CONCERT REVIEW: Sound Tribe Sector 9 – Red Rocks Amphitheatre

Story and photos by Big Croppa

Sound Tribe Sector 9 (STS9) may be based out of Santa Cruz, California, but if you live in Colorado, you may think that they are the local band that made it big. STS9 is notorious for playing sold out multi-day strings of shows in the Denver area. This is a testament to their music and fan base here in Colorado. That fan base was, once again, treated to an extended weekend of shows beginning Thursday September 4th at the Boulder Theatre and continuing Friday and Saturday at the famed Red Rocks Amphitheatre. As usual, STS9 gave their fans a different vibe and sound to groove out to at each show.

The Red Rocks shows celebrated the 100^th anniversary of the first ever live music event held at the historic venue and offered proof that STS9 has certainly progressed as a band and made their mark. Many bands could have played the historic weekend, but it was STS9 that received the privilege of rumbling the rocks. Perhaps it was the significance of this honor that led the band to secretly rent the Fillmore Auditorium for five days in order to learn and perfect their new half a million-dollar sound and light production for the shows.

Thursday night kicked off STS9’s most recent Mile High run with an intimate concert that indulged fans with some old songs that sounded great on the new system. The band then moved to Red Rocks Amphitheatre Friday and, despite the early September date, the chilly evening bore the marks of fall. That, however, was no deterrent for the numerous fans that traveled from all over the country to be a part of this historic weekend. STS9 responded by playing some of their more high-energy songs, drifting into slow jams and teasing the crowd with glimpses of the amazing light show.

Yet it was Saturday night’s show that had everything you could ask from a Red Rocks concert - blue skies, great weather, and fans that were ready to throw down. As the band took the stage, the rocks surged with energy. I have been to a number of shows at Red Rocks and the sound that was produced by STS9 could rival any artists’. The feeling the venue took on as the band played was truly incredible.

Then the lighting director started to play with what I can only describe as his own personal luminous kaleidoscope. Lasers streamed through the crowd, bouncing off the great rocks as fog machines and circular lighting took over the stage, giving fans a visual display that could only be matched by the powerful, energetic sounds it accompanied.           

Picking up where many jambands have fallen off, Sound Tribe Sector 9 rose to the occasion and gave their loyal fans a great experience. After putting in their share of hard touring years this group now has to be considered one of the best jambands around. If they come to a venue near you, do yourself a favor and go check them out. They will not disappoint.

Sound Tribe Sector 9

STS9 showing off a top-notch light show at Red Rocks

STS9's Hunter Brown on guitar and David Murphy on bass/keyboards

David Phipps on keyboards 

Zach Velmer on drums