If you’ve ever wondered what would’ve happened if Glen Campbell had gotten really into rave and jam band culture (Editor’s note: same), your wait is finally over thanks to Lotus‘ “Rodeo Rave” set from Summerdance. At the band’s annual Labor Day Weekend getaway in beautiful Garrettsville, OH, the veteran jamtronic act reconfigured country classics and Spaghetti Western soundtracks with its own blend of highly improvised electronic dance music.
Audiences were warned ahead of time about the “Rodeo Rave” set—as well as the following night’s “Color Spectrum” performance—and came dressed the part. Cowboy hats dotted the beachside crowd at Midwestern festival jewel Nelson Ledges Quarry Park, with many, including the band, opting for a more Man In Black aesthetic rather than Pink Pony Club.
A synth-y remix of the title theme from Enzo G. Castellari‘s 1967 Spaghetti Western Any Gun Can Play started the set on a classic note, ahead of what was quite possibly the crowning achievement of the adventurous theme: a mashup of Lotus’ “Move Too Fast” with Glen Campbell’s “Rhinestone Cowboy”. As the house lights blared with the line, “But I’m gonna be where the lights are shinin’ on me,” they illuminated a sea of smiles clad in rhinestones, denim, and fringes, setting the tone for the next 80 minutes of music.
Related: Lotus Recruits Dopapod’s Rob Compa For Blur Throwback At Summerdance [Watch]
Lotus lassoed a wide range of country, twang, and Western for the “Rodeo Rave” set, including cringey pop-country like Trace Adkins‘ “Honky Tonk Badonkadonk” and Big & Rich‘s “Save a Horse”, made delightfully playful by copious synths, incessant disco rhythms, and distorted vocal samples. Guitarist Tim Palmieri even took a turn at vocals for a plain-spoken reading of Kris Kristofferson‘s “The Pilgrim”, the song itself a tribute to country legends Johnny Cash, Jerry Jeff Walker, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, and the influential Chris Gentry.
To close the “Rodeo Rave”, Lotus found a way to combine all of the elements of the performance. It was a tribute to a country icon, it was equal parts goofy and sincere, it was irresistibly danceable: it was Dolly Parton‘s “9 to 5”, with Sugar Nova’s Rachel Eisenstat on vocals.
Check out pro-shot footage of the entire Lotus “Rodeo Rave” set. Click below for the timestamped setlist. The band has a swing of Midwestern tour dates in November before boarding Jam Cruise 22 in February 2026. Find tickets and tour dates on Lotus’ website.
Lotus — Rodeo Rave — Summerdance — Garrettsville, OH — 8/30/25 — Full Set
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