Even through the falling snow, devoted fans of both Minnesota and Zion I flocked to the Boulder Theater Thursday night for a show sure to warm them up. The two acts are touring together on the ShadowBoxing tour through the end of 2012.
Zion I began with a killer intro from DJ tech-man AmpLive, including an energetic remix of Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep”. The crowd, which was nearly at its fullest for the night, danced from the get-go. Right after, emcees Zumbi and Deuce Eclipse ran on stage and the crowd got rowdier. Zion I played a well-crafted set that included danceable hits like “Don’t Lose Your Head” and “Coastin’.” The crowd was wound up and ready for the evening’s headliner, Minnesota.
Minnesota adjusts the levels during his set at the Boulder Theater
on Thursday night. (Sarah Elsea/CU Independent)
Christian Bauhofer, the man behind Minnesota, took the stage with his roadies to set up his own tables as AmpLive played filler music between the two acts. The switchover took only a few minutes. At first, it seemed like the crowd didn’t recognize the artist they had come to see. With thick-rimmed Ray-Ban-esque glasses and curly red hair, Bauhofer certainly didn’t look like a typical DJ. After a killer intro, he finally looked out at the crowd as if realizing they were there and gave a quick hello: “Hey, I’m Minnesota. Let’s do this!”
Bauhofer stayed true to his hip-hop roots with remixes such as “Ice Cream Paint Job,” “What’s Your Fantasy” and “Twerk,” but he didn’t stop there. There were screams of excitement when the first strains of Ellie Goulding’s voice filled the theater with the lyrics of “Starry Eyed,” one of Bauhofer’s most popular tracks.
Minnesota played another remix of “Rolling in the Deep.” While it was a little unorthodox for the two acts to use the same sample, the two remixes of the song highlighted each act’s talents: AmpLive’s version was straight dance music: very upbeat and club-like. Minnesota’s version was heavy, bass-filled and feverish. The crowd fought to get closer to the stage throughout the show and all the joints that had been lit for Zion I’s set were quickly extinguished as the grinding dance music got underway.
Though Minnesota tends to stick to his own little world behind the table during his set, he has a fascinating stage presence. Backlit by smoke and flashing lights, his silhouette is reminiscent of Dr. Frankenstein as he bends over his laptop, whipping his arms around to quickly adjust knobs. He didn’t talk much, a trait all too common of many new DJs, but instead he allowed the crowd to enjoy his set uninterrupted.
At the peak of the show, the Boulder Theater’s bottom level was about half-full and packed toward the front. Those devoted fans that trekked through the still-falling snow to see the two artists did not leave disappointed though. While Zion I started the night with chill grooves that everyone wanted to light up to, Minnesota ended the show with loud bass and some heavy, danceable remixes. Except for the clouds of marijuana smoke and more than a few people too intoxicated to properly navigate a crowd, Zion I and Minnesota brought the energy needed to shake away the cold outside.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Sarah Elsea at Sarah.elsea@colorado.edu.
