Electronic DJ’s Superdream tour will bring album to life
Jackson Stell, better known as Big Wild, has embarked on his “Superdream” tour and will be playing at Ace of Spades in Sacramento on March 10. Special guests Robotaki and Mild Minds will make an appearance.
Just last December, Stell performed in San Francisco at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium with Louis The Child. Now, he’s back in Northern California to give fans a true Big Wild experience. The tour kicked off yesterday in Santa Ana, Calif.
“Being able to control your own show is a wonderful thing,” Stell said. “You can really cater it around your vision, your ideas, your music, your visuals, everything. I’m excited to make the show a really full Big Wild experience.”
The tour is titled after his debut album as Big Wild, “Superdream,” which was released Feb. 1. The album is not your typical EDM album but is rightfully called because it feels like a dream — almost ethereal. Featuring Stell’s vocals and thoughtful songwriting, the songs don’t follow a normal rise and beat drop progression, but rather the album is masterfully layered with different instruments.
Stell’s lyrics, influenced by his life’s experiences, take the listener on a journey of diverse, raw emotions, but never in a drastic way. The ease of transitions carry the listener throughout the album. So quickly can the listener develop a personal relationship to the songs.
The album’s standouts are “City of Sound,” “6’s to 9’s” and “Joypunks,” although the entire album is a new, interesting soundscape that both fans of EDM and newcomers will appreciate. Each song is rich and pushes the limits of the genre of electronic music.
Stell’s live performance style is what originally drew me to his music. The deep connection to his music is evident, as he dances around, like the music is flowing through him. His rhythms are only made stronger and more powerful when he beats on his cajón. The audience is given the opportunity to feel the same emotional connection that Stell does.
“I feel most in my element when I’m really in a groove on the drums or when I’m really in the middle of a vocal passage,” Stell said. “It feels great especially when you can really connect with the crowd and you hear that reaction, it’s kind of like a high you can’t explain.”
The “Superdream” tour will feature live singing, drumming, guitar, a new light rig and new visuals, as well as special guests, all working together to create an electronic, dance vibe.
“It’s like a hybrid of a show,” Stell said. “It’s got a lot of different styles and elements from other styles of music, like kind of all put into one show.”
This show may serve to act as a homecoming-of-sorts for Stell. Those familiar with his story know that his name, and this new part of his career as Big Wild, was inspired by Big Sur and California. The name Big Wild is a reflection of the “state’s natural glory and open spaces.” The album was written and recorded while living in the Bay Area and that connection is sure to come alive when back where it all began.
“I came up with the name really when I was starting a new chapter in my life,” Stell said. “It felt like a great name to encapsulate the feeling going into new and unknown territory in that new part of my life, but still being excited about excited about it. Like welcoming the challenge, being adventurous, being curious. Those ideals are something I Try to make a part of everything I do with this project. It keeps me centered.”
Stell said that his overall goal for the album was to put the listener in an almost surreal and different perspective, which he accomplishes, and is sure to accomplish with the “Superdream” tour.
More information can be found at aceofspadessac.com.
Written By: Liz Jacobson – arts@theaggie.org
