“You know a show will be good when they have two people drumming.” This early observation proved incredibly true: O.A.R. blew the (metaphorical) doors off of the pavilion at Merriweather for their hometown show in Columbia, Maryland, just 25 miles from the middle school where “the group first performed together at an 8th grade talent show.”
The band’s 2016 tour “Evolution of a Revolution” is promoting their new album, XX, in which Disc 1 highlights fan favorites and Disc 2 features two new songs and various selections from live shows. It’s also a celebration of the band’s 20th anniversary – which lead singer Marc Roberge referenced through the performance as an impetus for the group to continue moving forward.
In a show that featured hits like Shattered, Love and Memories, and Peace alongside their new song I Go Through, the nearly full pavilion and packed lawn were almost shaking from the energy and excitement. Improvised solos were punctuated by familiar shouts and kept charming by original dancing from the horns, Jerry DiPizzo (tenor sax) and John Lampley (trumpet). The show was so great that I barely noticed them skip over my favorite song, Here’s To You; I wouldn’t cut anything in their set list to add it in.
It’s impossible to pick just one highlight. Was it when Roberge knelt down to photograph his band mates during each of their featured parts? When DiPizzo and Lampley took the front of the stage and traded solos, then 4 bars, then two bars during the ballad Place To Hide? The lightshow that formed a colored pane reminiscent of Mario Kart’s Rainbow Road course? The keyboard-synth interlude in Hey Girl? Roberge’s touching memorial of the band’s friend Mike who “came to every show, back when we played in people’s backyards” and “would’ve been here today if he could”?
A very special moment came an hour into the show when the band stopped the screens showing the stage and cut to the men’s swimming 4x100 Medley Relay at the Rio Olympics. The entire arena watched the team overtake Great Britain to win the gold amid chants of “USA! USA!” The band used this opportunity to fade into hit song Black Rock. Amazing.
A mind-blowing encore opened with a cover of Coldplay’s Fix You that featured the lead singer of opening band The Hunts and got the entire crowd singing along. They closed with an exceptional rendition of That Was a Crazy Game of Poker that saw hundreds of fans toss cheap decks of cards toward the stage. The best thing about attending concerts is watching people you like doing something they love; Roberge twice said that O.A.R.’s goal is to make people feel good – and they delivered.
Fans say O.A.R.’s “Live at Red Rocks” album is the pinnacle of the band’s talent. I’d choose “Live at Merriweather” any day.
Check out O.A.R.'s social media pages and look out for their XX Tour!
The band’s 2016 tour “Evolution of a Revolution” is promoting their new album, XX, in which Disc 1 highlights fan favorites and Disc 2 features two new songs and various selections from live shows. It’s also a celebration of the band’s 20th anniversary – which lead singer Marc Roberge referenced through the performance as an impetus for the group to continue moving forward.
In a show that featured hits like Shattered, Love and Memories, and Peace alongside their new song I Go Through, the nearly full pavilion and packed lawn were almost shaking from the energy and excitement. Improvised solos were punctuated by familiar shouts and kept charming by original dancing from the horns, Jerry DiPizzo (tenor sax) and John Lampley (trumpet). The show was so great that I barely noticed them skip over my favorite song, Here’s To You; I wouldn’t cut anything in their set list to add it in.
It’s impossible to pick just one highlight. Was it when Roberge knelt down to photograph his band mates during each of their featured parts? When DiPizzo and Lampley took the front of the stage and traded solos, then 4 bars, then two bars during the ballad Place To Hide? The lightshow that formed a colored pane reminiscent of Mario Kart’s Rainbow Road course? The keyboard-synth interlude in Hey Girl? Roberge’s touching memorial of the band’s friend Mike who “came to every show, back when we played in people’s backyards” and “would’ve been here today if he could”?
A very special moment came an hour into the show when the band stopped the screens showing the stage and cut to the men’s swimming 4x100 Medley Relay at the Rio Olympics. The entire arena watched the team overtake Great Britain to win the gold amid chants of “USA! USA!” The band used this opportunity to fade into hit song Black Rock. Amazing.
A mind-blowing encore opened with a cover of Coldplay’s Fix You that featured the lead singer of opening band The Hunts and got the entire crowd singing along. They closed with an exceptional rendition of That Was a Crazy Game of Poker that saw hundreds of fans toss cheap decks of cards toward the stage. The best thing about attending concerts is watching people you like doing something they love; Roberge twice said that O.A.R.’s goal is to make people feel good – and they delivered.
Fans say O.A.R.’s “Live at Red Rocks” album is the pinnacle of the band’s talent. I’d choose “Live at Merriweather” any day.
Check out O.A.R.'s social media pages and look out for their XX Tour!