Way up high in Sierra Nevada, Pretty Lights channeled the unique flavor of California Soul and expressed the spectrum of the human experience over two mystifying nights of music near the shores of South Lake Tahoe.  The project has exceeded its potential-with an onslaught of deep cuts that hadn’t seen the light of day in 10+ years, nostalgic covers tastefully swirled with modern electronica, and a touching tribute to Mac Miller and CharlestheFirst on the anniversary of Mac's passing in the place that inspired Charles' signature/timeless sound. 

As the band heads into another sure-to-be-iconic weekend full of surprises in Las Vegas, we revisit what it was about Tahoe that has us utterly transfixed six weeks later.

Get familiar with the 5am Trio, composed of Sam Andrus (5am), Aaron Harel (ZONE DRUMS) & Keith W (½ of Wax Future). They are incredibly talented musicians on their own, but together form a group that have occupied a distinct place within the scene, bridging the gap between high fidelity sound design and live instrumentation/improvisation. 

We caught up with them ahead of their second 5amily and Friends event in Denver back in the Summer from within the Meow Wolf Green Room. Since then, they’ve had festival appearances, a recently-announced single, “Technology”, and announced their third 5amily and Friends event in NYC along with a debut performance at Red Rocks alongside Boogie T on March 29th, 2025!

Even the sky is not the limit for the Soundship Spacesystem crew. Using it as their palette, the crew engaged Sky Lites to coordinate a light show with 75 drones, on top of having special guests in the VJ booth. This was just one of many unique elements that passengers on the Soundship Spacesystem were treated to during the crew’s mission at The Caverns in Pelham, Tennessee. 

The Caverns felt reminiscent of episodic festival runs at Telluride and The Gorge between its remote location, a secret set, and special guests both on stage (Adam Deitch) and in the VJ booth (Glass Crane, Psybernautics) creating a truly unique live music experience with a country flair that stands entirely apart from any other stops on tour that left us all saying, “Let's go back to Tennessee”

**All music from this episode along with the rest of the Spaceship Soundsystem tour dates are available for listening at prettylightslive.com 

Photos provided by Raymond Angelo

Famous San Francisco promoter Bill Graham’s marquee on The Warfield theater for The Grateful Dead’s concert on September 25, 1980 said it all: "THEY'RE NOT THE BEST AT WHAT THEY DO, THEY'RE THE ONLY ONES THAT DO WHAT THEY DO"

Almost Familiar invites prolific live music journalist, Upful Life Podcast host, and friend, B.Getz, to return to the show to muse on whether the same can be said of this iteration of Pretty Lights. We reflect specifically on Derek & Company’s three-night run at The House that Garcia built in San Francisco. We can think of no better guest to help us draw parallels between the Grateful Dead’s legacy, playing, culture and experience, to what is currently happening with Pretty Lights as we continue to explore our podcast’s foundational hypothesis: Is Pretty Lights “almost familiar” to The Grateful Dead?  

**All music from this episode along with the rest of the Spaceship Soundsystem tour dates are available for listening at prettylightslive.com 

The best Pretty Lights show of all time? The echo chamber was swirling in the aftermath of the Soundship Spacesystem’s leveling of one of its most-visited destinations, Chicago.

Almost Familiar welcomes PLF Chicago representatives, Charlie Charles Char and Kris Wilhelmsen to reflect on the three-night tear, celebrating the influential legacies of House music and Pretty Lights’ inaugural album.

In addition to the band constantly outdoing themselves, the visual production took immeasurable strides forward as the lazershark tested the waters with brand new lasers, feasting on all those in their wake. 

**All music from this episode along with the rest of the Spaceship Soudnsystem tour dates are available for listening at prettylightslive.com 

Not even biblical flooding could stop the Soundship Spacesystem tour from docking for an iconic three-day run at the infamous Brooklyn Mirage, whose larger than life production showcased the tantalizing abilities of the entire Pretty Lights team as both band and crew continue to fire on all cylinders: delivering new bust outs, continuously reinterpreting fan-favorites, and inspiring the masses in the city that never sleeps. While the Pretty Lights renaissance tour has been solid all the way through, it can be argued that nothing’s equivalent, to the New York state of mind.

**All music from this episode along with the rest of the Mission, Dillon and Atlanta shows is available for listening at prettylightslive.com

The Soundship Spacesystem touched down in Philadelphia for three nights of swirling samples from different eras and tasteful tributes to the city of brotherly love. With the successful execution of the band’s first “set sandwich,” the menu is full of limitless potential with a secret sauce that continues to be refined for a one-of-a-kind sensory experience.

**All music from this episode along with the rest of the Philadelphia shows are available for listening at prettylightslive.com. 

The Swirl Bridge made its way down to the South East as Pretty Lights and the Soundship Spacesystem tour touched down for three awe-inspiring nights in Atlanta’s The Eastern as the band picked up right where they left off in Colorado. 

While Atlanta experienced bust-outs, re-imaginations of repeated songs, several new songs that were debuted, the same unmistakable swagger and unstoppable tenacity were fully present as members of the band on stage and production crew off-stage continue to impress after nine remarkable shows. 

**All music from this episode along with the rest of the Atlanta shows are available for listening at prettylightslive.com

The electronic music scene has been in a constant state of reflection and reinvention since its inception, yet one of its most influential pioneers of the new millenia has been dormant over the last five years. Earlier this month, balance was restored as Pretty Lights made a triumphant return across six unforgettable shows as the Soundship Spacesystem tour took flight in Colorado. Elizabeth and Wesley recall several standout moments from the Mission Ballroom and Dillon Amphitheater runs, which included the debut of new music, spell-binding reinterpretations of fan favorites and first looks of the newly-imagined and highly-immersive Swirl Bridge. 

**All music from this episode along with the rest of the Mission and Dillon shows is available for listening at prettylightslive.com

Get familiar with Borahm Lee, a pianist and key member of Denver’s music community, known mostly as a member of the formerly Brooklyn-based duo, Break Science and multiple live iterations of the Pretty Lights project. He could have been a doctor or a lawyer, but his love for the piano and jazz derailed those plans at an early age and sent him on the course of becoming a masterful musician who has since performed with the likes of Kanye West, The Fugees, reggae/dub pioneer Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, members of Lettuce, The Disco Biscuits, Big Gigantic, Manic Focus, and many more. 

We chat with Borahm about his life long love affair with music and how it has evolved throughout his career including the recent release of his first solo studio album, Echoic Memory.  We reflect on the last decade of electronic music and how some of his collaborative projects have pushed the genre beyond the limitations of one-dimensional performances and where it can be experienced.

We also look towards the future in a mutual excitement with the upcoming Soundship Space System Tour where Borahm will take his rightful place in the Swirl Bridge alongside longtime friend and collaborator, Derek Vincent Smith and his band of vibrational architects, including the return of the Pretty Lights project’s original collaborator, Michal Menert. 

Follow Almost Familiar on Social Media: 

Instagram: @almostfamiliarpod

Facebook: Almost Familiar

Email us: almostfamiliarpodcast@gmail.com

Follow Borahm Lee & his associated projects on Social Media: 

Instagram: @borahmkeys

@breakscience

@prettylights

@bttrflyquintet

Music Featured in this Episode: 

Almost Familiar - Pretty Lights

Loopa - Borahm Lee 

starship ANNOUNCE - Pretty Lights

Get familiar with parkbreezy: producer, instrumentalist and co-founder of Denver’s beloved all:Lo music collective, whose compositions are a soulful and melodic exploration of the future with nostalgic glimpses of his past inspirations. Parker underscores the relationship between sampling and interpretation, its relationship to memory and nostalgia, and how that creates a moment in time that can feel almost familiar. We talk about the growth of the all:Lo label including his blossoming solo project and his collaborative projects Groovsauce and Morning Coffee alongside label mates and best friends, Thought Process and pheel. 

The all:Lo label is a truly a familiar affair, a community love story set in Denver’s iconic Blackbox where friends lift each other up while continuing to push the musical envelope. Parkbreezy and the label are playing shows across the nation and curating takeovers this summer at the second annual Secret Dreams and Sonic Bloom.

This episode is dedicated to the lives and memories of Chuck Morris of Lotus, his son Charley and all those who are no longer with us 

GoFundMe for the family of Chuck and Charley Morris: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-for-jenny-thompson-family

Get familiar with highlights of the 2022 festival season and beyond. Wes and Elizabeth share their own highlights and also conducted a community census to get a sense of what stood out between festivals, events, musicians, mixes, albums, and personal milestones. Trending submissions include Submersion Festival, Daily Bread's latest Bread & Breakfast mix and Mishawaka shows, and newly on some radars are Piri and Tommy, Cool Customer, and Eliptek, along with unwavering hope for a Pretty Lights return. We’re so grateful to the community members who participated in our inaugural Almost Familiar Unwrapped, and we hope to see you on the dance floor in 2023. 

Follow Almost Familiar on Social Media: 

Instagram: @almostfamiliarpod

Facebook: Almost Familiar

Email us: almostfamiliarpodcast@gmail.com

Music Featured in this Episode: 

Almost Familiar - Pretty Lights 

Brokenzzz - Potions

Just a Little Loving - Daily Bread

Soft Spot - Piri and Tommy

Black Rockin' Beats - The Chemical Brothers

Next Level Style - Daily Bread & Artifakts 

Where I'm Trying to Go - Pretty Lights

2022 Unwrapped Playlists: 

Spotify

Soundcloud

55 years after the culturally-significant Woodstock Music & Art Fair of 1969, the Check Your Vector Tour brought Pretty Lights and company for a two-day celebration on the idyllic grounds nestled in Upstate New York.  Bethel’s historical context and sense of place offered a unique lens to interpret these powerful sets that highlighted the band’s evolving ability to swirl tracks ranging from classic Americana to obscure Electronica in a way that is quintessentially Pretty Lights.

Get familiar with ZONE Drums aka Aaron Harel, whom you have likely seen on the drums bringing abstract electronic music to life with the 5AM Trio, Thought Process, CloZee, Daily Bread, and more. Aaron has a knack for recognizing potential in both music and materials - from cutting his teeth by promoting dubstep shows in a church to upcycling drum kits to making diffusion panels that “bridge the world of art, music, and fabrication.” Inspired in part by Envision Festival’s infrastructure, Aaron’s passion for sustainability extends far beyond his panels and into a general lifestyle that inspires Wes and Elizabeth to consider pragmatic ways to integrate sustainability into theirs.

Follow ZONE Drums on Social Media: 

Instagram: @zonedrums

Facebook: ZONE Drums

Follow Almost Familiar on Social Media: 

Instagram: @almostfamiliarpod

Facebook: Almost Familiar

Email us: almostfamiliarpodcast@gmail.com

Music Featured in this Episode: 

Almost Familiar - Pretty Lights 

5AM Trio: Orange Sunshine

Skrillex - Kyoto

Get Familiar with Wessanders, a Connecticut- based producer and staple member of The Rust, whose music is as eclectic as his life experiences. A traveler and student of the world, Wessanders has immersed himself in many cultures outside of the US and imbeds them into his ever-evolving sound including his recently released EP, El Gringo Hace Cumbia (The white boy makes Cumbia). 

Wessanders sharpened his skills at Berklee College of Music allowing him to merge his influences in the creation of a truly distinct, and highly refined brand of bass music. His live shows are energetic, diverse, and guaranteed to get you moving to the global rhythms he commands.

Follow Wessanders on Social Media: 

Instagram: @wessanderssays

Twitter: @wessanders

Follow Almost Familiar on Social Media: 

Instagram: @almostfamiliarpod

Facebook: Almost Familiar

Email us: almostfamiliarpodcast@gmail.com

Music Featured in this Episode: 

Almost Familiar - Pretty Lights 

Hard Times - Griz

Jungle Theater - Wessanders

ID (First Track) - Black Coffee: 2nd May Mix 

Keep Swimming - Wessanders

How We Do - Pretty Lights

Get familiar with Cnopes, a producer whose electronic music style is influenced heavily by jazz, blues, hip hop and soul, creating sensational soundscapes that have caught the attention of lineup curators for festivals like Sonic Bloom and Sound Haven. Connor shares how he shifted his approach depending on the time slot and stage to match the vibe and what it means for smaller artists to be able to perform on stages with such high quality production. 

While his exposure to music culture and community started with his father’s love of The Grateful Dead, Connor’s gateway drug into electronic music’s neo-hippie subculture was Pretty Lights. We also talk about where artists can draw inspiration from outside of music and why electronic music will continue to be prevalent due to its constantly evolving nature, especially if its lot culture can evolve to be on par with the jam scene.

Music featured in this episode: 

Almost Familiar - Pretty Lights

Golden Gate - STS9

Cnopes - Seeker

Daughter - Medicine (Sound Remedy Remix)

How We Do - Pretty Lights

Follow Almost Familiar on Social Media: 

Instagram: @almostfamiliarpod

Facebook: Almost Familiar

Email us: almostfamiliarpodcast@gmail.com

Get familiar with how the pandemic has impacted the experiences and infrastructure of two of the scene’s most beloved and influential festivals: Lightning in a Bottle and Sonic Bloom. After allowing some time for the dust to settle (and there was lots of dust), Wes and Elizabeth reflect on the highs and lows of returning to their favorite long-standing festivals after a two year hiatus.

Music featured in this episode: 
Almost Familiar - Pretty Lights 

Emerge in the Feeling - Yheti 

Supersonic (VIP) - Noisia & Skrillex 

Follow Almost Familiar on Social Media: 

Instagram: @almostfamiliarpod

Facebook: Almost Familiar

Email us: almostfamiliarpodcast@gmail.com

Get familiar with pheel., a Denver-based producer and co-founder of the increasingly popular All:Lo record label who specializes in all things low end. Known for his signature Morning Coffee series in collaboration with Parkbreezy, Phil shares how these mixes evolved from beats to drink coffee to as requested by The Black Box’s talent buyer to opening up for Tipper himself at the most recent Tipper and Friends. 

Almost Familiar kicks off Gemini and festival season through pheel.’s upcoming lineup of festivals that he’ll be performing at and attending for the first time, along with Elizabeth and Wes’ anticipation of their familiar favorites Lightning in a Bottle and Sonic Bloom. 

Interview starts at 16:30

Follow Almost Familiar on Social Media: 

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Email us: almostfamiliarpodcast@gmail.com

Get familiar with Jack Hurley, better known as  Anti Alias, whose career as a multimedia designer has taken him from working a corporate job to collaborating with Tipper at his most recent return to Red Rocks in 2021. Jack talks about his experience collaborating with Datagram Visuals for the second night of the run, appropriately titled Bangers Night.   Jack reflects on how the emphasis on VJ culture has evolved since he was first hooked at Basslights, and the challenge of crafting a narrative given the abstract and experimental nature of the music it represents. We explore the future of shows in the VR space, the extent to which Jack’s work is improvisational and how this work fits into the emerging NFT world.

Interview starts at 26:25

Follow Almost Familiar on Social Media: 

Instagram: @almostfamiliarpod

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Email us: almostfamiliarpodcast@gmail.com

Get familiar with Phyphyr, whose project is as much of a product of Nick’s experiences with the scene as our podcast. After being inspired by the hybrid electronic/instrumental acts he witnessed at Hulaween,  Nick began his journey in creating music which has transplanted him from North Carolina to Denver’s hub of creativity and collaboration. Nick shares how he drew inspiration from artists not only with regards to music, but also building an authentic brand. We reflect on the evolution and success of the intimate “family” fanbases and mission statements of artists like Griz and Daily Bread as Phyphr seeks to cultivate his own with the mission of “doing love for a living.”

Phyphr shares our love of getting to know musicians outside of their project to give more context to their sound as a platform of true self expression. We’re looking forward to sharing more of these authentic conversations with artists from the community as our version of doing love for a living.

Interview starts at 20:26

Follow Almost Familiar on Social Media: 

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Email us: almostfamiliarpodcast@gmail.com

Welcome back to season two of Almost Familiar! Sharing space with harmony, rhythm and eternity, Wes and Elizabeth had the opportunity to record in-person for the first time after attending their first concert together since the last Pretty Lights performance at Red Rocks in 2018. Sound Tribe, San Francisco, and Sex & the City. Need we say more? 

Heard in this episode: 

This is Us, New Dawn, New Day (Intro Mashup) from 2021.10.09 :: West of the Moon :: Napa, CA by STS9

Presence of Light > Modular from 2021.10.09 :: West of the Moon :: Napa, CA by STS9

Totem from 2021.10.08 :: West of the Moon :: Napa, CA by STS9

Walk to the Light from 2021.10.08 :: West of the Moon :: Napa, CA by STS9

Spending Time from 2021.10.08 :: West of the Moon :: Napa, CA by STS9

Camino de Flores by El Buho

Get familiar with The Rust Music, a collective that curates some of our favorite gatherings on the East Coast. From the events, to the artists they represent, to their blog, the crew at The Rust Music does everything with the intent of authenticity to push the boundaries of how we experience electronic music. We chatted with Talent Buyer/Manager/Event Curator Jezze Boya and Editor of The Rust publication, Pasquale Zinna. We get into the origins of The Rust, how they curated a community defined by collaboration in New York’s capricious nightlife scene, and how their intention and dedication evolved into throwing events at Manhattan’s legendary PlayStation Theater with artists like Jade Cicada, Detox Unit, Mickman, and 5AM.

Interview starts at 19:45

Follow Almost Familiar on Social Media: 

Instagram: @almostfamiliarpod

Facebook: Almost Familiar

Email us: almostfamiliarpodcast@gmail.com

Get familiar with Stacey Forrester’s Sanctuary Radio, a weekly podcast about safer nightlife with a focus on consent and harm reduction. Stacey runs the harm reduction program at British Columbia’s boutique Bass Coast festival, co-founded the Vancouver chapter of Good Night Out, and creates beautiful harm reduction graphics that you may recognize from G Jones and CharlesTheFirst events. 

On this swap cast, Stacey challenges Wes and Elizabeth to consider whether it’s possible to separate the art from the artist and how this factors into the larger conversation about sexual violence. We discuss how we can do a better job of supporting and centering survivors when allegations surface and the importance of holding space for people to change their mind and evolve their perspective once they learn new information. Stacey is a wonderful resource, and we highly recommend that you engage with her content to make our scene safer. Everybody deserves to feel safe at shows. 

Interview starts at 23:20

Follow Almost Familiar on Social Media: 

Instagram: @almostfamiliarpod

Facebook: Almost Familiar

Email us: almostfamiliarpodcast@gmail.com

Red Rocks is an iconic venue to see music in, and it is especially meaningful for the evolution of the Pretty Lights project and its impact on Colorado’s electronic music scene. 2024 was no exception, as the band and crew continued to elevate the Pretty Lights experience to New Heights once again.

The PL team pulled out all the stops for their massively triumphant return to the venue, six years in the making. The two-night run was highlighted by memorable bust-outs and iconic sit-ins that showcased the music’s range: a string quartet’s classical interpretations of contemporary tracks, Dominic Lalli’s signature jazz flair added to fan favorites, and a monumental, unprecedented cameo from a contemporary of equally significant influence on the road to retirement, Dave Tipper.

On the heels of this memorable weekend, the Check Your Vector tour heads to the hallowed grounds of Bethel, NY, home of the legendary Woodstock Music and Art Fair of 1969 for what is shaping up to be the destination event of the tour. We’ll see you at Swirlstock

Get familiar with DB Montana, who used social media to create a safe space for the victims and survivors of Bassnectar’s disturbing and pathological abuse to anonymously share their stories that shattered his public image built on meticulous manipulation. Montana tells this story from the beginning, taking us back to the controversial reputation he developed for his criticism of Bassnectar as an admin of the irreverent Weird Drunken Uncle Facebook group. We reflect on the dangers of idolatry, toxic positivity, and unhealthy relationships with the scene. Montana’s 

relentless pursuit of the truth is a labor of love for a community that we hope can use this unfortunate circumstance as an opportunity for transformation and to actively define standards of behavior and accountability.

Follow Almost Familiar on Social Media: 

Instagram: @almostfamiliarpod

Facebook: Almost Familiar

Email us: almostfamiliarpodcast@gmail.com

Heard on this episode: 

Almost Familiar by Pretty Lights

1993 by Emancipator

How We Do by Pretty Lights

Get Familiar with Father Figure, an East Coast-based producer and fellow Mudson Project survivor with whom we exchange horror stories from the trial-by-fire that was Camp Bisco. From a profound Amon Tobin ISAM set, to playing the renegade stage, Matt’s seasoned perspective allows him to reflect on why some of the staples of today’s scene such as the Philos crew and CloZee feel more intimate than its pioneers. Matt shares the complex familial origins behind his stage name and how his infectious Prodigal Son LP symbolizes coming full circle with those relationships.

Follow Father Figure: 

SoundCloud

Instagram: @fatherfiguretunes

Facebook: Father Figure

Listen to the set that hooked us: River Beats Set (1.29.21)

Follow Almost Familiar: 

Instagram: @almostfamiliarpod

Facebook: Almost Familiar

Email us: almostfamiliarpodcast@gmail.com

Heard in this episode: 

Almost Familiar by Pretty Lights

The Love by Father Figure

Dancing in the Dark by Father Figure (unreleased)

Unreleased Pheel x Father Figure collab

Get Familiar with Midicinal (Scott Rhatigan), an Arizona-born producer currently residing in Denver whose music is imbued with themes of travel- pulling from his own experiences of moving frequently. As his name suggests, Scott fully understands music’s healing properties and shares his experiences of both performing and internalizing “midicinal” music. Scott shares the epic story behind his memorable Sonic Bloom set where he brought out the dancing lobsters, resulting in an unforgettable synchronicity the following weekend at Electric Forest.

Follow Midicinal on Social Media: 

Instagram: @midicinalmusic

SoundCloud: MIDIcinal

Follow Almost Familiar on Social Media: 

Instagram: @almostfamiliarpod

Email Us: almostfamiliarpodcast@gmail.com

Heard in this Episode: 

Almost Familiar by Pretty Lights

Tumbleweed by Midicinal

Total Fascination by Pretty Lights

Get familiar with Jesska Cvijanovic whose pins, photography (214), and merch are foundational to the Pretty Lights Family that she helped create. Jesska shares how her photography passion changed her experience and perspective of shows, the history of the Illuminator and Vibe Adjuster programs, and the significance of some of the early Pretty Lights Family gatherings at festivals. She tells an unforgettable birthday story where her longtime friend Michal Menert gave her the ultimate VIP treatment at Electric Forest 2013. Jesska unapologetically advocates for Michal Menert’s underrepresented place in the scene, and shares her take on the controversial history of Taking Up Your Precious Time. 

The PLF Series is a collection of casual conversations that Wes and Elizabeth have with members of the Pretty Lights Family in an effort to understand our collective experiences despite our different backgrounds. We hear how people got turned on, what Pretty Lights means to them, and how these experiences have shaped their lives on our version of this long strange trip.

Check out Jesska's Art: 

Photography

PLF 214 Merch

Follow Almost Familiar on Social Media: 

Instagram: @almostfamiliarpod

Facebook: Almost Familiar

Email us: almostfamiliarpodcast@gmail.com

Heard on this episode: 

Almost Familiar by Pretty Lights

Lost Pieces (Deluge + If You Knew)

How We Do by Pretty Lights

Get Familiar with 5AM, an innovative electronic music producer who is pushing the boundaries on what improvisation can look like in the abstract corner of electronica. 5AM went from asking “What’s a Tipper?” when first encountering his name on a festival lineup  to kicking off Uptempo night for his “Tippsgiving” event at the Kings Theater in Brooklyn, cementing himself as a staple in a scene whose influence we compare to the French Impressionists and Flying Lotus’ Brainfeeder label. We chat about the 5AM Trio’s approach and the process of establishing a cohesive vision with his band mates, Tygris & Zone Drums. 5AM also shares his perspective on how religion, spirituality, and heady philosophy intersect with festival culture and contribute to the cleansing nature of our collective experiences. 

Follow Almost Familiar on Social Media: 

Instagram: @almostfamiliarpod

Facebook: Almost Familiar

Email Us: almostfamiliarpodcast@gmail.com

Heard in this Episode: 

Almost Familiar by Pretty Lights

How We Do by Pretty Lights

Get familiar with Sam Ackels, whose first show was Pretty Lights’ last - the second night of Red Rocks 2018. Wes and Elizabeth learn that context was not required to experience the profundity of that singular show. Sam shares the moments that hooked him and how it influenced his journey and taste through electronic music. We discuss the slippery slope of the Pretty Lights merch game, Goose’s magnetic appeal amid their meteoric rise, and where we draw the line at too much wookery. Sam’s excitement around Pretty Lights is almost familiar to when we were first turned on & proves to us that a hiatus will not stop this movement. In fact, it corroborates its strength. 

The PLF Series is a collection of casual conversations that Wes and Elizabeth have with members of the Pretty Lights Family in an effort to understand our collective experiences despite our different backgrounds. We hear how people got turned on, what Pretty Lights means to them, and how these experiences have shaped their lives on our version of this long strange trip.

Follow Almost Familiar on Social Media: 

Instagram: @almostfamiliarpod

Facebook: Almost Familiar

Email Us: almostfamiliarpodcast@gmail.com

Heard in this Episode: 

Almost Familiar by Pretty Lights (covered by Sam Ackels)

Look Both Ways by Pretty Lights

Archived tracks from Red Rocks 8.11.2018 via PrettyLightsLive.com

Is There Any Love performed by Pretty Lights Live

New Track? (prod. Borahm) performed by Pretty Lights Live

"Jam" performed by Pretty Lights Live

Get familiar with Shuj Roswell, a Denver born-and-bred producer who specializes in what he calls “Funktronadelic.”  Mark A. Cooley (Shuj Roswell) takes us on a journey of his distinct travels through sound and the paths of rhythm: from seeing Pretty Lights at Boulder’s Trilogy Wine Bar, to watching him outgrow Cervantes, to linking up with Michal Menert and Super Best Records, to collaborating with former STS9 bassist David Murphy.

We chat about his newest EP, Shuttlecock, which is his first project that features 100% original music, creating a beautiful blend of Lo-fi hip-hop that your ears are sure to love. As someone who has been there from this scene’s beginning, Mark offers an informed perspective on the different iterations of Pretty Lights, how we might mark the different eras, and the difference between labeling a song as a remix, a cover, a flip, or “vs.” This episode also contains a truly hilarious story of Mark’s first and only interaction with the one and only Derek Vincent Smith, whose surgical strategies might just be one of our favorite Derek stories we have heard yet on Almost Familiar.

Listen to Shuj Roswell:

Shuttlecock EP

SoundCloud

Spotify

Follow Shuj Roswell: 

Instagram 

Facebook

Follow Almost Familiar: 

Instagram

Facebook

Heard in this Episode: 

Almost Familiar by Pretty Lights

Ric Flair All Night by Shuj Roswell

So Wonderful by Shuj Roswell

The Teachers Lounge by Shuj Roswell

Unreleased: Kool & The Gang vs. Prince. vs. Pretty Lights

Flying High Above the World (feat. David Murphy) by Shuj Roswell

Bob Marley - Exodus (Pretty Lights Remix)

More Important than Michael Jordan (Flip) by Pretty Lights (from Red Rocks 2016)

Run on For a Long Time by Shuj Roswell 

Rocket Man (Shuj Roswell remix)

Unreleased: R. Strauss: Also Sprach Zarathustra (Shuj Roswell Remix)

Get Familiar with Vincent Antone, the man behind the “All the Pretty Lights” tribute that recently reverberated some much-needed positive vibes in the Pretty Lights Family. Vincent shares which Pretty Lights interviews he sampled in the tribute, his creative process on making music that Makes You Feel, and how a Pretty Lights performance video on YouTube inspired him to get on the waitlist for a monome made by a couple that only builds 200-300 a year. Vincent is a talented musician whose various projects have performed at many major festivals including  Austin City Limits, Wakarusa, and even the last Pretty Lights Episodic Festival in Texas.  Represented by Mammoth Music Group, Vincent ponders what avenues he might take his latest project given his myriad of interests and influences, and hopes to cultivate a fanbase that is open to experimentation.

Vincent kept it real and shared some incredibly vulnerable struggles from his past, his ongoing journey for self-improvement, and how these experiences have helped shape his outlook that maybe life is “about experiencing [suffering,] using it, and coming out on top” If you enjoyed the “All the Pretty Lights,” tribute check out his music and keep your eye out in this episode for a sneak peek of a track from his new EP dropping this spring.

“I think what [Pretty Lights] did most importantly is he disproved the notion that electronic music couldn’t be human or soulful. He was, to me, what proved that it could be”

Follow Vincent Antone On: 

Spotify
Soundcloud
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter

Follow Almost Familiar on: 

Instagram

Facebook

Email us: almostfamiliarpodcast@gmail.com

Mentioned in this Episode: 

After Skool: How Childhood Trauma Leads to Addiction - Gabor Maté

The Big Book (Alcoholics Anonymous) by Bill W. (buy this from your local bookstore)

Heard in this Episode: 

All the Pretty Lights by Vincent Antone

Journey Through a Dream by Vincent Antone

Teaser from an unreleased track by Vincent Antone

Almost Familiar by Pretty Lights

Gazing at the Glare by Pretty Lights

Pretty Lights vs. Led Zeppelin

Get Familiar with the No Simple Road Podcast, one of the major inspirations for Almost Familiar that’s hosted by a Deadhead family of charismatic cosmic wanderers. Wes and Elizabeth share how they met, what it took to get the podcast off the ground, and how they got “turned on” to Pretty Lights - and it doesn’t take long for the No Simple Road family to understand that there’s something about our culture that feels almost familiar to theirs.

Aaron, Mel, and Apple share the first time they experienced the crossover of Grateful Dead and electronic music culture at Summer Meltdown, when they got their “wigs flipped” at Tipper, a sensory experience which Aaron describes as smelling like a “brand new tennis shoe on fire.” If you’ve been to a Tipper show, you know what he’s talking about. Despite the generational gap, there’s something about this music that gets us to the same place that exists outside of time where there “ceases to be a separation between the music and the listener” where “you have a feeling and the music will play it or the other way around.” Whether you consider yourself a casual fan of the Grateful Dead or identify as a Dead Head, there’s no better way to get familiar with that culture than with the No Simple Road family.

Follow No Simple Road

Instagram: @nosimpleroad

Facebook: No Simple Road

nosimpleroad.com

Follow Almost Familiar

Instagram: @almostfamiliarpod

Facebook: Almost Familiar

Heard in this episode: 

Almost Familiar by Pretty Lights

Something's Wrong by Pretty Lights

Out of Time by Pretty Lights

Ripple by The Grateful Dead

“Red Rocks ‘18, bitch!” We couldn’t have said it any better ourselves. Get familiar with Brett Shredmunds, an admin for the Pretty Lights Family group on Facebook, who was one of the group’s first 10 members and has named his fair share of songs. Brett takes us through listening to reggae as a fetus, learning about Utah’s rave scene in the ‘90’s, attending Emancipator’s first show in Portland, to serendipitously purchasing tickets to his first Pretty Lights show moments before it sold out.

Wes, Ethan, and Elizabeth learn that Derek’s (Pretty Lights) dad was a preacher and how that might influence his ability to connect with a higher power, whatever or whomever that may be. An OG in every sense of the word, Brett “finds faith in the form of sound waves, frequencies, and skiing.” *WARNING* There are painfully corny Pretty Lights puns throughout the course of this episode. We’re not sorry, it’s just How We Do. You’ve been warned. 

Interview begins at 12:39

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Heard in this episode: 

Intro & Outro Music: Almost Familiar by Pretty Lights

The Time Has Come by Pretty Lights

Solamente by Pretty Lights

How We Do by Pretty Lights

As we approach a weekend 6 years in the making, we revisit when the Pretty Lights crew returned to headline both Bonnaroo and Electric Forest last month after more than a decade since their last appearances that solidified their presence/reputation in the scene. 

It’s hard not to feel engrossed in nostalgia seeing PL back headlining renowned gateway festivals, exposing a new generation to their spell-binding live production with a repertoire that balanced reinterpretations of classics as well as what sounded like studio-ready tracks in a rare and iconic sunrise DJ set, presumably on an album that’s coming, soon(?).

Get familiar with Whit Hawkins, who has worn many hats behind the scenes for some of our culture’s most iconic artists, including Pretty Lights, Bassnectar, STS9, and Daily Bread. From sneaking out of his bedroom in his parents’ house to see STS9 perform in backyards in Atlanta to becoming their production manager, Whit experienced firsthand the cross pollination of the music, ideas, and fanbases of underground electronic and jam band culture. Drawing from his favorite elements of Phish’s culture, Whit and his team actively and intentionally contributed to the way that we experience our scene today, such as encouraging Bassnectar to adopt multi-night runs at a time when electronic artists were not using that model. 

Whit shares some of his favorite stories from working with these artists - from how Bass Center got its name, to having a Pretty Lights break named after him, to hearing it performed live by the Colorado Symphony when they performed with Pretty Lights. His motto along the way has been to “do dope shit with your friends,” which he brought to his recently-launched management and production company Hawk’s Nest Music. 

“It’s about finding the moments in everyday life that inspire you and excite you about being alive in the world and exploring your space in the world and being a part of it”

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Heard in this Episode: 

Intro Music: Almost Familiar by Pretty Lights

Whitness Break performed by Pretty Lights and the Analog Future Band  in Telluride 2015

2020 Favorites: 

-Sets: 

Lazy Syrup Orchestra from Bass Coast Pixel Festival

Jade Cicada's Ambient Mix with visuals by Tenorless from The Rust's Featherbed Sessions Vol. 6

Mr. Carmack's Digital LIB set

CloZee: ShambhaRoo Livestream

-Albums: 

Mountain of Memory by Emancipator

Resonate by Lettuce

Get familiar with Andrew Frost, the stage manager who pulled off the Pretty Lights surprise at ReVibe Wellness Festival in Myrtle Beach - the first COVID-compliant festival of its kind. Currently Sunsquabi’s tour manager, Andrew shares stories about how he cut his teeth in this trade - from volunteering at The Aggie Theater in Colorado, to chasing down the thief who stole a guitar from The Floozies' Green Room, to accidentally forgetting GRiZ’s saxophone before the last night of his tour. An all-around good guy who knows his weed and coffee, Andrew is the perfect example of someone who you love to see in the music industry. He cares deeply and works insanely hard. His clients turn into his friends and those friends turn into family. We had such a great time hanging with him and we think you will too!

Conversation starts at 4:27

ReVibe Wellness Retreat

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Get familiar with Thought Process. This prolific producer specializes in what he has coined, (and we fully support) high fidelity sound design. This conversation took us through his journey loyal street teamer to promoter, to performer at Denver's iconic bass mecca, The Blackbox. We talk about his undertaking and inception the first annual Beat-Tober where he created a unique beat for every day in the month of October.

Although his other love is Pretty Lights, the music Thought Process makes is unlike anything you've ever heard during a PL set. It's rich in sound, oozes in swagger and will take a hold of you. Similar to Pretty Lights however, "you get in for the party, and stay for the emotions".  

Interview begins at 7:55

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Follow Thought Process on Social Media:

Instagram: @thought_process_music

Facebook: Thought Process

SoundCloud: Thought Process

Music Heard in this Episode 

Thought Process

Intro &Outro Music: Almost Familiar by Pretty Lights

Total Fascination by Pretty Lights

My Only Hope by Pretty Lights

Get familiar with Kaptain, a producer currently based in Denver whose music pulls from electro-soul, electro hip hop, future funk, and glitch hop to create a sound that is as hybrid as the culture itself. Stephen shares his perspective on why the Denver scene is so magnetic and conspicuous compared to other places, and we use Lightning in a Bottle as a case study to explore what makes West Coast festival culture different. We discuss our favorite Pretty Lights moments, the transformative nature of the music, how various dynamics from the "default world" manifest in our community, and how to maintain a healthy relationship with the scene. It doesn't take long for us to realize that our trajectories and experiences are almost familiar. 

-Check out Kaptain on Spotify

-Check out Kaptain on SoundCloud

-Follow Kaptain on Instagram @iamkaptain

-Check out Kaptain's website

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Heard in this episode: 

Running Out of Time by Kaptain

Intro & Outro Music: Almost Familiar by Pretty Lights

All of the Lights - Kanye West (Pretty Lights Remix)

I Know the Truth - Pretty Lights

Hot Like A Million Tomorrows - Pretty Lights

King of Rock - Pretty Lights

It's Tricky (SSX Pretty Lights Remix)

Drift Away - Pretty Lights

Dark as the Sky - Pretty Lights

Evening Sun - Pretty Lights

The Last Passenger - Pretty Lights

Look Both Ways - Pretty Lights

Future Blind - Pretty Lights

Understand Me Now - Pretty Lights

Get Familiar with JD Vanderwiel, who has likely been the first person in and last person out at some of the shows and festivals you have attended within the electro soul scene. Such is the life of this tour manager/production manager/lighting designer extraordinaire. You have probably seen his stage designs or visuals if you’ve seen Ganja White Night, Adventure Club, Late Night Radio or Flamingosis in the last few years. We talk about the evolution of the electro soul scene, his favorite places to experience it, mental health on the road, and much more.

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Intro & Outro Music: Almost Familiar by Pretty Lights

Get familiar with Mr. Bill, a staple of the bass music scene and an Ableton wizard whose techno side project Electrocado was released on Deadmau5 label mau5trap. We talk to Bill about Australian wooks, why psytrance never took off in America, what makes a DJ set “live,” and the evolution of American bass music culture and what its legacy might be.

Listen to The Mr. Bill Podcast

Learn Ableton with Mr. Bill

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Intro & Outro Music: Almost Familiar by Pretty Lights

Get familiar with one of the music scenes most active and knowledgeable journalists, our friend, B. Getz.  B. started working in the music industry dating back to the 90's. Throughout his career he has been to countless historic concerts/festivals, transcribing them in his incredibly captivating style of writing. Today he is still as active as ever as a journalist as well as the host for his own podcast, "The Upful Life". B. takes us all the way to the back to his first Dead show, leading to his life-changing sun-rise encounter with Abraxis the Golden Dragon at Burning Man.  B. schools us on what it means to live an Upful life. We also talk about the current state of the music industry and what folks can do to make a difference to keep live music alive. B. is a true living historian of our "neo-hippie" scene and it was an honor to catch up with this verbal alchemist. 

Interview starts at 11 minutes 

Support #NIVA (National Independent Venue Association) and the #saveourstages Act. 

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B.Get's work: 

Upful Life

Live for Live Music

Get familiar with how the Pretty Lights community was intentionally built from one of the guys who has been there from the beginning. Greg Ellis, known for making the lights pretty, has an approach to lighting that is almost as improvisational as the music it complements. As a huge Phish fan himself, Greg helps us draw parallels between the Phish and Pretty Lights communities. We discuss growing up within fanbases as they grow themselves, how we can draw meaning from songs without lyrics, and the inherent hope within hiatuses. Pardon the static, it’s part of the aesthetic of Greg’s new studio. 

Intro & Outro Song: Almost Familiar by Pretty Lights

Songs Heard in this Episode: 

Easy Way Out by Pretty Lights

B-Rock by Pretty Lights

The Time Has Come by Pretty Lights

I Know the Truth by Pretty Lights

Cold Feeling by Pretty Lights

Podcasts Referenced:

Greg Ellis' Podcast: Bioluminescence

Osiris Media

Eric Krasno Plus One

Under the Scales

Get familiar with why people move to Colorado and what makes them stay. Shelby shares her story about the impulsive decision that brought her to Colorado and the transformative experience that inspired her to stay. Thomas (@saintsnacks) shares stories about live painting and creating visuals for bands like Papadosio and Lettuce. From FARM Fest, to Rootwire, to Sonic Bloom, and even Burning Man, they’ve seen a little bit of everything from multiple angles: as fans, as artists, and as food vendors. Plot twist: they’re also metalheads. How do these all intersect? We all have that one friend that moved to Colorado, and we can’t help but feel that this story will feel Almost Familiar. Shelby hates Pretty Lights, but we still love her! 

Intro & Outro Music: Almost Familiar by Pretty Lights

Thomas Robertson-Forrest's art can be found @saintsnacks

Food Trucks Referenced: 

The Vegetable Express

Ba-Nom-a-Nom

CW: Rape culture & sexual assault

Get familiar with what rape culture actually looks like and feels like in the live music community and how you can empower yourself to challenge it in the wake of allegations against Space Jesus and Bassnectar. Wes, assistant manager at Syracuse’s Westcott Theater, and Elizabeth, a rape survivor, share their observations and experiences of rape culture in the EDM community, including Wes’ firsthand experience navigating an encounter with Datsik. Bass Coast’s Harm Reduction Manager & co-founder of Good Night Out Vancouver Stacey Forrester offers an anecdote about transformative justice as we consider what a future could look like where we hold space for both accountability and healing. TL; DR: Keep your damn hands to yourself. 

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Intro & Outro music: Almost Familiar - Pretty Lights

Get familiar with your co-hosts! Elizabeth Dreeson and Wes Johnson crossed paths for years across the festival scene without actually connecting until they discovered their mutual interest in Pretty Lights at a String Cheese Incident show in Syracuse. When did music festivals become more than just a party for you? When did you “get it?” In the pilot episode of Almost Familiar, Wes and Elizabeth reflect on these questions and more as they discuss how they got into “the scene” and the evolution of their music tastes. They have a feeling their stories might feel almost familiar. They try not to talk about Pretty Lights too much, but sometimes they can’t contain it. 

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Intro & Outro music: Almost Familiar - Pretty Lights

Hampton, we have lift off. This weekend Pretty Lights returns to the iconic Hampton Coliseum for the first time in nearly a decade to kick off the Check Your Vector tour. Wes and Elizabeth reflect on the last time the Pretty Lights project was in the building as we look forward to the start of a new tour!

Get familiar with TF Marz, Co-founder and Creative Director of all:Lo music collective, whose Colorado and Pacific Northwest roots heavily influence his refreshing and distinct take on electronic music that is healthily infused with hip hop and RnB sensibilities. We dive into the music scene in the PNW, including his iconic sunrise set at the renowned Grove Stage at Shambhala Music Festival, the current state of the electronic music scene, the continuous evolution of all:Lo, and the future of TF Marz

Follow TF Marz: 

@tfmarz 
 

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Get familiar once again with Greg “The Lazershark” Ellis, a highly revered, industry-respected, ruthlessly sarcastic lighting designer who has been responsible for nearly 15 years of breathtaking and dazzling visual displays as innovative as the music it backs. Best known for his work with Pretty Lights, Greg is no stranger to the spotlight, having worked with global names like Banks,  30 Seconds to Mars, Mr. Beast, and even a few major music award shows to boot. Through and through, Greg Ellis remains an artist. Having added a new medium into his arsenal, we talk about his artistic journey and how his works influence one another.