Pretty Lights sells out: Tickets long gone for Front Range tour (VIDEO)

Pretty Lights is becoming one of Colorado's prime musical exports -- and re-writing the music industry playbook in the process.

That's why Pretty Lights' founder Derek Smith decided to play a string of shows in Colorado this week. The electro artist wanted to create a unique experience for his fans, so the concert run features unusual multiple-venue pairings in Boulder and Denver.

The sold-out mini-tour runs Tuesday through March 13, hitting both the Fox and Boulder theaters in Boulder, the Ogden Theatre in Denver, the Gothic Theatre in Englewood and the Aggie Theatre in Fort Collins.

"Our last run of Colorado shows was very successful, but they sold out and a lot of people didn't get to go," Smith said. "I was told I should play the Fillmore and that sat on my mind. I was anxious about the size of the venue -- I didn't want people walking away not having a small-venue experience.

"I made the decision to do all the shows based on my experience as a music lover. The promoters said it sounded kind of weird, but I wanted the fans to have that intimacy and sound quality."

And

Derek Smith, aka Pretty Lights

Sound and vision

Smith had a musical and artistic vision when he created Pretty Lights.

The Fort Collins artist wanted to create a fresh take on electronic music, and then add lights and visual media to the performances. Smith dreamed of creating a multi-sensory experience for his audiences.

"I started out playing in bands, but as I grew up, more technology became available that I could use to make music," Smith said. "Slowly I started fusing all these styles of music to create something new and fresh.

"From the beginning, I always wanted to fuse some kind of soul into the electronic music. I wanted the music to have emotion and be powerful, and I wanted to combine cutting-edge elements to make the music organic and soulful."

Along the way, Smith developed the experiential elements of his shows. Pretty Lights' 2009 concert on the University of Colorado's Farrand Field featured multi-textured, electro music that was punctuated by a non-stop array of lights and video art.

"I've always wanted to set my concerts apart and make them an experience," Smith said. "That's why we have a massive light show and all the visuals. The idea is to create a completely new experience where concertgoers can escape for a few hours."

Pushing boundaries

Pretty Lights is also raising the bar when it comes to creating new electronic music.

"I feel like I'm really finding my voice and I'm trying to push the boundaries," Smith said. "I'm taking the music further with synthesizers, sound design and musical soundscapes. I'm trying to make more complex and sophisticated music -- I want to stay away from trends or fads.

"My goal is to make modern, cutting edge and timeless music. I want Pretty Lights' music to still be fresh years from now."

From the start, Smith gave away his music via the Internet. Pretty Lights just released a new EP this week -- and yes, it's free.

"When I first decided to do this, no one knew who I was," Smith said. "I thought it was the most efficient way to get music into as many stereos as possible. Now I have an extremely loyal fanbase. They respect and appreciate that we do this, and in return they always come to the shows. It's mutual respect."

Pretty Lights will release three EPs in 2010 and the music will be studio fresh.

"I had to adapt," Smith said. "Before, I could spend a year working on the music, but now I have a hectic schedule. That's why I decided to release each EP before people hear it live.

"This is a new idea, because people will immediately be able to buy music while its still fresh."

Big plans

Pretty Lights' career has taken off at meteoric speed, so Smith's been adapting to the changes

The act now features Cory Eberhard on drums to add an extra punch to the beats. In addition, Pretty Lights is now signed to Dave Matthews' Red Light Management.

"We're planning to go over to Europe multiple times a year, and go to Australia and Japan," Smith said. "It's kind of exciting to be more of a global act. The most exiting thing is that more people are aware of Pretty Lights. That's what I really wanted from the beginning."

Pretty Lights is also gaining clout in the music industry and that's letting Smith call some interesting shots. The Colorado run of shows is a case in point.

"It was my idea to do more shows in the same city," Smith said. "Now we've sold almost 2,000 more tickets than if we had just played the Fillmore. Honestly, I was surprised when they sold out this quick.

"We're going to keep these shows intimate, and I want it to come together to make each night a special experience. There will mainly be different sets and different versions of songs -- and there will definitely be a different energy every night."

Pretty Lights has become one of Colorado's fastest-rising acts, but Smith prefers to keep a level head.

"It's nice making a comfortable living, but now my life is going non-stop," Smith said. "The biggest thing is balancing business and creativity. I really want to stay connected with what other artists are doing, keep touring and develop my own record label.

"This ride has been awesome and something I dreamed about since I was in eighth grade. If you want something bad enough, you can make it happen."