30 Dec Opera House: Elephant Revival Returns to Town
The Sheridan Arts Foundation‘s 2013 Holiday Concert Series wraps with an encore performance by Elephant Revival, with opening support by the Shook Twins of Portland, Oregon. The shows, yes two, take place Friday, January 3, and Saturday, January 4. Doors at 8 p.m.; curtain up at 8:30 p.m.
I first heard Elephant Revival over the radio one frozen morning on my way to work. The day had started out grey, an unforgiving winter’s dawn, as if the change of season had sucked all the colors from the valley floor overnight. But when Daniel Rodriguez’s voice seeped through the airwaves, singing about dream webs, tongues, and hearts, something inside me woke up. It was, quite literally, like a hit of a strong opiate for my soul. Maybe there is hope, I thought to myself, for juiciness in my life – even in the dead of winter in Colorado.
If you haven’t heard Elephant Revival yet, imagine a funky bluegrass mix-up of Damien Rice meets Band of Horses playing with Fleet Foxes. The band is comprised of five singers and songwriters: Bonnie Paine (vocals, washboard, djembe, musical saw), Sage Cook (electric banjo/guitar, acoustic guitar, mandolin, viola, vocals), Dango Rose (double-bass, mandolin, banjo, vocals), Daniel Rodriguez (acoustic guitar, electric banjo/guitar vocals) and Bridget Law (fiddle and vocals). Individually and collectively, the band members have worked with some of the most iconic performers of our time from Bela Fleck to Michael Franti, Little Feat, Yonder Mountain String Band, George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic.
The band, which hails from Nederland, Colorado, got together seven years ago, a group, explained Dango Rose, “that was highly intentional at its inception.” Elephant Revival plays a unique blend of original folk tunes, Scottish/Celtic fiddle tunes, traditional ballads, psychedelic country, indie rock, reggae, 40s/50s jazz standards, even hip hop. Friends and fans around Boulder/Ned describe Elephant Revival’s sound as “Transcendental Folk,” shorthand for a rainbow of sonic colors. I describe it as medicine for the soul.
Be warned, Elephant Revival will sell out. I made the mistake of waiting until the last minute to purchase tickets to their last show in Durango and was too late. (Luckily, the band did an encore set, opening the doors to more fans thirsting for their sound.
Order tickets, $25 general admission NOW right here: http://www.sheridanoperahouse.com/events
And for more about the band, click the “play” button and listen to Katie Clancy’s interview with Dango.
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