Lotus Teases Fresh Material for Two-Night Run at Cervantes’

“There’s always a lot of familiar faces at any show,” says Jesse Miller, keyboardist and founding member of Lotus, “but Denver will have the most out of any place in Colorado.”

After spending the summer playing shows in the Colorado high country, Lotus is making its way back to the Front Range for a two-night stand at Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom starting Friday, January 16.

“We did a couple shows in the summer in Colorado in Steamboat and Frisco,” says Miller. “Getting down to the Front Range to do some proper Denver shows was something we wanted to schedule for this year.”

Denver has long been one of the strongest markets for jamtronica, and for a band that dives deep into improvisational jamming, the crowds here can really appreciate the most experimental forays within the genre.

Why Two Nights Matter

The two-night format gives Lotus added freedom to pull from across its extensive catalog while still leaving room for jams. With singles being dropped leading up to the commencement of the tour, and teasing a new album, Rise of the Anglerfish (out February 13), the new material will be a major supplement for superfans and people who are attending a Lotus show for the first time. 

“We’re always picking from all of our catalog, and for two nights you can definitely go deeper,” Miller says. “Playing some deep cuts and getting more experimental.”

That flexibility extends beyond the setlists themselves. With production already in place for night two, the band can use soundcheck as a creative space rather than a technical necessity, he explains. Miller describes it as a time to offer new ideas that can further flavor the planned setlist.

“The nice thing about two nights is you don’t have to set up for the second night,” Miller says. “You can get some extra time during soundcheck if you really want to get into something new or bring something else to the table.”

Even when no new songs are introduced, Miller often prepares elements to push the music into unfamiliar territory. “A lot of times I’ll prepare something we’ve never done before, like a new synth patch,” he says. “Something that gets us into new territory — a launching point that can go with any song.”

Inside Lotus’ Setlist Approach

Lotus approaches each run with intention, especially when the band returns to cities. That planning begins well before the band steps onstage at sound check and the night of the first set. “We’re always working on setlists in advance,” Miller says. “We’re always looking at what we played last time in the market. Dropping a new album will provide some new choices when we’re figuring out what we want to play.”

Flow plays a central role in shaping each night.

“It’s the flow of the set and how it should build, when it gets further out there, and how the tempos are mixing up over the course of the show,” Miller says. “That really inspires how the setlist is constructed, especially for a two-night run like what we’re doing at Cervantes’.”

While some bands can afford to leave setlists loose or abandon them altogether, Miller notes that Lotus’ electronic-jam-centered approach requires a more deliberate structure.

“It’s easier for a group to come up with a setlist at soundcheck or not have one at all if they’re more guitar-key centered,” he says.

Cervantes’ as a Creative Anchor

Lotus hasn’t played Cervantes’ under its own name in some time, though Miller has been through the venue more recently with his side project, Octave Cats.

“We haven’t done a Lotus show in a while, but my other band, Octave Cats, played there last October,” he says. “I hadn’t realized they had raised the roof in the Ballroom.”

For Miller, Cervantes’ remains a cornerstone of Denver’s independent-music ecosystem. Especially for a jam band like Lotus, it offers a fitting environment for new and old fans to mingle and soak up an era of the band that is full of new music and energy. 

“It’s a fixture of the Denver scene,” he says. “It’s a good independent venue that’s focused on putting on good music and being there for the fans.”

Lotus, Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom, 2637 Welton Street, Friday, January 16, and Saturday, January 17. Tickets are available via the Cervantes’ website.