Orebolo – December 14th – Boulder Theater

Orebolo, the acoustic offshoot of the wildly popular jamband Goose, set up shop at the Boulder Theater last Wednesday and left the capacity crowd in awe. Featuring Rick Mitarotonda and Peter Anspach on guitars and Jeff Arevalo on stand-up bass, the trio presented stripped down versions of Goose songs with a focus on intricate guitar interplay between the two stellar players. The crowd was full of rabid fans, with the line forming hours before the doors opened.

This was the third and final night of Orebolo’s Colorado tour, which led up to Goose’s annual “Goosemas” festivities, set to take place outside of Connecticut for the first time at The 1stBank Center over the weekend. The band opened with “Arrow” and segued into the traditional “Greensleeves” before performing a cover of Bob Dylan’s “Shelter from the Storm.” The capacity crowd was already captivated and the night was just getting started.

The first set was filled with staples of Goose setlists, including “Honeybee,” “Look Out Cleveland” by The Band, “Dim Lights,” “Animal,” and a rousing “Rockdale” that closed out the first set. They even served up a tender cover of traditional “Peggy-O.” The energy in the room was electric and the crowd was clearly enjoying the stripped-down versions of their favorite songs.

The second set showcased another healthy dose of Goose gems, including a wild version of “SOS” that featured a high energy jam, the sought after “Seekers on the Ridge,” “Creatures,” and the hypnotic “Dripfield.” The crowd was on their feet for the entire set, singing and dancing along to the jams. After a brief break, the night ended with the pairing of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” followed by a rousing “US Blues” sing-along to close out the evening.

If you are a fan of Goose, or just great acoustic music, then you don’t want to miss Orebolo. The musicianship is top-notch, the arrangements are creative, and the energy of the performance is contagious. The next time these guys are in town, be sure to grab your tickets and experience the magic for yourself.