A little rain didn’t stop the vibes at one of the biggest shows of Sammy Virji’s career at Civic Center Park in Denver.
Sammy Virji is a name that’s absolutely exploded in recent years in the electronic music scene. While his solo tunes have stood tall, he’s also worked with fellow British DJ and producer Chris Lake and other notable collaborators lately to build quite the discography. This has included tracks like “925,” “Summertime Blues,” “Damager,” and his newest release with Skepta, “Cops & Robbers,” which arrived this month alongside his sophomore album, Same Day Cleaning.
Beyond the releases, Sammy Virji threw down sets at festivals ranging from Coachella to Tomorrowland, and he added another major milestone with one of the biggest shows of his career at Civic Center Park in Denver on September 13. The last time he played in the Mile High City was in September 2024, when he performed at a Boiler Room event at the Greek Theater. This also marked the last show at the venue before it closed for renovations.
I had the pleasure of catching most of Sammy Virji’s set at Lollapalooza last month, but I will admit that I was running on fumes for the set, as he played near the end of day four of the festival. Now, it was finally time to see a set from him with full energy and attentiveness, and I couldn’t wait to see what the UKG legend had in store for his biggest show yet.
As rain clouds loomed over Civic Center Park, the beautiful backdrop and openers kept the vibes high.
Going into the show, rain was guaranteed; it was just a question of how much it would rain. But that’s what ponchos are for, right? Despite the iffy weather forecast, the vibes in my group remained high, and we were all ready to dance the night away to close out the summer.
This was my second time at Civic Center Park, and just like the first time, bathrooms and bars were abundant, and the dance floor area was grassy and spacious. Also, like my first time at the venue, I was blown away by the gorgeous backdrop of the Denver City Hall, which is awe-inspiring and adds a special flair to sets played there.
We got fully situated in the crowd at the end of Surusingh, who put on a nice set to start the night. Next up was DJ Boring, who was anything but what his name implies. I wasn’t familiar with DJ Boring, but he played an exceptional set that was both uplifting and funky, and it served as the perfect appetizer before the main course. While we did have some issues with the younger demographic of the all-ages crowd during the openers, at least most people were dancing.
A smiling Sammy Virji had the whole crowd jumping and singing for his entire set.
When it was finally time for Sammy Virji to play, he did what he does best, and he put on an absolute show. When his set started, all the screens across the stage lit up, and the lasers were in full effect. The first song he played was “Cops & Robbers,” and from there, he had complete control of the crowd.
It was one of the few performances I’ve experienced where nearly the entire crowd was jumping for the whole set. The energy was truly unmatched, and I had no problem with the younger crowd during this set, as everyone was jumping, dancing, and having a grand time. Virji’s smile and energy on stage are infectious, and his UKG sound and deep-cutting basslines are euphoric melodies to the ears. His music just sounds different, especially live.
It also helped that it didn’t rain too much before Virji’s set, and hardly sprinkled when he performed. Throughout his set, he played a variety of IDs and some of his best hits like “Find My Way Home,” “If U Need It,” “925,” “Damager”, and his “Counting” remix. One of the last songs he played of the night was ‘Summertime Blues,” which definitely made me feel some type of way, as the song was symbolic as a bookend to a wonderful season full of memories. Virji’s music just makes you feel.
Believe the hype, because Sammy Virji’s “Got Next.”
It’s no surprise that Sammy Virji has gained mass popularity over the last few years. His ability to mix and read a crowd is unmatched, and it’s easy to see the impact that Chris Lake has had on him when it comes to producing and playing sets. His ever-growing, genre-bending discography is only getting better, and Virji is about to hit an exciting prime.
I believe that this is only scratching the surface of what Sammy Virji will accomplish, as I consider him a must-see artist right now and one of the biggest electronic music artists of the next generation. He’s being booked at a lot of the biggest festivals, and he deserves it. You can’t help but smile and feel happy while experiencing a set from him, as it truly rejuvenates the soul.
Follow Sammy Virji:
Website | Facebook | X | Instagram | SoundCloud | YouTube | TikTok
