Lotus 2.8.14

The Fillmore Auditorium
Denver, CO

Words By Brad Yeakel (Opti Mystic Outlooks)
Photos By Justin Gardner

As we waited in line for our tickets, the conversations on Colfax seemed to center around the Friday night show, one I'd missed. The word was, the band was on fire. My experiences with Lotus had all been at festivals and I was excited to see a headlining performance. As we entered the venue, I was once again baffled how some chandeliers, red paint, some curtains and photographs could make a cavernous warehouse appear to be a classy joint. I didn't have long to dwell on that because the lights went down just as we got our wristbands.

The line behind us extended down the block and the floor was already 3/4 full. As "Kodiak" began, the crowd roared to life and I felt like my expectations were fairly accurate. The groovy electronica had the crowd dancing from the jump, and was consistent with the type of thing I'd seen them do in the past. The sound was unique, but reminded me a little of Particle and a little of the New Deal... both good things in my opinion. Electronica hasn't ever been my bag, but Lotus incorporated all things danceable. From disco to funk, hip hop to pop, Lotus was versatile as they fused together a set that covered ground and kept us guessing.

Once the band settled into a jam, it seemed like Mike Rempel had limitless combinations of patterns that he repeated, augmented, and ultimately built to powerful peaks. Luke Miller seemed to plug in a lot of the texture, alternating between guitar and synth to create the psychedelic soundscapes that account for a lot of the direction of their show. The rest of the band, Jesse Miller on bass, Mike Greenfield on drums and percussionist Chuck Morris, drove a rhythm section that was so tight it was practically automated. This quintet of musicians proved through the night that they were a "livetronica" powerhouse.

From time to time they went uber poppy and those moments tended to be my least favorite of the show, but when they laced Daft Punk's "Get Lucky" hook in with a jam, that was a definite highlight of the night. I was really surprised by the amount of straight electro-funk they played. For some reason my hazy recollections had them much less funky and much more electronic. I was pleasantly surprised; they surpassed my expectations.

As the show wrapped up and the masses made for Sancho's, the frigid air sent me scurrying towards the car. The engine warmed up and I drove my friend Justin back to his house. On the way, we discussed the show. The term "Retro Biscuits" was coined, and we concluded that we both preferred that retro edge that Lotus had to the relentless womp of a lot of electronica bands. They looked into the past and the future at the same time. They blurred the lines of the contemporary and nostalgic and found a happy medium that sounded like everything and nothing all at once. Once again, the division of genre fell and the people rejoiced in it's variety. Justin hopped out of the car and I began thinking about where I could secure a copy of the show, and I haven't stopped yet. I didn't know all the songs, and I didn't care because every bit of it had me dancing. I had come hoping to discover more about a band I liked. I left satisfied, knowing I wanted to know more.

Justin's Photo Gallery

www.lotusvibes.com