Two Shows Will Round Out the Season at Red Rocks With Diverse Sounds

Sitting at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in the crisp autumn air while enjoying world-class music is a treat that is unique to Colorado. Over the stage, framed by the massive sandstone towers (named “Ship Rock” and “Creation Rock”), you can see the twinkling lights of downtown Denver in the distance and, if there’s magic in the air, watch the moon rise over the horizon.

Enjoying a Red Rocks concert in October is a life-affirming experience that’s much more than just listening to music. It’s being part of a cultural community that’s unmatched anywhere. And AEG is bringing a pair of unforgettable shows to Red Rocks to close out what’s been an incredible 2023 season.

Masego and Hiatus Kaiyote take the stage on Monday, October 2, and Thundercat, along with a fine array of opening artists, will perform on October 10. This is the first time for both headliners to play the best outdoor concert venue in the United States.

Masego, whose name is Micah Davis, is a talented Jamaican American multi-instrumentalist and singer known for blending genres like jazz, R&B and hip-hop who adds the extra texture of saxophone into his smooth, soulful vibe. His debut album was released in March, and he played a sold-out show at Denver’s Ogden Theatre the same month.

Hiatus Kaiyote is an Australian band from Melbourne with a unique fusion of soul, jazz, and electronic music that swirls around vocalist/guitarist Nai Palm. The group’s sound is both dreamy and propulsive.

The Masego and Hiatus Kaiyote show will open with Mariah the Scientist, an R&B singer-songwriter whose ballads pull in listeners with the clarity of her lyrics.

The following week, L.A.-based Thundercat, aka Stephen Bruner, brings his agile bass mastery of jazzy funk and R&B to the Rocks. He’s also a singer, songwriter and producer who’s collaborated with Erykah Badu (who helped him choose his identity as Thundercat), Flying Lotus and Kendrick Lamar, and his latest single, “No More Lies” is a collaboration with Tame Impala. Early in his career, he was a member of the pioneering thrash-punk band Suicidal Tendencies. How’s that for stylistic range?

The Thundercat show will open with some notable guests:

Smino, born Christopher Smith Jr. in St. Louis, Missouri, is an innovative hip-hop rapper and singer who incorporates elements of soul and funk into his music. He is a founder of the Zero Fatigue collective and a member of the supergroup trio Ghetto Sage.

The Linda Lindas are a group of L.A.-based Asian American young women (ranging in age from 13 to 18) who play hard-driving punk pop and address social-justice themes, as in their song "Racist, Sexist Boy." They’ve been critical darlings for several years and released their first album in 2022.

And finally, the multi-talented Zack Fox is a standup comic, musician, rapper, actor, illustrator and social media star whose music combines humor and social commentary, making audiences think while they enjoy the performance.

These artists all bring unique cultural perspectives to the music world, and these shows provide the perfect run-up to the end of AEG’s diverse summer and fall schedule.