Boulder-Raised SoDown Makes First Red Rocks Appearance in Five Years

Ehren Wright performs a unique brand of EDM music that blends elements of dubstep, reggae and hip-hop with live saxophone accompaniment. He made his Red Rocks Amphitheatre debut nearly five years ago.

Wright, who performs under the name SoDown, is making his return to Red Rocks on Friday, April 8, to open for fellow electronic artist Boogie T. While many musicians only dream of playing the iconic venue, he says he's turned down several offers to appear there because he was waiting for the right show.

“It just feels good,” he says of his upcoming show. “Boogie T is a good friend of mine and we are in a similar lane. I really wanted to play direct support.”

His music, comfortably fitting in the EDM realm, spans a variety of genres. Now a Denver resident, when he was growing up in Boulder he found reggae music and hip-hop to be an early influence, and he and his friends used to trade mix tapes and attend a weekly reggae show.

“I was obsessed with music in high school,” he says. “I didn’t really make music yet, but I loved music. I loved underground hip hop and would frequently go to the Fox Theatre and stuff in high school.”



He says that growing up in Colorado has been a blessing to his music development, because an aspiring musician is exposed to such a variety of different genres and styles in the state's wide-ranging music scene.

“I think that’s culminated in my work,” he says. “It’s very diverse. It’s not by any means straight forward EDM or straight forward hip-hop or straight forward anything. It’s kind of a melting pot of different genres and sounds.”

Wright records with and incorporates saxophone into his live DJ set. It’s a unique combination, and he believes he’s about one of three people in the EDM scene who utilizes the pairing. He took up the saxophone after he started producing music, and he takes influence from jazz musician Eddie Harris, who popularized the electrically amplified saxophone.

“I just always loved the sound,” he says. “It’s such a diverse instrument and it’s so soulful. … Saxophone is not an easy instrument. I’ve spent countless hours just sitting alone.”

Wright finds his new, three-song EP, Get Up, to be a return to the music he was making more than a decade ago.

“It’s just kind of a demonstration of one of my styles, I guess,” says Wright. “I kind of do all kinds of things with any one sound.”

He's spent the past few months teasing his latest release to fans, including cryptic messages sent out for people to decode. One fan received a "golden ticket" to hang out backstage at the upcoming Friday show. Wright says he plans on playing a diverse set and fans can expect a “wild adventure.”

“My catalog is very diverse,” he says. “So the set will also be a journey through emotion and vibes.”

Since his Red Rocks Amphitheatre debut in 2017, Wright has headlined the Mission Ballroom in Denver and has played music festivals including Coachella, Electric Forest, Global Dance and Sonic Bloom. The latter two are Colorado festivals. He’s set to tour the country this summer, and he is excited to be hitting the road after the long pause in live music because of the pandemic.

“It’s so good to be back out,” he says. “I’m sharing a bunch of new music and seeing fans face to face. There’s nothing like it. We’ve got a pretty busy summer."

Wright will see a healthy swathe of the United States this summer, including a foray into Canada. But he says Colorado’s live music scene will always hold a special place in his heart. He’s looking forward to playing for a local crowd on Friday.

“I’m from here,” Wright says. “I live here. It’s my favorite place for sure. The energy here is so palpable, and so accepting and exciting. It’s buzzy energy.”

Get Up is now available on GetDown Records. SoDown plays Red Rocks Amphitheatre, 18300 West Alameda Parkway, Friday, April 8, 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $29.99-$69 and available at axs.com. More information is available at sodown.com.