Concert Review: Big Gigantic at The Blue Note (Columbia, MO)

As Homecoming Weekend at the University of Missouri came to a close last Sunday evening, the intensity was not about to let up. Boulder, CO duo Big Gigantic took the stage in CoMo for a rousing performance that swept the crowd off their feet and into a mesmerizing electro-jam session. The crowd was taken by surprise when two massive capsule-like LCD screen structures (which I initially thought were subwoofer systems) came alive with vibrant colors and images. Within these futuristic chambers stood the band's members--Dominic Lalli on saxophone and on the boards, and Jeremy Salken on drums. Big G did not hesitate to dive right into the jam, and the energy was instantly shared by the adrenalized crowd. There was not a dull point in the band's performance, as their unpredictable improv style kept the crowd on their feet and in the experience. I say experience because it truly was just that. Big G's incorporation of real instruments along with their DJ set kept the music fresh; each consecutive segment of their mix would begin with a traditional dubstep buildup, then drop into a wave of deep bass grooves along with Dominic wailing away on his sax and Jeremy blasting out heavy beats on the drums. The light sequences also played a crucial role in the overall experience, as bright animations rapidly flashed before the crowd's eyes, creating a blissfully hypnotizing audio-visual sensation. Of course, Big G dropped some of notable remixes of tracks such as Driicky Graham's "Snapbacks and Tattoos", Aloe Blacc's "I Need a Dollar", and Jay-Z's "Can I Get A," all of which were clear crowd pleasers. Big Gigantic left the crowd begging for an encore as they walked off the stage around 11:45, and happily returned for 15 more minutes of music. They made sure to leave an ear-ringing impression with their finale, finally closing with Knife Party's raging (no pun intended) "Bonfire." You don't have to be an avid fan of EDM to appreciate Big Gigantic live. In the same sense, that's not what they're all about either; to them it's more about musical innovation and the high-energy fusion of multiple styles. A Big Gigantic "experience" is certainly on my list of live acts not to pass up.