CONTEST OVER Win tix NOW to see Big Gigantic Saturday at the Peel

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

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[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtqavVTIqaA&hl=en_US&version=3&rel=0]

Win now to see Big Gigantic! Two tix to the first commenter who can tell us: What state is the band from?

Only commenters who have not won anything from Ashvegas in the last 30 days are eligible to win. Please use your correct first and last name when you comment, so we know who to hold your tickets for.

Ticket contests on Ashvegas (USUALLY) happen at 9 a.m. and/or 3 p.m on select weekdays only, though we reserve the right to run a contest anytime.

Doors: 8:00 pm / Show: 9pm Tickets: $23 advance / $25 day of show

Two Fresh & DJ Acolyte open. Ages 18+

From the Peel:

Big Gigantic, whose blend of mind-bending beats, thunderous bass, and frenetic melodies has developed a rabid following since forming in 2008, has taken their sound to yet another dimension with the release of their newest album ‘Nocturnal’. The album, by saxophonist/producer Dominic Lalli and drummer Jeremy Salken, solidifies Big Gigantic as a key player in the worlds of electronic, dance, and hip-hop.

With a provocative sound that’s as thoughtful as it is danceable, Big Gigantic’s new songs like “Nocturnal” and “Hopscotch” weave whirling melodies into addictive beats and samples that wouldn’t sound out of place on a Kanye West or LCD Soundsystem single. No genre is off-limits for Big Gigantic, whose breakthrough sound channels everything from funk and dub-step to house and hip-hop.

After graduating with a master’s degree in jazz at the Manhattan School of Music, Lalli relocated to Boulder and began performing with Salken, experimenting with the idea of interpreting traditional DJ-based music with live instruments. The duo built up early hype in 2008 with local shows and one-offs around the country before releasing their debut album ‘Fire It Up’ in 2009 and embarking on a full US tour.

Already a smash on the festival circuit, Big Gigantic’s transcendent live shows are a showcase of brilliant improvisation and a tightly-knit bond between Salken and Lalli, who breathlessly alternates between keys, sax and laptop, building a futuristic wall of sound that keeps the crowd on its feet. The marathon shows feature a variety of songs new, old and unreleased, as well as outside-of-the-box remixes including Wiz Khalifa’s “Black and Yellow,” Aloe Blacc’s ‘I need a Dollar,’ and Notorious B.I.G.’s “Notorious Thugs.”