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Biografía
Smith wrote hip-hop music throughout high school and college, and would later drop out of college to pursue music full time. Smith and his friend Michal Menert officially formed Pretty Lights in the Summer of 2004, but didn’t release their first album “Taking Up Your Precious Time” until 2006. This album featured the hit song “Finally Moving”, which is a consistent crowd pleaser during Pretty Lights' live shows.
After the release of Pretty Lights’ debut album Smith began touring regularly and started to gain a large following after opening for huge acts such as STS9 and Widespread Panic. Smith’s music caught the audience’s attention with his ability to mix hip-hop beats, jazz riffs, funk, and electronic music together to create interesting sounds. He is fond of using old school samples that are chopped up and placed throughout his music to create a chill, laid back sound. The smooth sounds of the Fender Rhodes electronic piano and jazz flute are consistently heard in his music and nicely juxtapose the modern electronic sounds that he produces with synths.
On Pretty Lights’ 2013 album “A Color Map of the Sun” Smith decided to challenge himself by making the album without the use of any samples. Instead of using samples, Pretty Lights composed all of the music and used analog synths to achieve some of the grittier tones on the album. The album was both a commercial and critical success. It reached the number two spot on the Billboard Dance/Electronic Charts and it received a Grammy nomination for Best Dance/Electronica Album. The album also featured collaborations with several notable musicians like Talib Kweli who appeared on the song “Around the Block” and Eligh who appeared on “So Bright”.
Pretty Lights has gained the popularity to consistently sell out tour dates and play huge festivals such as Bonnaroo, Ultra, and Coachella. He has also made an appearance on the late night television show Conan, which has presented his music to a wider audience. As the name Pretty Lights might convey, his shows can be expected to be full of pretty lights and laser shows, which beam across the stage to the glitchy dance music blaring through the speakers.
Críticas en vivo
Derek Vincent Smith - better known as Pretty Lights - is the mastermind responsible for the visionary combination of dub, funk, jazz, hip-hop, soul, and electro, to create a one-of-a-kind sound. Historically, he has been dubbed a masterful sampler forging his tracks from hundreds of other songs.
His latest album "The Color Map of the Sun" deviates from this norm, with 100% production of the music done in concert with other musicians and singers. PL's live performances are nothing short of amazing. Living up to the name "pretty lights," he creates a light show for concertgoers that is flat out mind blowing. Everything from piercing colorful lasers to city skyline structures all synchronized in illuminated rhythmic beauty to beat of his songs. PL will throw down a super heavy dub track and then seconds later layer a mind-altering saxophone riff over top - which is simply unparalleled in American electronic music. His music hits your soul and creates an almost glitchy energy that forces you to move your body in ways you didn't think were possible. The most beautiful aspect of the live PL experience is that every single soul within earshot is moving and grooving to a sound that's so complex and unique in every way imaginable that the only thing left to do is smile. Another element to PL live performance that puts significant experiential ground between him and the more contemporary DJ performers is that he now tours with a full band. For years Pretty Lights was known to tour with a drummer, and then he began touring solo. Just since the release of his 2013 album, "A Color Map of Sun Remixes," has PL enlisted the accompaniment of a full band - a deliberate move to enhance concertgoer experience, and imprint on everyone's subconscious the superior degree to which the PL sound surpasses the electronic show standard we had all grown accustomed to in the 21st century.
I can't stress enough the awe-inspiring experience of seeing an artist like Derek Vincent Smith perform live. No matter where your musical tastes fall, this is without a doubt an artist whose musical talents should be experienced live and in person - in its purest and most unfiltered form - to be truly appreciated.
A music proprietor in every sense of the word, Pretty Lights has brought electronic music, art, and technology to experimental heights which we've never seen.
MrMcMelty
Pretty Lights, real name Derek Vincent Smith, is a successful electronic music producer from Colorado in the United States. Smith chose the name Pretty Lights well: his shows are spectacular, filled with incredible bright lights and flashy gimmicks and awe inspiring pyrotechnic displays. Pretty Lights’ shows are not just about the incredible lights and stage set ups though. His music is evolutionary, a brilliant combination of funk music, hip hop, soul, dub, jazz and, obviously, electronica. The mind blowing light show that lit up the stage and the sweaty, heaving crowd that had come to enjoy and rave to his music, was prettily synchronised to Pretty Light’s music. The laser lights flashed to the beat of Pretty Lights’ songs. His sound is pumping and energetic and just to add to his overall sound, Pretty Lights had a full band behind him to accompany him with his DJ set. The band really added to the impact of Pretty Lights’ sound. Tripp, psychedelic tunes such as ‘The Time Has Come’ and ‘Who Loves Me’ were rewarded with huge cheers by the heaving crowd and everybody danced along like crazy to the incredible performance.
sabraziz
Derek Vincent Smith, otherwise known by his stage name of Pretty Lights has become a master of electro and his experimental nature allows him to expertly merge genres such as nu-jazz and funk. He was one of the most anticipated acts performing at T in the Park 2014 due to the combination of music and visual.
Taking over a small tent late at night, Derek lived up to his pseudonym by performing one of the most all consuming light shows that the festival had seen. Despite his stage set up being quite small, he had an expertly designed selection of visuals which supported the trippy works of 'The Time Has Come' and 'Who Loves Me'. The audience are a mixture of those dancing along to the alt-electro beats and those simply stood with mouths agape watching this ethereal show.
Smith is great at helping to hype enthusiasm from the audience as he jumps around behind the decks before playing fan favourites such as 'Lost & Found'. A truly visual performer and one who must be seen to be believed.
sean-ward
Pretty Lights at Red Rocks... need I say more?! It was an amazing show in an awe-inspiring venue. The show opened with Mux Mool who got the vibe going with a mostly live one-man set, then Michael Menert and the Pretty Fantastics came on and they really ramped up the goodness with an amazing live band and vocals (just wow), and then Pretty Lights and his live band (and killer light show of course) lit the place up and fed the funk fire for the next 3 hours! It was everything you'd expect from a live Pretty Lights performance and the crowd was lovin every minute. It was a fam night, no doubt. 10 years of some of the best music on the planet with a polished band who were feeling each other and the love of the crowd literally brought tears to my eyes more than once. It was a show and all the feelings that I will never forget! Much love to the PLF!!!
paul-james-14
As a long time fan of Pretty Lights, I must say Saturday's show really hit a high!! Derek and his crew have put together some amazing music, lights, and energy for all of us to enjoy! I love the new twist from Pretty Lights, to Pretty Lights Live - the added feel of real instruments, and musicians makes the music feel so alive! Thank you to Derek, Chris, and all the boys on stage for us!!
michelle-dudley
Immersive. Derek is a musician and theatrical performer. His show is intimate, wrapping you up in how he wants you to feel - like telling a story via electronica. Lately I've heard that he's been getting wasted on stage which was taking away from his performance but he was on point at this show. Emancipator opening night 1 was icing on the cake.
crowlzzz
I was pleasantly surprised with pl, although I would hAve rather seen more stage time from sts9, who frickin killed it btw!!!, and atmosphere.
Pl was super fun to get down to, Derricks raps were pretty weak besides one with his buddy/dj. The light show was unreal, I would Def recommend anyone who likes to shake it to go see pl!
wattmeber
We have been waiting for Pretty Lights to come to NYC for three years now. He did not disappoint. The energy that he has on stage really gets the crowd hyped - he is so focused on getting each and every fan involved and you can see how much he really puts into it when he's up there. Worth every last penny.
kassirussell
