Deadbeats' Denver Takeover Was a Journey of a Lifetime

Zeds Dead and the Deadbeats crew threw an unforgettable takeover of Denver this year that featured massive sets and more.

If there is anyone who can throw an absolutely stacked weekend of events, it’s the dynamic duo Zeds Dead. Flooding the city of Denver with talent over the Fourth of July weekend, the Deadbeats team welcomed in audiences of the masses. With two completely sold-out Red Rocks shows, this was just beginning to scratch the surface of how desirable the 9th Annual Denver takeover was for fans.

While Deadrocks was the weekend’s main event, Deadbeats Backyard Jamboree welcomed over 10,000 fans to Civic Center Park on the Fourth of July to rage during the day before migrating to Mission Ballroom to close out the weekend. Each event felt special, and each artist on the bill brought their own distinctive vibe. With over thirty artists spread across three days, Deadbeats delighted those who love dubstep, drum and bass, house, and more – so let’s get into how it all went down.

Deadrocks 2023 — Photo Credit: @Shutterfinger

Day 1 of Deadrocks set the tone for a ‘Gassed Up’ weekend.

On Sunday, July 3, the madness began as fans lined up in the scorching Denver heat to ensure they got the best seats in Red Rocks Amphitheatre. Despite the 90-degree weather, the vibes were just as hot. The merch line was the main attraction as fans entered the gates. The detail on the Deadrocks merch was incredible and even included the full moon, which lit up the sky later in the evening.

Kicking off a killer first-night underground bass madman MYTHM caused mayhem with a deep, dark, and deadbeat set. Speaking to him post-set, he expressed that his fingers were on fire from the sun hitting the deck knobs while he was playing. But his fingers weren’t the only things on fire; his set was too. Following Mythm was heavy dubstep from BLVK JVCK into a polar opposite set by house hottie Nostalgix. Smoakland played a set of epic proportions shortly after featuring many of their most beloved tracks. Throwing in another genre to the mix, Chase & Status had the crowd doing summersaults with an epic drum n bass set.

As the moon got brighter, the anticipation for what Zeds Dead would bring to the first of their four sets that weekend got stronger. The boys opened their set with epic pulp fiction visuals before making their grand opening announcement before dropping into their latest release with Hamdi, “Criminal.” One absolutely noteworthy moment of their set was when the boys transitioned Hairtage’s remix of Gorillaz’s “Feel Good Inc.” into their OG track “Where Are You Now,” but the entire set was one of the best we’ve seen from the duo.

The second day of Deadrocks was sure to “Lift You Up” after a crazy first night.

The sun from day one was definitely no joke, but luckily set times started an hour later than the day before. Despite it being the second day, the energy was higher than ever. Being a year of many firsts for artists on the bill, stellar UK producer Rohaan made his debut at Red Rocks, filled with head-turning drum n bass. Next up was a killer dubstep set by highly desired up-and-coming artist Tape B. The entire set had the crowd moving and singing along to his wide range of hip-hop flips and old-school dubstep throwbacks sure to make his debut Red Rocks set just the first of many.

Following Tape B was yet another round of Red Rocks debuts with highly versatile UK producer Hamdi. One memorable moment from Hamdi’s set was when the crowd sang “1,2,3,4…” in unison from his massive hit single, “Counting.” Directly after Hamdi finished his performance was an iconic b2b set that brought Coki and A Hundred Drums together on stage in the pouring rain. No two other artists would still bring the heat, rain, or shine than them.

Once again, Zeds Dead took the stage for their second set of the weekend, and the rain halted right before they took the stage as if they had made a deal with Mother Nature herself. The set was filled with illusional 3D visuals that were hypnotizing and breathtaking at the same time. They played a lot of their throwbacks, including an unreleased crowd-favorite remix of Eminem and G-Eazy’s “Not So Bad.” Not to mention how prominent the drum and bass tracks were, as they even played out Dimension and Sub Focus’ “Ready to Fly.”

The Deadbeats Backyard Jamboree had us feeling “Alive“‘“ again.

Although the Deadbeats Backyard Jamboree was suddenly put to a stop during Zed’s Dead’s set due to a nasty rain storm, the time leading up to that moment was everything an electronic music lover could want on the Fourth of July. The music was split into three stages for whatever vibe you felt. The drum and bass stage was where Kumarion b2b Liquid Smoak had us doing fancy footwork to their fast-paced and energetic set, while the Altered States stage offered plenty of house grooves as artists like Mary Droppinz and Soki showcased their skills.

Briefly, before the terrestrial downpour began, Zeds Dead threw down at the Deadbeats stage. The Jamboree was also filled with carnival-like activities, including the iconic 3rd Annual Deadbeats Hot Dog Eating Contest hosted by HEYZ. The Dunk-a-Deadbeat dunk tank was a fan favorite. For just five dollars, fans could shoot their shot at dunking their favorite artists like TVBOO or Black Carl!, who got dunked several times in a row by the same person.

Zeds Dead at Mission Ballroom Denver 2023 — Photo Credit: @Shutterfinger

Zeds Dead had our “Eyes on Fire” during their two-part Mission Ballroom set.

The final escapade of the weekend had us all in a chokehold. Opening the night was Integrate, a duo comprised of Black Carl! and VCTRE, with a grimy set to wake everyone up. Due to the rain delaying the Jamboree, TRUTH‘s set was moved to be the final set before Zeds Dead closed out one unforgettable three-day run.

Split into two parts with a brief intermission, the fourth and final set from Zeds Dead was more than what we could have ever expected. The first half was super deep and underground, with classics like “Rude Boi” sprinkled in. The second half was drum and bass heaven. Midway through, there was even a special guest who turned out to be NGHTMRE, who joined the unstoppable duo in closing out a remarkable weekend that is surely a core memory for those who attended.

Deadbeats’ Denver Takeover was ultimately a “Journey of a Lifetime.”

Whether you’re a die-hard Zeds Dead fan or just along for the ride, there was an experience to be had for everyone who attended any or all of the events that took place. The diverse range of artists who played kept things exciting and allowed fans to hear someone new they may not have heard of previously, and there were plenty of other activities to engage your inner child at the Jamboree. All-in-all, there was a feeling of magic in the air throughout the weekend, and there is nothing like a Deadbeats Takeover weekend in Denver.