Glass Animals returned to Red Rocks Amphitheater in Morrison, Colorado for two consecutive nights with their “Tour of Earth” show, September 3rd & September 4th. Any show at this iconic venue has a special energy to it but as I walked in and saw the stage transformed into a giant space station I knew that we were about to be taken for a ride.
The crowd was filled front to back with adoring fans from all over the country. I spoke with fans who visit monthly and ones who were struggling with the venue's high altitude and stairs. They were dressed in a wide array of costumes but as at any Glass Animals show one thing stuck out. As you looked around the crowd you could find pineapple hats, pineapple sunglasses, & full body pineapple onesies.It was clear there was a heavy anticipation for the show ahead.
As Eyedress kicked off the show, they were joined immediately by a light rain that somehow worked with the ambiance of their dreamy melancholic sound. The music's mellow vibe was paired with an equally mellow set from the band. There wasn’t a ton of movement or physical energy…. That is until the last song when they let it all loose at once. The vocalist began thrashing around and even screaming into the microphone at moments. The hard dynamic shift was such a great attention grabber and the perfect way to round out the set.
Tour of Earth is more than just a tour name. Glass Animals had the entire stage transformed to look like the inside of a spaceship. From the old school computers lining the back that looked like they could be from the Dharma initiative to the giant orb and futuristic ceiling built in the roof of the stage, but it didn’t stop there. The show began with Richard Strauss's song “Also sprach Zarathustra,” which is widely known from Space Odyssey.
From the moment that intro was over, Glass Animal’s frontman, Dave Bayley, lit the stage up with incredible charisma and energy, skipping, spinning, and dancing around the stage. Not to mention his class act crowd engagement.
I’m sure Glass Animal puts on a phenomenal performance nightly, but there was a light in Dave’s eyes, a light you only see when an artist crosses a milestone or plays a really special gig that stands out from the rest. He stopped multiple times to emphasize how special of a night this was to him from saying “This is the most incredible thing I have ever seen” at the entire amphitheater filled with cell phone lights, or “This has been one of the best days of our lives” nearing the end of the set.
Although it rained off and on the whole evening, Glass Animals kept their crowd so engaged that they danced and sang in the rain without missing a beat. One of the highlights of the show was a break from all the energy of the evening, during a slower song when Dave rode the riser up floating in the middle of the stage, sharing more intimate moments with the crowd. But I’d be lying if I didn’t say the best part of the night was when they closed the set with "Pork Soda." From the crowd roaring “Pineapples are in my head” to the ripping guitar solo at the end, it had every person in the venue on their toes.
I took off before the encore but was one of the only few who did. As I walked away, you could hear the crowd singing every word to “Heat Waves,” echoing through the mountains. The whole evening was incredible and I was blown away. Glass Animals carries themselves with an undeniable presence leaving anyone lucky enough to catch a set uplifted and ready for more.
