On March 2, June 15, and October 12, Colorado-based producer Pretty Lights, aka Derek Vincent Smith, is set to release a trilogy of EPs. Now here's the fun part: in an effort to get his music directly to his fans as soon as it's written, Derek will record the EPs only a few weeks before each release. It's a pretty gutsy move to set release dates without finished material, but for Derek, who's been recording albums and immediately releasing them for free on the internet since 2006, setting deadlines like this isn't a big deal.
Pretty Lights' last three albums, Taking Up Your Precious Time, Filling Up The City Skies, and Passing By Behind Your Eyes have been downloaded over 500,000 times from PrettyLightsMusic.com. These tracks juxtapose beautiful vintage samples against backdrops of futuristic synthesis and dirty broken beats. And as Pretty Lights looks ahead to his next three projects, his music could take him anywhere. The future is yet to be written for Pretty Lights.
Since he started touring in 2008, Pretty Lights' mix of electro beats, vintage samples, and DJ Shadow-esque throwbacks have earned a dedicated following across the country. With an ambitious live setup that includes the addition of Cory Eberhard on drums and stunning visuals, Pretty Lights' performances have become the stuff of legend. One year later, Pretty Lights sold out 65 venues across the country with many fans begging for extra tickets at the door. This spring, Derek will crisscross the country again, hitting up SXSW, Ultra Music Festival, and Coachella in the process. Already selling out dates, he'll also be stopping in on 20 cities he's yet to perform in, as a part of his never-ending quest to spread his music across the globe.
Pretty Lights Tour Dates
9-Mar Aggie Theatre Fort Collins, Colorado
10-Mar Boulder Theatre Boulder, Colorado
11-Mar Fox Theatre Boulder, Colorado
12-Mar Gothic Theatre Denver, Colorado
13-Mar Ogden Theatre Denver, Colorado
20-Mar SXSW @ La Zona Rosa Austin, Texas
23-Mar Varsity Theatre Baton Rouge, Louisiana
24-Mar Soul Kitchen Mobile, Alabama
25-Mar Lyric Theatre Oxford, Mississippi
26-Mar Ultra Music Festival Miami, Florida
27-Mar Sloss Furnace Birmingham, Alabama
30-Mar Club 1800 Columbia, South Carolina
31-Mar Lincoln Theatre Raleigh, North Carolina
1-Apr The National Richmond, Virginia
2-Apr Theatre of Living Arts Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
3-Apr Northern Lights Clifton, New York
4-Apr Higher Grounds South Burlington, Vermont
6-Apr Mr. Small's Theatre Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
7-Apr The Intersection Grand Rapids, Michigan
8-Apr 20th Century Theatre Cincinnati, Ohio
9-Apr The Pageant St. Louis, Missouri
10-Apr Barrymore Theatre Madison, Wisconsin
13-Apr Wilma Theatre Missoula, Montana
14-Apr Roseland Theatre Portland, Oregon
15-Apr Mezzanine San Francisco, California
17-Apr Coachella Festival Indio, California
19-Apr Marquee Theatre Tempe, Arizona
20-Apr Rialto Theatre Tucson, Arizona
21-Apr El Rey Theatre Albuquerque, New Mexico
23-Apr Fayetteville Towncenter Fayetteville, Arkansas
24-Apr Blue Note Columbia, Missouri
25-Apr Liberty Hall Lawrence, Kansas
28-Apr Granada Theatre Dallas, Texas
29-Apr The Ballroom @ Warehouse Live Houston, Texas
30-Apr Republic New Orleans, Louisiana
1-May Illumination @ Limelight Nashville, Tennessee
30-May Bella Music Festival Geneva, Minnesota
5-Jun Starscape Festival Baltimore, Maryland
30-Jul Wanderlust Festival Squaw Valley, California
