There’s nothing quite like the pulse through your bones that only ever happens in the presence of a well-mic’ed bass.
And whether it’s that pulse, the steadfast environmentalism, or the contagious stomp-and-sway characteristic of Mountain Folk, any experience involving Elephant Revival turns into a spiritual awakening unlike any other.
On December 9, 2016, Elephant Revival and their opener, Gipsy Moon, came to town and brought down the house at the iconic Aggie Theater.
Gipsy Moon, a local, budding folk group enjoyed a near-packed house for the sold out show. And true to their name, they offered a seductive blend of the very best of folk and gypsy music. Bright screams and cheers would periodically burst out from the crowd. A mind-blowing mandolin performance, followed by one hell of a cello solo, rounded out by the confluence of drums and a rising voice all guided by the steady presence of a stand up bass…can there be anything better than that? And in a space like what The Aggie offers, the answer is always no.
Yet, what was unexpected for this concert was the honor of listening to The Plentywolf Singers, a traditional Lakota drum group from Denver. The elder of the group announced that he had just arrived from Standing Rock and was met with raucous enthusiasm and support. And if the atmosphere and intention of an Elephant Revival concert was not yet obvious, it became clear as the Singers performed to the silent, attentive crowd.
And finally, what everyone had lined up for, Elephant Revival took the stage with popular hits like “Ring Around the Moon”, “Sing To The Mountain” (which is always delightfully met with regular fans howling like wolves to the moon). It didn’t take much time for the entire house to begin that stomp-and-sway as inhibitions melted away collectively. That only furthered when Elephant Revival brought on Gipsy Moon to perform “Grace Of a Woman” together. The popular hit (and my personal favorite), without fail, causes a rise in cheers and sing-alongs from the audience, making it perfect to perform with other bands.
And if anyone had bothered to pay attention to others in the crowd, they’d have seen the best part about Elephant Revival. You see, wherever they go and whomever they attract, Elephant Revival exudes a truthful, honest message. That message can resonate with anyone. Elephant Revival doesn’t care if you wear a suit and tie, if you are covered in tattoos, or if you don a sequined fedora. If you want to howl like a wolf, if you want to dance like no one is watching, and you don’t mind songs about water, mother nature, whiskey, or the power in a good relationship…well then there’s always a spot for you in their crowd.
The performance continued into the next day just after midnight, but not before Elephant Revival chose yet another group to feature and share with us. The Frequent Flyers, a circus group out of Boulder, made a gorgeous stage appearance with a ring stunt.
Two talented folk groups, a healthy dose of native american music, and a circus? All in all, a more solid Friday night could not have been found anywhere else in The Choice City.
If you ever have the chance to experience Elephant Revival and join their family of fans, do it.
A big thank you to Cody Sun from Sunny Side Production for the lovely photos.