For Josh Teed, the road to Mishawaka Amphitheatre has been seven years in the making. On August 14, he will bring one of his most ambitious visions yet to life, transforming his cinematic approach to bass music into a fully immersive live experience backed by a chamber orchestra of strings, horns, keys, choir, drums, and more. But the night represents far more than another stop on the calendar. Alongside an entirely new production, exclusive merch, and a forthcoming collaborative EP born from the show itself, Teed is treating Mishawaka as both the culmination of everything he’s built so far and the beginning of whatever comes next.
Ahead of the performance, we caught up with Teed to unpack the years-long vision behind the show, the challenge of bringing a chamber orchestra into the world of bass music, and the collaborative EP it inspired. He gives us a glimpse into a night built to be more than a concert, one meant to stick with you long after the final note.
In Conversation with Josh Teed
seradopa: In your recent post, you said this show feels like the culmination of seven years of work. What makes this moment different from every milestone that came before it?
Josh Teed: This is the first time that I’ve ever had the chance to share my music in the way that I’ve dreamed of it being presented, with a large-scale live accompaniment! Ever since my album Recurring Dreams, I’ve been writing a good portion of my tracks with the intent of performing them in this exact setting. Over the last few years, I’ve gotten to perform a few live ensemble shows with groups of three and four, but this is the first time I’ve ever been able to bring any form of orchestra to the stage, even if it’s a smaller nine-person group!
I’m still an underground artist in the grand scheme of things, and while I’m both lucky and grateful to have made as much of a career in music as I have, I’m by no stretch a headline tier artist pulling in five-figure bookings for shows. The level I’m currently at doesn’t really afford the necessary resources to try and bring something of this scale to life. So having the chance to put this show together, and to share my work with people in the way that it was always meant to be presented? It’s the biggest opportunity that’s ever come my way, and I want to do it justice.
seradopa: You’ve mentioned dreaming about performing your music with a live chamber orchestra. Where did that vision originally come from? Was there a concert, composer, or artist that planted that seed years ago?
Josh Teed: The vision stems from a childhood of playing music with large groups, whether it was in orchestra, or with big bluegrass and Celtic jam nights, it was a constant for pretty much the first twenty years of my life. There’s a particular level of synergy that comes from a group of people playing music together that’s impossible to replicate any other way. I feel like it’s not something that happens all that often in the electronic music realm, so I’m excited for people to be able to experience that synergy live!
seradopa: Organizing an eight-person chamber orchestra isn’t something electronic artists typically take on. How did you even begin putting that together?
Josh Teed: I’ve been lucky enough to cross paths with some amazing musicians in every corner of the country over the years. Months ago when this show became a reality, I started reaching out to a handful of them whom I thought would mesh perfectly for this project. Once we had our group in place, I started holding one-on-one Zoom meetings with each person to work through their individual parts.
There were a few parameters around what I was looking for. First and foremost, I wanted people on board who were comfortable going off the script and bringing creativity to their playing. There’s a good level of direction to everyone’s parts, but it’s not written out in sheet music. I feel like the magic really happens when people have a little room to play around and get expressive, so I wanted to plan the set out in a way that leaves room for that.
The second parameter was to cover the spectrum of instruments that I use the most in my composition: strings, keys, horns, and choir. We were able to do that and then some! The full group consists of violin, cello, harp, horns, keys, choir, and drums.
seradopa: When arranging your catalog for live strings and chamber instrumentation, were there songs that surprised you once they were translated into that setting?
Josh Teed: So the one drawback to having people in every corner of the country involved, is that we haven’t really had the chance to hear how it all sounds together until the week of the show.
We’ve got the whole crew coming into Denver the day prior to the show for a good rehearsal session.
If any tracks are going to jump out, that’ll be when we know. The anticipation of hearing everything together has been a crazy feeling!
seradopa: As someone who’s used to performing alongside DJs and producers, what has it been like stepping into more of a conductor or musical director role?
Josh Teed: It’s been a great time, and an even greater learning experience. Performing with other dj/producers is always awesome, and it makes up some of my favorite memories on stage, but it can simultaneously be a bit of a challenge sometimes! The pocket of music that I’ve found myself in can tend to be more sound design-centric than melodically focused, so some of my music can be hard to blend well with other artists.
I love the sound design process, and I’ve got a good chunk of music that is heavier towards that side, but I just love the melodic composition more, so that’s where I tend to place most of my focus. I’ve noticed that I feel a bit more in my element creatively when it comes to working with other musicians. This has also been a great opportunity to learn about technique with things that I’m not well-versed in, like harp and choir, from people who are masters of their craft. It’s been very fun!
seradopa: Mishawaka Amphitheatre has such a unique energy compared to traditional venues. Why did this feel like the perfect place to bring this vision to life?
Josh Teed: You said it best, the energy at the Mish is just different. From the history of the place (worth looking up if you get the chance), to the beautiful setting in between the mountains on a river, it’s incomparable to pretty much any other venue out there. It also hosts a lot of jam groups, so I know that running sound for a larger group like this will be more within their wheelhouse than would be the case with a lot of other electronic music-forward venues.
seradopa: From the outside, this feels much bigger than a concert, it almost feels like you’re inviting people into your world for one night. Was that intentional from the beginning?
Josh Teed: It was! I’ve always been big on the storytelling element of things, and I want people to feel immersed in the experience at this show.
seradopa: Beyond the music, you’ve built exclusive merch, an entirely new production, and this collaborative EP. Why was it important that every piece contribute to one cohesive experience?
Josh Teed: It felt extra important because, as I mentioned before, I’m not a big headline-tier artist. While artists on that upper level have plenty of events where they can build out cohesive, curated experiences like this, that’s not often been the case for me. So when opportunity comes knocking, I’ve got to answer as emphatically as I can. If I give it any less than my all, I just know that I would walk away regretting it.
seradopa: Is there a moment in the set that you’re simultaneously most excited for and most nervous about?
Josh Teed: Honestly, there’s nothing I’m nervous about for the set in particular! I’m just excited to hear everything finally come together live after all the prep that’s gone into this!
seradopa: When everyone’s walking back to their cars and driving through the canyon after the show, what do you hope they’re carrying home with them emotionally?
Josh Teed: I just hope that people leave with their proverbial cups absolutely brimming. I want to give everyone a show that they’ll be able to look back on in twenty years and remember exactly how it felt when they were there. Music sticks with us longer than just about anything, and to give someone memories that bring them lasting joy for life is a special thing, and I hope we can do just that!
seradopa: This show also doubles as the release celebration for a brand-new collaborative EP. Did the EP grow out of the concert, or did the concert grow out of the music?
Josh Teed: The EP very much came out of the show. Once we were able to get the lineup locked in, I couldn’t stop thinking how fun it would be to write some music with the artists on it! It was a tighter timeline than I would normally put myself under for a project like this, but I couldn’t be more excited with how it came out! The blend of everyone’s sounds is awesome to hear together. The full thing will come out two weeks after the show.
seradopa: The collaborators—Kara Levchenko, Absnt, Confidon, shmani, and shockface—all bring very different musical identities. What made each of them the right fit for this project?
Josh Teed: They’re all uniquely skilled in their own right, but there’s enough middle ground between what we do, that it makes for a cohesive blend! With Kara’s vocal range as well, I know that I can send anything her way and she’ll do a great job with it.
seradopa: Without giving too much away, which collaboration are you most excited for people to experience live?
Josh Teed: “Better Off,” with shmani! We’ve got something special planned for that one.
seradopa: Every project tends to capture a chapter in an artist’s life. What chapter does this EP represent for you?
Josh Teed: That’s true whether you’re writing the music to be particularly reflective of that chapter or not. This EP was about creating with the other artists involved more than it was meant to capture this chapter of life, but to me, it will forever be tied to this period of time where I’ve been putting everything into getting ready for Mishawaka!
seradopa: You called this a culmination, but it also feels like a beginning. After accomplishing something you’ve dreamed about for years, where do you see Josh Teed going next?
Josh Teed: It’s definitely the start of a new chapter. I had a long-standing goals list that involved touring overseas, playing Red Rocks, and putting together an orchestra show. With everything checked off, I think I’m due for a good period of reflection on everything that’s happened the last few years, and planning for what comes next, because I’m honestly not too sure myself!
I’m definitely at a point where I don’t have interest anymore in playing shows just for the sake of playing shows. I want to be more particular about mostly taking on projects that I feel like I can really pour my creative focus into. I’m still in the process of working on the Tides of Change novel, which goes hand in hand with my most recent album, so that’s my next immediate goal for after this show!
seradopa: If someone is still on the fence about making the trip to Mishawaka, what would you tell them about this night that they simply won’t be able to experience anywhere else?
Josh Teed: It’s a whole dang chamber orchestra playing bass music at one of the most beautiful, intimate venues in the country! How often do you get the chance to see something like this?
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