On June 17th, Illenium hosted Trilogy at Empower Field in Denver, breaking electronic music attendance and production records in the United States. The legendary producer confirmed that the event was not only the largest electronic music show in Colorado but also nationally.
With approximately 50,000 people in attendance, Illenium successfully hit one of the most impressive milestones in his career and the history of EDM. The show featured “…the largest number of LED panels in Colorado history,” with pyrotechnics, fireworks, and a drone show.
Prior to the record-breaking show, Illenium played at the Mission Ballroom, playing alongside Cinema Kid, Bass Physics, and Wooli. Each set highlighted different genres, keeping fans on their toes before the producer threw down drum and bass. The next afternoon, William Black and Blanke went b2b to kick off Trilogy.
Three separate sets were played from the afternoon into the night, going through his entire discography. Each set was unique with different remixes, VIPs, and live performances from artists he has collaborated with. Featuring songs from Illenium’s first two albums Ashes and Awake, attendees were reminded of the producer’s beginnings.
The set immediately filled Empower Stadium with nostalgia and emotion as “Afterlife vs. Don’t Let Me Down vs. Disarm You” began Trilogy. The set ended with “Fractures,” a song that fans hold dear. Trivecta’s remix of the track played before stagehands began preparing to move to the main stage.
As the sun set, Illenium began again, mixing different tracks from his albums ASCEND and Fallen Embers together. This setlist bounced from songs like “Sideways” and “Hold On,” to experimental and heavy bass, playing tracks from RL Grime and 1788-L. He brought out Dabin during “Gold (Stupid Love),” giving him space to shred on the guitar.
ASCEND x Fallen Embers ended with “Brave Soul” into “Lonely” before his now-retired “Good Things Fall Apart vs. Sad Songs” outro with “Nightlight” and “Heavenly Side.” On top of the special tracklist, drones appeared above the football stadium, morphing into different shapes and words.
With Illenium playing the guitar live to begin the final set, attendees knew he was about the throw down, bouncing as they got ready to headbang. A “Feel Something” VIP led into a heavier tracklist with songs from his fifth record, ILLENIUM. Crossing between melodic and heavy dubstep and drum and bass, the third set was just as exciting. Bonnie, also known as Bonthoven, played the violin live, along with drummer Nick Totton and guitarist Taylor Dearmen, adding a special element to the show.
Annika Wells and Vera Blue came out to perform live with the band and Illenium as the set came to a close with a huge mashup of “Nightlight,” “Fractures,” and “From the Ashes.” “In Your Arms,” “Sad Songs,” and “Other Side” played out as confetti rained on the audience. Fans embraced each other, taking in the night.
Illenium debuted Trilogy in 2021 at the Las Vegas Allegiant Stadium and has gone on to amass an even larger following over the years, leading him to break a national record. He finished the show by announcing that the next Trilogy will take place next February in Los Angeles.
A few days later, he posted a Tweet simply captioned, “retiring.” Despite the implications of this, Illenium has made an amazing impact on electronic music through his music and the community he has built and that will not be forgotten. Watch the full Trilogy: Colorado livestream here:
Follow Illenium:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ILLENIUM/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/illenium/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ILLENIUM
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/45eNHdiiabvmbp4erw26rg
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/ILLENIUMOFFICIAL
Huge shoutout to @kalebashdon2063 on YouTube for posting the tracklist.
