The Austin-based artist returned to Denver on his Filters US Tour.

Upon entering Bluebird Theater for Bayonne’s show, audience members could purchase typical merchandise like T-shirts and records. However, there was also a display of the music artist’s own hot sauce brand: Bitchin’ Bayonne.

He loves spicy food and always wanted to create his own hot sauces, according to an interview with AMNY. His manager loved the idea as a novelty merch item, so fans could walk away from his show with their own bottle of mango pineapple hot sauce, courtesy of one of their favorite music artists.

Roger Sellers, who goes by the artist moniker Bayonne, creates experimental avant-pop and electronic music. He released his latest album Filters in September, untangling the grief of his father’s death. The Austin-based artist was in Denver on Nov. 11 as part of his Filters US Tour.

Bayonne performs at Denver’s Bluebird Theater Nov. 11. | Photo: Maddie Browning

A late start

Bayonne hit the stage 17 minutes late, but he quickly enraptured the audience. A light cinematic score with booming reverb played as “Bayonne” flashed on a large screen with amorphous blue membranes flowing into one another. Glowing alien-green light sticks pulsed across the stage as he sang “Unexpected,” a floating track about making peace with the unknown. His vocals lived in the relaxed, psychedelic world of Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker.

Sponsored

Audience members could peek behind the curtain of his creative process. He brought drummer and longtime collaborator Matt Toman on tour, but Bayonne played the keys, synthesizers, guitar and additional percussion, using looping technology to build each soundscape. It was intriguing to watch his compositional process unfold onstage.

He wore all white from his T-shirt to his sneakers, which allowed him to be a blank canvas for his art. His set was filled with dreamy visuals — from a silhouette of Bayonne walking in place amid swooping rainbows to a collection of short videos of sea creatures, fireworks, bodies of water and refracting sunlight.

On “Good Enough,” Bayonne explored ’80s synth-pop sounds that leaned into a dizzying nostalgia. Under pink lights, aggressive bass distorted soft keys on “I Know.”

A dream venue

“I’ve played here a bunch. Always with other bands, though,” Bayonne said of Bluebird Theater. “To have you guys in front of me is a dream come true, so thank you guys.”

When he focused on the music, Bayonne was in his element, dancing around and nodding to the beat. Between songs, he seemed a little less comfortable trying to figure out what to say. Anticipating the awkwardness of tuning his guitar, he played 007 music and screened visuals of a video game.

Bayonne tripped up a couple of times starting different songs. “We’ve only been on tour for like two months,” he joked.

During “Oxygen,” the light sticks onstage flashed in a rainbow of colors as a vibrant orb spun onscreen. Bayonne said he was pleasantly surprised to see people dancing along because audiences typically just stand there.

The crowd was rowdy throughout. People consistently yelled song requests and thoughts about Bayonne, but he handled the disruptions gracefully.

Bayonne’s music creates a psychedelic clubbing atmosphere that didn’t fully align with the energy of the audience. However, he committed to his craft and delivered an impressive performance.