was anchored by the subtle New Orleans backbeat of drummer Ben Malament, who also took a stab at lead vocals on “Big Fat Woman.” The three piece horn section of the Honeydrops were a treat to watch, especially during a swing rendition of the Curtis Mayfield’s classic “It’s Alright.”

Next were veterans Jurassic 5, who put on one of the most professional and pitch-perfect hip-hop shows in recent memory. There were no hype men. No muddled lyrics. Minimal crowd participation. Just four talented lyricists harmonizing in unison as they have since 1993.

The baritone of Chali 2na always stands out as the driving force of J5, but rappers Akil, Soup, and Marc 7 were equally impressive. The collective kept the energy high and made sure to please with the hits, including “Freedom,” “Concrete Schoolyard,” and “What’s Golden.” DJ’s Nu-Mark and Cut Chemist spun laid-back grooves for most of the set, but stepped down from their booths and got a chance to improvise on instruments akin to turntable keytars, at one point dropping into a tease of Deep Purple’s “Smoke on the Water.”

At long last it was time for the Motet. Held together for nearly two decades by bandleader and drummer Dave Watts, the band has fine-tuned its sound and approach in recent years. The percussive Afrobeat and subsequent electronic leanings of the past have been subdued, while a cooking funk band has emerged behind catchy horns and newly-acquired frontman Lyle Divinsky.

The Motet is a band of pros, and most everyone got their chance to explore during extended solo sections on Friday. Guitarist Ryan Jalbert took off for a searing solo during “Damn,” while keyboardist Joey Porter crooned on his signature talkbox during “So High.” Bassist Garrett Sayers’ pocket was locked in as always, especially during the highlight of the night “Rynodub,” which saw the band return to their deep instrumental roots. Divinsky has really found his comfort zone with the band, and his silky falsetto shined on new tracks like “Fool No More” as he boogied around center stage.

Long known for their adept covers, the band busted out a few deep cuts from their history of Halloween runs. They paid homage to the late great Prince for a take of “I Feel For You” and ignited the dance floor with the Parliament cover “Handcuffs.” Chali 2na of Jurassic 5 also returned to the stage for an improvised verse over the William Devaughn cover "Be Thankful for What You Got."

During the encore, it was finally Watts who called his own number for an extended drum solo that earned emphatic applause. It was a fitting end to a night of dance and top-notch musicianship.

Check out more photos from the show.

Envy Alo is set to play the Ogden Theatre in support of Ghost Light on Saturday, February 29, 2020. This show comes after a busy winter of touring supporting the recently released full-length studio album, "Ship It." The Ship It tour will continue in March with a run of shows in Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. 

"We have been huge fans of Ghost Light since their inception in 2017 and it's a real honor to share the stage with them again for our first play at the Ogden Theater. Many of us just saw them again at the Mission Ballroom in December and they just keep getting better! It is a great musical pairing for our fans and we have a real special setlist in store for this Leap Year party." - Nate Etter (drums/Envy Alo)

The performance at The Ogden Theatre will be the second time Envy Alo has played as support of Ghost Light, the two bands are sure to deliver an evening of soulful, rocking sounds. Tickets are available via AXS here.   Doors open at 7:00 pm, Envy Alo at 8:00. 

The band would also like to share that there will be brand new merchandise available, with a special promotion for this show only. 25% off all purchases made from the merch table on this date!