Last week, Zeds Dead returned to Red Rocks Amphitheater in Morrison, Colorado for the 11th installment of their annual two-night show, Deadrocks XI. This year was extra special after the release of their widely acclaimed album, Return To The Spectrum of Intergalactic Happiness (or RSIH) in March. The boys have been touring nonstop since the release and Deadrocks XI got a little taste of the album’s magic. Read on for a detailed run-down of Deadrocks XI.
Deadrocks Night One (July 2)
The excitement was palpable Night One, as concert-goers lined up at the gates, eager to see how the boys could possibly top last year’s 10-year anniversary. The evening kicked off with Shosh, OkayJake, and Zero setting the the bass music vibes up right. Taiki Nulight was a standout performer on Night One, followed by drum & bass inklings from Rudimental.
Finally, the boys took the stage to deliver a two-hour set that melted both the faces and the hearts of everyone in the audience. They kept the crowd screaming with festival favorites like ‘Kill Em,’ Gassed Up,’ ‘GodLovesUgly,’ and tugged on the heartstrings with ‘One Of These Mornings,’ ‘Heartbeat,’ and ‘Eyes On Fire.’ Of course, the night wouldn’t be complete without a diverse array of samples and remixes, featuring fresh takes on tracks from Eminem, The Kinks, T.I., and Britney Spears, as well as the now beloved edits of The Fugees, Fleetwood Mac, and Willy Wonka (you know the ones). And of course, we got several standout tracks from the new album, including ‘Hold My Hand,’ ‘Angel,’ ‘Fall Away,’ and ‘Vertigo.’
Deadrocks Night Two (July 3)
Night Two brought the heat! Hershe and Wink got us started right, followed by Onhell’s high-energy set (strippers and all!). Heyz then dropped a standout performance, ensuring Distinct Motive had us perfectly hyped for when the boys hit the stage. And is it possible we only got the tiniest sprinkle of rain and some wind for the first Deadrocks in who knows how long?? The Red Rocks gods are smiling down on us in 2025.
Zeds Dead killed it tonight with another, completely different two-hour set. Like Night One, the boys showcased a diverse sonic palette with samples from Wu-Tang Clan, The Mamas & The Papas, Doechii, Sublime, The Prodigy, Nancy Sinatra, Missy Elliot, Neil Young, Beastie Boys, Backstreet, and so many more. The boys appealed to the old school fans, playing out tracks like ‘Only You,’ ‘The Twilight Zone,’ and ‘Night Satin,’ as well as the newbies with RSIH highlights like ‘Bad Guy’ and ‘A Million Dreams.’ The night was made whole with the inclusion of favorite Zeds Dead tracks like ‘Collapse,’ ‘Where Did That Go,’ ‘Lost You,’ and ‘Sweet Memories.‘ We also got a slew of IDs I hope to see come to light in the coming year.
As I recalled in my recap of Deadrocks X last year, the debut of ‘Channel Flipping’ was a highlight of the night for me. Tonight we got the premiere of ‘Channel Flipping 2,’ with an entirely different set of tracks and clips strung together. I’m still processing everything I saw, but I can say with full certainty, it was just as magical as the original.
I’ve seen the boys over 35 times at this point (several of which have been within the last month) and they always deliver something unique and completely different. I’ve never seen the same set twice, even in back-to-back nights or at different stops on the same tour. All this just goes to show how much effort Zeds Dead put into their live performances. They truly deliver a one-of-a-kind experience. Can’t wait to see what’s in store for the year to come – Zeds Dead Baby!