Heard It Here First

Canadian duo Zeds Dead has been one of the most consistent acts in bass music for over a decade now, and for good reason.  Formed in 2009 by producers Dylan Mamid and Zachary Rapp-Rovan, better known by their aliases DC and Hooks, the group almost immediately catapulted into stardom with their first smash hit remix of Blue Foundation’s “Eyes on Fire” (iconically associated with UKF Dubstep’s ‘Blue Speaker’ YouTube image and page).  Fans have been throwing up Z’s at major festivals and headline shows for over a decade now, and they will be again as the duo prepares to headline Colorado’s Red Rocks Amphitheater for the eleventh year, at DeadRocks XI!  Their fully sold-out two-night run at Red Rocks will then be followed by a 4th of July celebration, the Deadbeats Backyard Jamboree, in Denver’s Civic Center Park, and a double headline set at the iconic Mission Ballroom to close out the weekend. It is going to be an epic three-day celebration packed with sets from other popular Deadbeats artists in addition to multiple performances from the legendary duo, Zeds Dead.

2025 has been an incredible year to be a Zeds Dead fan.  In March, they released their fifth studio album, Return to the Spectrum of Intergalactic Happiness, paired with an accompanying film and Ultra Music Festival performance, which highlighted their new sound and image.  Fans are saying this might be their best work yet, and we couldn’t agree more.  Since then, we have been seeing DC and Hooks make their rounds on massive festival stages like Coachella, as well as pop-ups in a few places you would never expect.  These last-minute pop-up raves, which instantly sold out, were held inside world-famous sandwich shops Katz’s Delicatessen in New York City and Canter’s Deli in Los Angeles.

For DeadRocks XI, Zeds Dead is bringing out heavy hitters from the Deadbeats label and all across the diverse bass music scene.  Direct support for night one will include sets from Rudimental, Taiki Nulight, zero, OkayJake, and SHOSH, while night two will include music from Distinct Motive, HEYZ, ONHELL, WINK, and HerShe.  We could not be more excited for two full nights of bass at this legendary venue.

Rudimental will be leading the openers with an electrifying drum and bass set, sure to play hits including their smash collaboration “Alibi” with Ella Henderson from last year, as well as their latest single “All I Know” with Pop superstar Khalid. Rudimental are icons in the DnB world, so it’s awesome to see them on this lineup.

Taiki Nulight needs no introduction.  Expect a mix of Deep Dubstep, UKG, and Trap from one of the most versatile producers in the scene. Taiki’s presence has been significant over the past few years, with high-profile collabs and remixes for artists such as Skrillex, Sub Focus and Hamdi, as well as several of his own smash-hit originals on labels like AC Slater‘s Night Bass and UMG’s British outlet Polydor Records.

Night two turns the energy up again with a direct support set from dubstep star Distinct Motive, who continues to gain serious momentum in the scene. Keep an eye out for Distinct Motive, as you are sure to see him more and more throughout the coming years as he brings his raw and powerful dubstep to the masses. Of course, HEYZ returns to DeadRocks this year for another signature set! Plus, he’ll be hosting the Hot Dog Eating Contest at the Backyard Jamboree on Friday!

This is going to be a weekend to remember. Both DeadRocks and Hangover are officially sold out, but last we checked, there are still a few tickets left for the Jamboree. Grab them while you can.

We hope to see you in Denver for DeadRocks weekend!

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