Big Gigantic prove that two is the magic number with their brand-new album, A Brighter Future, and their thrilling live shows.
Livetronica hip-hop act Big Gigantic is made up of just two musicians, but the duo embody Aristotle’s concept that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Their live shows are hyper-trippy, high-energy, psychedelic visual spectacles, underscored with hot saxophone riffs and beats that reach deep into your body as the room achieves liftoff. The transcendent, shared exhilaration of the crowd is truly gigantic.
We caught up with saxophonist/producer Dominic Lalli and drummer Jeremy Salken in the Canna-Bus, a hemp-adorned private lounge for super-VIPs at the NorCal Cannabis Cup.
Lalli grew up in Las Vegas, Salken in Virginia, but they’ve both lived in Colorado for the last 10-plus years. Salken attests to how fantastic life in the Rocky Mountain State has become with the arrival of legal weed, saying: “It’s been awesome. There’s a huge industry that’s blown up, and a ton of tax money has come in. We had something like a $40-million-plus surplus in tax money for schools and, hopefully, music and the arts. It’s like a new frontier.”
The guys’ love for music—and the world around them—is reflected in the Lil G’s, a group of Big Gigantic superfans dedicated to “enhancing the fan experience” at live shows by keeping the good vibes flowing and spreading peace and positivity—a perfect fit with love of the herb.
Lalli, who describes himself as an “avid weed fan,” says he loves to smoke when creating beats: “It really gets me in the zone, and really focused when I’m making music. Sometimes I like to dedicate the songs to that very idea.”
Salken, on the other hand, is an edibles enthusiast. “It’s really exciting what’s going on,” he says. “There are these sprays you can get—it’s like a Binaca weed spray. Just a couple sprays under the tongue and then all of a sudden you’re like, ‘Yeah, I feel good.’ And I can go to the bank or go fucking whatever.” That’s why he prefers it to toking: “I puff during the day, it’s over—I just want to clean my house or watch TV all day.”
Even as the weed scene thrives, the music scene in Colorado is exploding. “Colorado fans have always been super-dedicated and passionate about music,” Salken notes. “We have a lot of great venues, Red Rocks Amphitheatre being one of them. It’s just cool to see people really love what we’re doing.” The one drawback? “Now there’s too many freakin’ people in Denver,” he laughs. “It’s pretty much because of weed.”
As the guys head back to the Cow Palace to play for a crowd of happy stoners on this solstice summer evening, we have one final question: When’s their favorite time to burn one down? “All day, every day!” Lalli offers. Then he adds, “Whenever the first one of the day is, whatever time that comes. Could be first thing in the morning, could be after breakfast, maybe at 4:20—but that first one is the one.”
Agreed—there’s nothing like the first time.
Visit biggigantic.net.
PS: Cookies and Dream
Salken and Lalli are thrilled to share the news that they have their own strain in the works at the Denver dispensary Native Roots—a sativa-dominant hybrid of Blue Dream and Girl Scout Cookies. “It’s citrus- and pine-smelling and tastes great,” Lalli says. “Man, I’m super-happy about it.” Mmm … if it’s half as intense as a Big Gigantic show, we can’t wait to try it!
