Concert Review: Big Wild kicks off his “Wild Child” tour in Nashville

By: Dylan Basden

Big Wild kicks off his “Wild Child” tour at Nashville’s Marathon Music Works, his first show in the Music City in six years.

Big Wild, the creative outlet for singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Jackson Stell, is fresh off the release of his fourth studio album, Wild Child, and eager to stay at the top of minds. Not one to stay complacent, Stell continues to blend elements of pop, indie rock, and hip-hop into his signature flavor of electronic music. Big Wild can be a hard project to pin down with Wild Child continuing that theme, but that doesn’t seem to stop the 5-tme Red Rocks headliner. 

Despite only two shows in 2024, Stell hasn’t missed a beat. Walking out of a dazzling displace of lights, Big Wild takes center stage. Flanked by keys and a standing drum kit, Stell makes it clear this isn’t a run of the mill electronic show, he takes pride in the live performance. Further to stage left and stage right sit a drummer and guitarist, cementing this fact. It’s an exciting proposition, shying away from the protection of a DJ deck and tracks, but one that certainly seems to pay off.

Big Wild is an apt name. Jackson, much to his credit, likely knew this when he picked it, but between the bombast of “Too Loud” and danceability of “Joypunks,” it seems he’s lived up to it. Complimenting the music here is the stage production, backed by a large arch of lights and neon caricatures and designs, the show felt the part. Likewise, Stell has no problem taking on the spotlight as he bounces between stations, notably during his cajon solo on the edge of the stage. 

Having first caught Big Wild in a festival setting back in 2023, I was eager going into this show to see how he’d handle a headline show. Wonder no more, as I can firmly say it is a party worth attending. Energetic, creative, and downright fun, Big Wild has really set the tone for how to bring electronic and electronic-adjacent music to life. For fans of live music looking to dip their toes into the EDM space, I can think of no better show to start with than Big Wild.

There are still a plethora of opportunities to catch Big Wild live and in person this fall. You can check out his remaining dates below or on his website here. https://bigwildmusic.com

September 5 – Atlanta, GA – The Eastern

September 6 – Charlotte, NC – The Fillmore

September 8 – Richmond, VA – The National

September 9 – Philadelphia, PA – Union Transfer

September 11 – Washington, DC– Echostage

September 12 – Brooklyn, NY – Avant Gardner

September 13 – Boston, MA – House of Blues

September 15 – Portland, ME – State Theatre

September 16 – Toronto, N – The Danforth Music Hall

September 18 – Detroit, MI – Royal Oak Music Theatre

September 19 – Chicago, IL – Salt Shed

September 20 – Madison, WI – The Sylvee

September 23 – Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue

September 24 – Kansas City, MO – The Truman

September 25 – Boulder, CO – Boulder Theater

September 26 – Vail, CO – Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater

September 27 – Denver, CO – Mission Ballroom

September 30 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Complex

October 2 – Sacramento, CA – Channel 24

October 3 – Berkeley, CA – Greek Theatre

October 4 – Los Angeles, CA – The Wiltern

October 5 – San Diego, CA – The Sound

October 7 – Boise, ID – Knitting Factory

October 9 – Seattle, WA – Showbox SoDo

October 11 – Portland, OR – Edgefield Concerts on the Lawn

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View the full gallery here.