Euphoria Music Festival Spotlight: Big Wild

"Go different or go home."  These are the words scrolled across Big Wild's Twitter feed.  They are five very simple words, but they adequately describe so much about Big Wild, his career, and his vision for the future.  I recently chatted with Jackson Stell, aka Big Wild, about his whirlwind of a year and his goals for 2016.

Stell is a diverse musician with the ability to play the trumpet, keys, whistle, and drums, meshed with his talent as a producer.  He comes by his musical roots honestly, with a father who plays guitar and spent time in several bands, and a grandmother who used to sing for a big band in the 1940's.  Stell gained ambition for producing when he was merely 13, mesmerized by the hip-hop beats created by the legends Dr. Dre, Timbaland, and The Neptunes, stating their music was "unique and fun," and inspired him to develop his own.  This love for hip-hop eventually transitioned into producing electronic music. 

When asked what the phrase, "go different or go home" means to him, Stell replied that he's always "looking for ways to stand-out, while at the same time be myself."  To do this, Stell likes to pair different styles, some that typically wouldn't mesh together, like the hard sound of trap mixed with a soft melodic voice.  His remix of  Sylvan Esso's "Hey Mami" is a prime example of this unique mix.

Stell's ability to be different has not gone unnoticed.  Electronic duo, ODESZA discovered Stell's abilities on Soundcloud and he was approached to remix their hit tune, "Say My Name."  This remix led to more recognition, making 2015 a successful and memorable year for Stell. He toured with GRiZ on the Super Shagadelic tour, which made a stop at Lincoln Theatre in October.  His live performance was hypnotic, to say the least, utilizing the keys, drums and whistle set to electronic tracks.  Notably, Stell has also toured with Gramatik, ODESZA, and Kodak to Graph. 

Big Wild feels passionately about not only creating great music, but sharing it as well.  He recently brought a drum pad to 3rd graders to introduce them to what he sees as "the future of music."  Stell finds it imperative to preserve arts programs at schools so that students can always find an outlet. This is a cause he plans to continuously support throughout his career.

While 2015 might seem hard to beat for Big Wild, 2016 is also filled with promise.  He's currently producing new music and adding tour dates for his own headlining tour in April; a full list of curent show dates can be found at his website, but stay tuned for additional dates.  Big Wild can also be seen at the Euphoria Music Festival in Austin, TX on April 7-10, where he'll be joining a stellar lineup including Bassnectar, Above & Beyond, Dillon Francis, and GRiZ.  For ticket information and a full lineup up, check out the official Euphoria website.  Keep your eye on Big Wild as he continues to create groundbreaking mixes and captivating live performances.


*Photo Credit:  Emily Buckingham

GRiZ Brings the Funk to Lincoln Theatre

The Lincoln Theatre will be bouncing tonight with vibrant lights and rhythmic beats.  GRiZ has recently launched his Super Shagadelic Tour  and Raleigh is fortunate enough to be one of his stops.  GRiZ is promoting his fourth studio album, Say It Loud, released on his own record label, All Good Records. 


GRiZ is known for infusing high-energy rhythm with soulful melodies and of course, the sweet sound of the saxophone.  It's obvious that GRiZ has been influenced by several genres of music, including hip-hop, soul, and blues.  He takes it one step further by layering these rhythms with dubstep, creating his own fresh flavor of funk.  The Triangle Beat had the pleasure of experiencing two GRiZ sets at Atlanta's Imagine Festival and that only makes us more excited to see what else he has to offer. 

Joining GRiZ on tour are two impressive acts that are each quickly gaining attention in the EDM world, Big Wild and Muzzy Bearr.  Big Wild hails from Venice, CA and will be dropping beats with  both GRiZ and ODESZA this fall.  Just like GRiZ sets himself apart with his sax-playing skills, Big Wild lays down keys and drums on stage. The result of colliding these two worlds is a realm of colorful sounds and uptempo rhythms.  Big Wild most recently released"Aftergold" via Foreign Family Collective and has reached over 2.3 million streams on Soundcloud.  Join the masses and see what his music is all about:




Also supporting GRiZ is Muzzy Bearr, who is a part of the All Good Records fam.  This party is definitely more suited for the weekend, but you know what they say about the club on a Tuesday.  Join the fun at Lincoln Theatre on October 20 and call in sick on Wednesday, because this will be an unforgettable start to the week.  This is an 18 and over show with doors opening at 8, music at 9.