ST. PETERSBURG — Big Gigantic, Friday, Feb. 3, at Jannus Live, 200 First Ave. N., St. Petersburg. Gates open at 7 p.m. Tickets are $34.50 in advance and $40 at the door. Call 727-565-0550 or visit www.jannuslive.com.
Big Gigantic draw light out of an inimitable mélange of impressive instrumentation, cinematic production, propulsive percussion, and triumphant saxophone. Hailing from Boulder, Colorado, the genre-bending pair — Dominic Lalli and Jeremy Salken — uplift once again on their eighth full-length offering, “Brighter Future 2.” Illuminating audiences like never before, they turn up with 16 instantly irresistible anthems.
“We’re in a long tunnel sometimes,” said Lalli. “Who knows where the light is? The last few years felt like a freaking decade for most of us. We need to get back to the music. We need positivity. The world needs it. I need it.”
Said Salken: “It’s the theme we’ve searched for as a band for many years in terms of our outlook on life and what we do in our community. We’re expanding on the vibe of hopefulness. It’s an evolution. We maintain positivity for the future and its unlimited possibilities. It’s part of the journey, but it’s the next level.”
After emerging in 2009, Big Gigantic first amplified this message on “Brighter Future” in 2016. It reeled in hundreds of millions of streams independently and touted bangers a la “All of Me,” “The Little Things,” “Highly Possible,” and “Wide Open.” Their music would be utilized by everyone from Apple, Wimbledon, NASCAR, NBA, HBO, and Fox to the trailers for “Valerian” and “Dirty Grandpa.”
They’ve ignited the bills of Coachella, Lollapalooza, ULTRA Music Festival, Hangout Music Festival, Electric Forest, and Bonnaroo. At the same time, they headline and consistently sell out their own Rowdytown at Red Rocks Amphitheatre —which celebrated its 10th year for 2022.
Putting their words into action, they run the nonprofit A Big Gigantic Difference Foundation, which supports organizations for at-risk youth, music education, and more. Thus far, it has raised $1 million-plus for charity.
In the midst of the global pandemic, Big Gigantic continued to create, pushing forward towards what would become “Brighter Future 2.”
“When it seemed like we were coming out of this whole thing, it felt appropriate to aim for the idea of ‘Brighter Future 2,’” Salken said. “It was a sign of the times.”
Like any sequel worth its salt, “Brighter Future 2” ultimately doubles the impact and inspiration.
“Big Gigantic is everything to us,” Salken said. “It’s been our lives since 2008. We not only get to play music, but people come out and spread a positive message. We’re helping the community and making others feel good.”
“This is about community and unity,” Lalli said. “It’s not exclusive, it’s inclusive of everybody and all styles of music. When we first began doing electronic music with instruments, it wasn’t typical. The world has opened up. This is about bringing good energy. Hopefully, we can make a brighter future for ourselves, families, friends, and the world around us.”
