J2G’s annual concert featuring music’s hottest musicians strikes Denver again with their best lineup and performances yet. Every year, the trio that formed the production company that safely shuttles thousands of fans to shows and back, dreams up the perfect set list of songs that span through decades to deliver us…the Dance Party Time Machine! Musicians salivate for the chance to join the stage with music’s most prominent and talented musicians, mostly local, to play through several decades of the greatest dance party songs of all time. The covers span from the 1950’s to the present day. This year the lineup’s highlights featured three members of the Disco Biscuits, and members of several other bands such as: The New Mastersounds, JJ Grey & Mofro, Yamn, Fox Street, The Congress, Euforquestra, Analog Son, Tiger Party, Big Gigantic, The Magic Beans, The Drunken Hearts, SUCH, Ableminds, Super Magick Home, and more.

The first set started in the present day with the cocaine anthem “I Can’t Feel My Face” by the Weeknd. Singer Ashley Niven kicked the party off featuring local celebrities Jeremy Salken from Big Gigantic on drums and Tiger Party’s Blake Mobley tickling the ivories. We immediately time traveled back to the 1960’s with the Temptations “Get Ready,” which featured an astounding horn section including the multi-talented Mirco Altenbach. “Hold on I’m Coming” by Sam & Dave and “Cabbage Alley” by the Meters followed with Fox Street and J2G’s own Jonathan Huvard on guitar and lead vocals. The extremely talented and funky Eddie Roberts from the New Mastersounds stayed on for both songs. His British brand of funk adds the perfect touch to our scene, and like many others, he has recently moved to Denver.

Grammy nominated and rapid rising R&B star, SUCH, belted “Every Day People” with the full horn section. The horns stayed on for the classic “Tequila” as well as guitarist Jonah Wisneski. Wisneski also played on Blondie’s “Call Me,” sung by the beautiful Aubrie Hambrick. Eddie Roberts and Fox Street’s James Dumm slayed on guitar for the next three dance hits in a row. The Bee Gees’ “Night Fever,” Stevie Wonder’s “Sir Duke,” and Dr. John’s “Right Place Wrong Time,” funked the place up. The Dr. John New Orleans keyboard funk featured Disco Biscuits’ Aron Magner for the first time of the night.

The night was getting feisty, and many in the audience mentioned the next song as one of their favorites of the night. It was “Touch Me, I’m Going to Scream” by My Morning Jacket. Jonah Wisneski leveled the difficult Jim James vocals, while Disco Biscuits’ drummer Allen Aucoin came on stage for this and stayed until the end of the set.

I was really interested in how this live band was going to play “Paper Planes” by my number one celebrity crush, M.I.A. Ashley Niven did a terrific job while the band tried to imitate the back beats and sound effects. Marc Brownstein from the Disco Biscuits and guitarist Jordan Linit from Analog Son was featured on this plus the epic conclusion of the first set with the very big “Home” by Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros. It was almost better than the original band’s rendition from the ARISE Music Festival this past summer.

The second set started with Blake Mobley singing “Hearts on Fire” with Niven and all of the Biscuit members. The hip hop segment electrified the venue next including Dr. Dre’s “Let Me Ride,” Biggie’s “Mo Money Mo Problems,” Outkast’s “SpottieOttieDopalicious,” and Fabolous’ “Breathe.” Rappers Jeff Prah, Adam Lufkin, and SUCH stepped up big time to perform these songs.

After, rock and soul came in heavy with Jimi Hendrix’s “Machine Gun” and “Groove Me” with guitar chops exchanged by Roberts and Dumm.  The smooth and soulful voices of the ladies SUCH, Jenny Anderson, and Aubrie Hambrick got the dance floor going hard for “Everywhere” and “Fame” and “PYT.”

The Fox Street fellas rocked with friends to ZZ Top’s “Sharp Dressed Man” and Huey Lewis’ “I Want a New Drug.”  Finally, the house was brought down by the final two songs of the night. The last song of the set was “Making Flippy Floppy” by Talking Heads, to which Adam Lufkin ignited the audience while Brownstein, Magner, Aucoin, Blake, and Salken had so much fun musically.

The encore was the Who’s “Eminence Front.” The drum combination of Fox Street’s Eric Low and Allen Aucoin is something to see. Together with Linit and Wisneski on guitar, this song closed one of the most successful all-star jams of our time. J2G’s productions get better and better and build more connections and steam in the music industry every time they produce these events. The next one here in Denver will be in March, and if you love the decade of the 1990’s music then don’t miss Revenge of the 90’s.