Elephant Revival – February 18th – Stage Stop

Estimated read time 4 min read

Elephant Revival 2015

The Scene: There at Stage Stop, up nearly 30 miles from the city of Boulder on a frigid Wednesday night, we were bundled up and shoulder-to-shoulder hearing, feeling and living the sweet sounds of local heros Elephant Revival.  As I learned on Wednesday, the group started in that exact spot some eight years ago, and once again began their newest chapter at this familiar venue with their newest member; banjo-slaying Charlie Rose.

The people there on Wednesday, for the most part, were local, mountain town folk.  It was a chilling 20-something degrees outside, surrounded by snow-packed mountains, but inside our blood was pumping and our love was flowing like the nearby creek running down the mountainside.

Elephant Revival: Dubbed the “secret show,” only heard about via word of mouth or through extremely vague posters hung throughout the area, the room was unexpectedly, though not surprisingly, jam-packed.  Lit only by the holiday lights hung throughout the upstairs of the venue, the setting was the most intimate performance I’ve ever seen by a mid-sized, fairly well known band.  It seemed the turnout was unexpected, with singer Bonnie Paine expressing her surprise over the large audience that had gathered before the stage.

Despite the size of the audience, Elephant Revival treated the show casually, debuting many new songs and declaring the performance as more of a “life rehearsal,” surrounded by the undying support of fans and loved ones.

The set list for the night boasted old songs, new songs, and songs that had not yet even graced fans’ ears.  Throughout their performance, band members were their usual humble selves, totally disproportionately so in comparison to their monumental talents. First set included goodies like “Lexington,” boasting Bridget Law on the fiddle, “Birds and Stars,” “A’part” and “What is That?”  We were treated to unreleased tracks such as “The Garden” and “You’re Alright,” and to the closer of the second set, a beautiful a cappella song of Bonnie’s titled “Release.”

During set break, local singer/songwriter Kevin Watson served up a “tweener” set, which says so much about this “show.”  It was about love, family, and it was so friendly.  Simply put, no Wednesday night has ever been that spontaneously joyful.

As even more folks filed in for the second set, I noticed other local musicians in the crowd, and it was a great feeling to be rubbing shoulders with members of bands like Gipsy Moon and Caribou Mountain Collective as they proved that the camaraderie of these Rocky Mountain/Front Range groups are stronger than ever.

The second set consisted of what a friend, and diehard fan, described as “heavy hitters” like “Sing For the Mountains,” “Every Stone” and “Drop.”  As was fitting, we were also treated to “Jet Lag Blues;” a tune that references the very venue we were drinkin’, dancin’ and stompin’ in.

The band generously gave us a multiple-song encore, including “Grace of A Woman” and “Rogue River,” as we romped into Thursday morning, rocking the Stage Stop and keeping warm and cozy aside the snowy, mountainous backdrop.

As a friend expressed during the night’s performances, it doesn’t matter how many times you’ve seen Elephant Revival play, each time is pure “magic.”  It seemed from very basic observation that her sentiment was the collective one among those in attendance.

There’s nothing quite like the live and local music scene in the Rocky Mountains (and surrounding areas).  From the commercially huge Pepsi Center, to the historically landmarked Red Rocks, to the wooden lodge that makes up Rollinsville’s Stage Stop, us Colorado folk consistently do music right, and Elephant Revival is one beaming example of that fact.

Energy: A
Musicianship: A+
Sound: A+
Stage Presence: A
Set/Light Show: B

Overall: A

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