The Magic Beans step on to the stage and come out swinging with Jabu Jabu’s Belly, the bouncy feel-good tune that the crowd warms up to immediately. Scott Hachey is sporting his notorious smirk and a brand spanking-new guitar, a sexy ‘Singing Mountain” acoustic built of bone and abalone down in Pinecliffe, Colorado. It meshes beautifully with Hunter Welles new Ron Oates' electric mandolin, built right here in Boulder, and together they elect us all into a hip-swinging groove, the certain type of funk that makes you feel like you’re a part of something big. Bringing this symbiotic mentality to all 420 people at the Fox that night, the Magic Beans begin their 100^th show as successful musical messengers to our tight-knit Colorado family.

Speaking of Colorado family, the Beans are local legends for fostering one. When I say my best friends are the Magic Beans, I’m one of hundreds to think so.  Through their music they have enabled a network of conscious individuals to feel at home inside the space of funk they create, and this vibe was tangible on the night of their 100^th show .Their music has awakened many to the Colorado jam scene, and every person present was not only grateful to witness their groove-grass unfold, but felt they had contributed to the all-around activating of this funkified family, now coming full circle from their first ever show over two years ago at the very same theater!

When Scott Hachey, Hunter Welles, and Josh Applebaum got together a few years back they did so with the intention of building a kick-ass “Ameritronica” (read: Americana Electronica) ensemble to pursue their love and obvious talent for music. What they didn’t realize is they’d be building the foundation to unite the jam masses of Boulder, Colorado. They built the band, they built the melodies, and they built a heartfelt family around the entire experience. When Casey “The Love Muscle” Russell came to visit their mountain abode for spring break in 2010 they were snowed-in, began to jam, and he never left. Immediately he stepped in as the Bean’s smooth sailor, effortlessly leading jams as their cool as a cucumber keyboardist, a structure unique to the Magic Beans and something that drew me in right away. From there, the Beans picked up the ferociously fluid drummer Will Trask who, as classy as he looks in a neon turquoise bow tie, is an absolute beast with a bass drum. Will is Boulder’s very own heavy hitter, and has long been known as one of the hardest working young musicians in the area. If you’re lucky enough to be at a show in Colorado, chances are good that Trasky will be popping by to sit in or tweak a tom or two at setbreak. Don’t be fooled, however- Will didn’t get to where he is through his dedication alone. Trasky slays it.

Together they have quilted a vibrant accumulation of rock, improv, bluegrass, and electric funk, and it is this animated aggregation that brings over 400 folks together to celebrate their 100^th show, something they promise “is only the beginning”. After opening with “Jabu Jabu’s Belly”, they debut “Jamboree”, a smooth-hitting crowd pleaser that gets everyone in the groove with a simple yet spirited melody. The middle of the tune boasts a spunky solo from Scott Hachey, whose hair is as long as his tone is strong.  Josh Applebaum on his 5-string Lakland bass guitar keeps it going with his Night at the Roxbury head nod and a beat so alluringly steady he’d make the monotone Mr. Mike Gordon crack a smile. Watching Applebaum play you’d swear the Fox had installed trampolines under the stage… when asked about his invigorating and buoyant stage presence he shrugged and said, “I just go off the crowd”. By the time these magical beans bring out Ryan Jalbert and Garrett Sayers, guitarist and bassist from the Motet, they are entrenched in the classic “Gefiltefunk” .The jam was so smooth-sounding it felt like a family reunion on stage. They round out the first set with a zealously zesty “Adonde”, one of my personal favorites. “Adonde” is an exultation featuring a sexy island-type symphony and long jam-trances, but always walks the crowd home to the whimsically rhythmic chorus, one which we all sing along to. The first-set closer functions as a sort of cloak to bring the crowd together- and the Beans walk off stage once again enabling the growth of our jam-band-family.

Second set begins with a striking surprise, their debuted version of a Led Zeppelin classic “Song Remains the Same”. This provides an example of their diverse capabilities, and as they flow through the second set it becomes more and more apparent. The Magic Beans have the creative capacity to venture into some dark and stormy recesses of a jam and come out the other end into a campy, jubilant groove with a buoyant bounce, often lead by Hunter Welles whose smooth melodic flow tone can be counted on to bring brightness to any groove. During the middle of their second set, in a progression from Mind Over Matter>Bubble Sex> Mind Over Matter, it occurs to me that their level of improvisation is phenomenal across the board. Unlike many jam-bands today, the Magic Beans are able to feature not one, not two, but three lead soloists who are able to confidently take the reins and advance the jam with edge. Whether it’s the guitar, mandolin, or keys, the Beans are fostering community again and again by enabling a variance of direction in which any can take the lead, instead of relying on one dominant dignitary to do the majority of the shredding.

Don’t be fooled- these flannelled fellows are the next big thing this side of the Continental Divide.

Lucky for you, they’re crossing that divide and have just announced their Southbound Train Spring Tour, hitting dozens of spots from Texas to Wyoming, and back to Colorado once again. You can check out the dates here.

Check out more photos from the show.

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03/22/2013 The Fox Theatre, Boulder, CO

Set 1: Jabu Jabu's Belly, Jamboree*,Southbound Train, Gefiltefunk^^, Dying Day, Adonde

Set 2: Song Remain the Same**, The Sound Pt. 1^> Mind Over Matter> Bubble Sex*> Mindover Matter> The Sound Pt.2, SOLID GOLD*$, Who's Crazy!?, Encore: Blackout
*first time played, **Led Zeppelin cover first time played, ^w/Ryan Jalbert, ^^w/Garret Sayers and Ryan Jalbert, $Shakedown Street teases

When Lotus comes to Boulder, Colorado, the streets are just a bit more abuzz. People standing in front of the Boulder Theater are giving off a charge of excitement, and there’s a stimulating, magnetic sense in the air that tells us of what’s to come.

Half of this galvanic charisma is due to the recent debut of their new album, Build, appropriately named to reflect, in my opinion, the constant progression and alteration they present as a band, always adjusting and ever-changing, but based off of a sturdy foundation that allows them to ‘build’ off of their solid structure. These guys are the definition of development- regardless of their established identity as one of the most engrossing ‘jamtronica’ bands touring presently; they are forever progressing and modifying (i.e. BUILDing) to update their sound.

The other half of the electric enthusiasm spurred by their arrival is that Lotus is just a down and dirty dance party. They consistently bring down the house with an eclectic mix of funk, post-rock, and electronica that relies on strong improvisational ties. They have a myriad of different textures with roots dug deep in the live jam scene, incorporating robust melodies peppered with electronic elements. Simply put, these guys throw down- and if you’re looking for a dance party you’ll definitely find one here.

The fact that they are ever-expanding their musical vocabulary may make it difficult to settle upon an agreeable tone and style, but to see them come out to the Boulder Theater in a settled and structural showcase of their expansive range of sounds was a real treat. While many of us (myself included) would have preferred to see them stay a bit more grounded in their groovy and non-assuming jamrock, they have hit the ground running towards the electronic scene. Though many bands have gravitated towards this, it is a statement of their true talent to see that whatever direction Lotus chooses to go (and there have been many- from the super melodic strings and grooves of Nomad to the funkified steady rock and rhythm conveyed in Hammerstrike) they do so with full force, and with flair unique to this Philly family. Lotus teaches us a little something about keeping things fresh, in fact it seems they fear the mundane as they continuously push the envelope to the edge of their musical style, fusing new electric texture with a classic steady groove, so that the result is ever-changing but always Lotus.

Lotus continue to introduce that same funk rock that made us fall in love with them in the first place, even when they drop into their electronic embellishments. This is a gorgeous dichotomy and really defines their sound, which is full and confident and blends miraculously with their complex lighting system (now complete with some kick-ass Rastafarian-colored light boxes on stage) and a sophisticated mixture of frequent improvisation and synth beat style that pushes them forward.

Their Boulder Theater show showcased how well they do with transitions, not only within their own musical realm but across all genres that they so easily incorporate into a jam; they manage to encompass funk, groove, and even whomp within a few measures. While I certainly prefer the old-school Lotus with a transient, ambient rock influence and just a twinge of hard electronica, their current presence is an invigorating showcase of ability with a heavy-hitting percussion and an ever-present steady guitar and bass.

When these Philadelphia natives tear through town, they undoubtedly leave an electric energy in their wake. Those of us who witnessed their jamtronic progress surely can’t wait for them to rip through Colorado again.

Check out more photos from the show.

It’s not rare to walk into Macky Auditorium and feel overwhelmed by its elegance, but walking in to School of Rock playing ‘Black Magic Woman’ in all its sultry splendor on April 6th for the Nomad Theater’s benefit show added a whole new element of allure. These kids could rock it, and seeing such young folk on the stage of an old-time auditorium was a pleasing contrast to the senses. They follow up with ‘Tangerine’, one of my favorite Zeppelin songs, and the little gal guitarist digs a pick out of her size four boot and rocks a solo. Pretty damn cool for a buncha youngins.

The West Water Outlaws come out later in the evening- they’re a rag tag group of boys that sound like a mix between the Black Keys and old blues, but with a guitarist (Blake Rooker) channeling Robert Plant in all his emotional and powerful fury. He’s got a lot of energy and it’s impressive to say the least. They push forward with a mix of old country and rock and roll, they’ve got this really young and fresh enthusiasm mixed with an ardent appreciation for that old-timey music. I dig it- and so can you! They’re coming to the Fox Theater 4/27 and I wouldn’t suggest missing these high energy rock and rollers.

Then what we’ve all been waiting for… a pleasant plethora of strings as different members from Yonder Mountain String Band and the Infamous Stringdusters take the stage. These are all passionate young men engaged in the effort to raise funds for the historical Nomad Theater, which opened in 1952 and is one of Colorado’s oldest venues. After the theater fell on some hard times these mesmeric musicians decided to lend a hand to pluck strum play and raise some funds to keep the Nomad running. There were also silent auction contributions from artists like Jackie Greene and Ani Difranco.

These guys really open up a vibe of community, and with an exclusive few in the crowd it feels like a small get together, neighbors who came to pick. And for a good cause!

When they play “Don’t Ease Me In” they do so vibrantly, and the auditorium is shining. It feels like a bunch of friends, full and genuine. The whole evening feels very graceful...

All in all it was just a feel-good reunion of extremely talented musicians, like a family reunion. Thanks to everyone who came out for the cause- we are stoked to return the Nomad back to its former glory. It’s this conscious Colorado community that makes me grateful to call this place home.

Check out more photos from the show.

Dead Phish Orchestra (DPO) kicks off right with ‘My Friend, My Friend’ opener, they showcase exuberant energy for such a dark song and then burst quite alarmingly in to Casey Jones. This is commonplace for the band, a bizarre mash-up of idyllic songs switching back and forth between Phish and the Grateful Dead.

These guys are ballsy- and they’ve got to be to form a dual cover band of the Grateful Dead and Phish, two cornerstones of the jam band world equipped with the most essential rockstars of the modern world. I’m impressed with the tenacity of DPO and their effective impression of these two linchpin bands. The way they meld the two together is even more arresting. They handpick a great contrast between selected dark and stormy phish tunes and the lighthearted feel good picnic that some grateful dead offers up. DPOs setlist is a careful and conscious bridge between the two extremes, and they choose to highlight these differences articulately. The result is just a kick ass mixture of the raw hardiness, that distinct darkness that Phish running wild brings and the groovy transient ease that the Dead beckons.

Of course they fall a ways short, and in my opinion lack the musical eloquence to pay a solid enough tribute to their intentions. So while their meticulous arrangement of a set is lustrous on paper, they’re just a tad too slow, too lackluster, to execute it fully… but all that seems to change when Tyler Grant joins them on stage. His articulation on the guitar brings DPO, and anyone else I’ve ever witnessed him collaborate with, to a whole new level. Have you ever heard Althea with a country twang!? It’s pretty spectacular. He brings a whole new fullness to the ensemble but with an ease that is grounding, roots you to the ground.

DPO’s Let it Grow > Moma Dance is the best rendition of the night, firey and full and segways smoothly into One More Saturday Night- again a brilliant contrast between what the Dead once breathed life into, and what Phish offers now. The night proceeds to showcase this distinction, flirting coyishly with the line between two genius genres of jam bands (Squirming China Cat Stash… WHAT!?) Again and again we anticipate the antithesis between the rugged yet symphonic side of Phish (think: YEM with Pete Wall of Particle on sax!) and the easy breeze of the Grateful Dead (think: Stella Blue with the vibrant beauty of Phil Johnson of Private Gripweed).

Seeing as the setlist is the draw for any cover band’s performance, I have some meticulous mash-up suggestions for DPO’s next show. Readers, feel free to add some more- it’s a fun road-trip game at the very least J

It must have been the roses are free

American beauty of my dreams

Silent in the morning dew

Alumni blues for Allah

Punch you in the eyes of the world

Slow Train Song

My friend my friend of the devil

Check out more photos from the show.

I had the pleasure of catching this homespun Nederland crew at Quixotes a couple weeks ago. It’s a venue I feel gracious to walk in alone to and find friends of all forms waiting inside. Gipsy Moon adds a whole new arena of affability to the experience. Though they are young, they take on the somber musical sentiment of an ensemble years ahead of their time. They represent an old time classic grass that’s both invigorating and enriching, but in the most laid back of manners.

Off the stage and without their strings, they radiate a certain ease; a mellowness that is almost timid. But when they gather to play, their music takes on a life of their own. It becomes full-bodied, a thing with wings that takes off and flits around the room. You dance and hope to catch it- this rich and resonant creature they have created, light and frothy bluegrass with a heavier than expected rich underbelly of blues. This is the definition of a synergistic band; together Gipsy Moon is greater than the sum of their individual effects.

Their newest member, Andrew Conley adds another hue to Gipsy Moon’s rainbow with his mellifluous and melancholy cello. He is a solid and committed musician, his cello reverberating powerfully with Colin Huff’s stand up bass.  They are free and easy but move forward with an articulated grace that makes for a really interesting set- though they cover a wide range of emotions it is always positive. Leading this light is Mackenzie Page, whose voice shows as much panache as the dazzle of her bell bottom pants. She is an understated diva with a reckless and sultry courage, and complements the old time feel with fervor. Again, a synergistic component of all that is Gipsy Moon- vast layers that fit one on top of the other. The effect is voluminous. 

Later in the set Mackenzie breaks out a washboard- which is always welcome in a crowd such as this one. I welcome its steadiness and the cohesive current, a balanced undertide that rips through the intimate venue. I’m stoked to sit back with a g&t in the ripped fabric of a Quixotes side bench and sway back and forth with the sleekness they present on stage. They are earthy, sturdy, symbiotic strings and soul.

Keep your eyes and ears out for their new full length album, coming soon.

In all death there is rebirth, and following Joe Cahill’s (long time and beloved Fox Theater, Boulder Theater, and Leftover Salmon lighting designer) tragic death just a few short weeks ago I witnessed a community re-born, bound together after calamity. The Fox Theater held a benefit show in memoriam, where members of The Motet, Yonder Mountain String Band, Leftover Salmon and the String Cheese Incident ‘banded’ together to celebrate the life of a dear friend.

In a tragedy such as this, one realizes our faithful jam scene is much bigger than just the music. All those nights standing in line for desired tickets, the will-call line buzzing on a quest, an exploration of the senses…the last of our dollars spent for an entrance into adventure. All those moments chasing songs, seeking friends, standing belly up to the bar and being drowned in a sea of strings and soul and synth. It’s moments like these that define the quests of our lives... Joe’s benefit show reminded me that these simple moments bind us together, build us a home, and it’s for a greater purpose, it’s for our family. When Jans Ingber from the Motet sung Parliament Funkadelic’s “One Nation Under a Groove”, this feeling of community against tragedy was exemplified.

Outside the Fox Theater I heard someone say “I’m proud to be a part of this”. Walking back in to the venue with the added warmth of gratitude, I saw Andy Thorne from Leftover Salmon on stage thanking everyone for being a part of this special night with his inviting grin and grace…Jeff Austin from Yonder Mountain String Band looking sly and embracing the crowd in all his rabid fluidity…Michael Travis from String Cheese Incident in all his zany splendor.

When the rest of the artists came out for a “Higher Ground” super jam, the Fox was feeling full and vibrant, with the crowd collectively sharing their energy to heal the hole that was dug when Joe left this Earth. It was clear, with everyone’s tangible positive intentions, that we were there to celebrate Joe’s life, and he was certainly celebrated beautifully. “Spread this strength,” Jans Ingber shouted at the end of a vital and charismatic “Not Fade Away”… “Boulder is so strong” he reminded us before the crowd dissipated with open hearts.

Well, it wouldn’t be NedFest without a little rain and a lotta Vince Herman. As the first hopeful few sauntered on to the grounds last Friday, we dared the sky to open up wider and keep pouring down on us. It hadn’t stopped us Nedestrians before (we’re no fair-weather fans) and it certainly was not going to now that Whitewater Ramble, leaving tradition behind, plugged in and opened up the weekend with some lively tunes. The self-proclaimed ‘Dancegrass’ band was a befitting choice to launch the weekend off right; with over 800 performances these Rocky Mountain boys have proven their dedication and made a name for themselves as workhorses in our ever-flowering field of newgrass music. From an eccentric rendition of ‘Althea’ to call upon the double rainbow that had reached, brimming across the Reservoir, to an alarmingly electronic number featuring a Kaoss Pad, they certainly got creative. When the Caribou Mountain Collective meandered on to the stage, I felt a swell of gratitude for the four of them so gracefully fulfilling Nederland’s legacy of opulent and abundant acoustics.

NedFest is first and foremost a bluegrass festival, and this quartet showed some serious ol’ time mountain soul. When the sky dappled purple with dusk and the crowd started to fill out, I got to dance front and center in front of the band that first showed me what it meant to live and dance and be in Nederland. Mountain Standard Time (MST), sounding vibrant as ever. They welcomed their old friend Curly Collins (bass, Caribou Mountain Collective, formerly in MST) on to the stage and suddenly I was flooded with memories of watching them play in any crowded bar I could squeeze myself into- where I learned what it meant to truly enjoy a whisky neat and how to let bluegrass lure you into blurred nights and how it feels to love Colorado something fierce.  To me, there was nobody more deserving to close the first night of NedFest, 2013.

Day 2 and everyone was feelin’ fine. A touch of The Congress in the late afternoon made me wants to drink a Budweiser in some cut off jean shorts, they were pleasantly Americana and rock and all things family fun. Ladies hauling hula-hoops on their sunkissed shoulders and boys in tee-shirts with varied Dead lyrics scattered across the backs, a whimsical elderly couple swinging across the wet grass to The Congress’ rendition of “Shining Star”…. Artists, staff, and vendors and the shining hometown folk all sharing heartfelt smiles, eyes crinkling up with the known fact that this was a weekend dreamed up by us, sculpted by us, made for us. Enjoyed thoroughly by all. When the Euforquestra gang (that’s really the perfect word to describe them) gathered on stage, so fun and full, it quickly became one of my favorite sets of the entire weekend. Adam Grosso (bass) chiseled a consistently sexy bass line and Scott Mast’s (percussion) luminous energy was, as always, so engaging it got everybody off their camping chairs, tossing their Boulder Beers aside and romping around the lawn. I stood in the middle of it all, mouth agape, and watched as Scramble Campbell, his broad hands in a swift dash, brought three saxophonists alive on his canvas. That’s right- there were three of them up on stage blowing away, stacked one on top of another so that the stage actually looked as colorful and crowded with talent as the painting. However unusual, it seemed that the beautiful chaos Scramble ignited in his work was equally matched by the magical mayhem, the funky pandemonium that Euforquestra had goin’ on. Everything about that set was ART!

Before the funky METERS came on that night they gave me a little backstage lesson on barbeque sauce- namely, that I was spicy enough without it! But even more entertaining than southern sauce talk was watching these legends unfold on stage. Art Neville (keys) who helped form the band in 1967 stepped on stage looking fragile, with some help he cautiously made his way to the keys. But when he sat down and they began to play I swear I saw forty+ years melt right off of his bones- decades slid out from under him and all of a sudden he was twenty again, banging away with ferver. These guys are the OGs of New Orleans Jazz and the funk was mean as hell! (Plus extra points for the Iko Iko cover, a Mardi Gras legend).

Gipsy Moon with a side of Vince Herman (guitar) was better than breakfast in bed that Sunday morning. When Vince comes back to town little ol’ Ned feels a bit like Hollywod. Everyone is buzzin. He adds a necessary touch of lightheartedness to an otherwise romantically somber and smoky ensemble. Vince and son Silas (mandolin) along with newcomer Andrew Conley (cello), who adds a devastatingly beautiful fullness, did a beautiful job of fostering community…which is really what NedFest is all about.

Being a part of this festival also means paying homage to ‘Michigan Mike’ (late founder of NedFest) and Vince, a long-time friend of Mikes, took time out of the set to commemorate his spirit. His presence was felt everywhere: when we huddled together against the slanted rain, when we passed pipes to strangers, when Vince yelled “FESTIVAAAAL”. We’ll be forever thankful for his legacy.

Drew Emmitt Band was later that day- always a good time, and not just because of Drew’s good looks. He and the rest of the crew that graced us with their presence last Sunday are all just the exact type of classic Colorado jam celebrity I like to see up in the hills. Andy Hall (Infamous Stringdusters) is angelic, Tyler Grant (Grant Farm) is just heat, and with Keith Moseley (String Cheese Incident) sitting in for “Deep Elem Blues” it was like a super-charged reunion.

Speaking of super-charged, Jeff Austin was vivacious as ever, calling upon Allie Kral (Cornmeal) to star-stud the stage. But the good doctor made his way to the stage as the night closed in around us and showed us what some good ol’ time picking and an immaculate fresh pressed sparkle suit can do for bluegrass music. Dr. Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys are the real deal- from the Jesus ties to Ralph’s legendary croon (featured on Oh Brother Where Art Thou soundtrack). Ralph’s grandson on guitar sang an ode to Ralph as the idol from 1920’s Virginia sat back, frail and legendary, crinkled and pressed in the stoicism saved for only the most genuine brand of music celebrity, sipping his sweet tea. Then he cleared his throat and graced us with a chilling ‘O Death’. The Clinch Mountain Boys followed, ending the enchanting weekend with a little gospel. Now us Neder-heads may not be the most god-fearing of folk, but we sure do recognize spirit when we come across it in our own backyard….

Check out more photos from NedFest: Saturday | Sunday

And I don’t even mind. Elephant Revival’s Bonnie Paine is nothing short of magic. Greek mythology tells of dangerous and beautiful creatures called Sirens who would lure nearby sailors with their enchanting music, only to have them shipwreck tragically on the shores of their islands.  A Siren is a symbol of the dangerous yet sacred temptation embodied by beautiful women and song, and if you’ve ever heard Bonnie sing, you would be convinced she is, in fact, one of them. To deliver such beauty on stage is almost a sacrifice; you can see as her silver voice is drawn out from her depths she is near tears for much of the performance, and this was no different on the night of November 9^th2013, when an auspicious half moon was waxing in Aquarius, and when 47 years ago to the day John Lennon laid eyes on Yoko Ono for the first time at an art exposition in a drafty corner of London, and when friends and lovers gathered at a very sold-out Boulder Theater just last week to be drawn in by a Siren and to welcome Elephant Revival back home after the recent release of their newest album, These Changing Skies.

I’m always amazed at the way the band works together so ceremoniously. Their breaks are clean and neat after spectral swells of harmony; it’s jolting to see such eloquence being matched by each artist at the same time. The three men (Sage Cook, Daniel Rodriguez, and Dango Rose) pass around their stringed instruments like steaming plates of a home-cooked meal that they are eager to dig into. Perhaps my favorite part about them, though, is how they can make a really simple song sound beautiful. The guitar’s open chords and standard tuning matched with a swift banjo, laden luxuriously with Bridget’s fiddle – the whole thing is about simple eloquent beauty.  And, as if their performance wasn’t beautiful enough that night, they employed a gorgeously haunting circus theme complete with a black and white striped backdrop, an acro-yogi, a woman on stilts, and an “elephant”.

The night was as refreshing as rain; Bonnie howling low like the wind, and Sage on the banjo like trees creaking, and Bridget playing the dance of a piece of paper that got torn of your hand and flitted gracefully across the sidewalk.  Dango’s fingers across the neck of his bass tapping like raindrops on pavement, Daniel’s wispy and free-flowing presence like a cloud. Our souls feeling wet and full and glistening, and the music so permeating you could catch a cold.

They are truly timeless, and you can know this intuitively just by looking around at the audience. There are youngsters with long dreadlocks and patchwork (they must have left their pitbull in the alley), indie-rock hipsters with old school sneakers and thick-rimmed glasses that gleam, men in pressed suits who stand in the back stirring their Jameson and Ginger, delicate older couples drinking Cabernet, girls in flowing white with hemp purses slung around their chests. The only similarity is that everyone’s eyes are shining and their mouths are agape; like lost sailors at sea we are drawn to the enchanting sound of the Sirens.

To employ one last analogy (how else can you explain such fervency), I see Elephant Revival like a strand of beads, each stone more beautiful than the last. And then there is Miss Bonnie Paine, her voice like the silver thread that strings the whole ensemble together, who stole not only my boyfriends heart but everyone else’s in the crowd too.