Sleigh Bells Bring Sonic Mayhem and Sincere Fan Love to Summit Music Hall

Photos: Gerardo Federico

There’s just something magnetic about bands that hail from the Empire State. Over the years, I’ve covered some of New York’s finest exports—Phantogram, Joywave, Cults—each bringing their own distinct flavor and flair. But without question, the loudest, most electrifying of them all is the explosive duo known as Sleigh Bells, made up of the inimitable vocalist Alexis Krauss and guitar-slinging producer Derek E. Miller. They’ve carved out a unique space in the alt-noise pop scene, blasting through genres with reckless abandon—and a whole lot of volume.

Now five albums deep, Sleigh Bells just added their latest record to the heap, Bunky Becky Birthday Boy, and it’s every bit as bold and chaotic as their breakout Treats or my personal favorite, Reign of Terror. But before they were regulars on my playlists, I discovered them thanks to a friend back in 2012. I was planning to catch a Cults show here in Denver and asked if he wanted to come. He politely declined, saying he was saving his energy for the next night—Sleigh Bells at the Ogden. I’d never heard of them. Curious, I Googled the name, landed on their Saturday Night Live performance of “Comeback Kid” and “End of the Line,” and within minutes, I got it. High-octane energy, wall-of-sound guitar work, and the raw charisma between Krauss and Miller had me hooked.

So naturally, after my shift ended at 10:30 that night, I raced to the Ogden, snagged a last-minute ticket, and caught the show. What I walked into was a full-blown sonic assault—rows of stacked Marshall amps, a sea of hyped-up fans, and a duo ready to blow the roof off. When Miller launched into the growling intro of “Demons,” and Krauss burst through the curtains flipping hair and commanding the stage like a punk rock cheerleader from hell, I knew I was witnessing something unforgettable.

Fast forward to 2025, and I had a much clearer idea of what I was walking into when Sleigh Bells returned to Denver’s Summit Music Hall—but even so, they still managed to surprise and overwhelm in the best possible way. The crowd was as diverse as ever—young kids singing along with their parents, Gen Z fans who’d found the band through streaming rabbit holes, and longtime diehards screaming every lyric like it was 2008 again.

They opened the set with a high-voltage mix of both old and new material, including fan favorites like “Infinity Guitars,” “Riot Rhythm,” “A/B Machines,” and, of course, their enduring hit “Rill Rill.” From the jump, the room was pulsing with energy. Miller shredded with mechanical precision, and Krauss did what she does best—launching herself into the crowd, climbing up onto the front rail, making direct eye contact with fans, and pulling everyone deeper into the chaos.

The highlight of the night came during “Rill Rill,” when Krauss once again scaled the front barricade, disappearing into the audience mid-song. Mic in hand, she passed it to fans who sang right along with her, creating an unfiltered, communal moment that blurred the line between stage and pit. You don’t just watch Sleigh Bells—you join them.

Another unforgettable moment came when they tore into “Crown on the Ground.” As the song reached its climax, Krauss hurled herself into the sea of fans, who eagerly held her up, crowd-surfing her across Summit’s floor with nothing but adrenaline and admiration to guide her safely back to the stage. It was messy, euphoric, and totally them—a perfect crescendo to a night built on noise and connection.

But what truly sets Sleigh Bells apart, beyond the bombast and the distortion, is their genuine love for their fans. After the amps were unplugged and the house lights came up, Krauss and Miller came out to the merch area—not just for a few quick selfies and signatures, but to talk. They took the time to listen to fans share stories about discovering the band, about how the music inspired them, lifted them, carried them through hard times. And they responded with warmth, authenticity, and zero rockstar ego. In a world where artists often rush off to the next city, it was a refreshing reminder that some bands still care deeply about the people who keep them going.

Sleigh Bells aren’t just noise-pop pioneers—they’re performers who give everything onstage and still have something left to give after the show ends. The Summit Music Hall set proved once again that Alexis Krauss and Derek E. Miller are masters of chaos, but they’re also masters of connection. And in that sweaty, deafening room in Denver, the noise never sounded sweeter.