Elephant Revival

A nice bonus of shooting the Frack Free Colorado event for the Sierra Club was getting my first exposure to a local band I'd never heard of before -- Nederland's own Elephant Revival.  Their "transcendental folk" style isn't something I typically seek out, but I found their sound captivating, their earnestness refreshing and their overall performance really enjoyable.

Bonnie Paine on the washboard.  She had a haunting, ethereal quality to her voice not unlike Sarah McLachlan and Florence Welch.

The band had an earthy, down-home look that fit in perfectly at a grassroots protest.

Bridget Law on the fiddle.  I'm pretty sure a fiddle and a violin are the same instrument, but the band's official web site says she plays the fiddle so I'm going with that.

Daniel Rodriguez on vocals and acoustic guitar.  I'm not sure who had the better hat -- him or Jakob Dylan.

Sage Cook on the mandolin.  He also plays banjo, guitar, tenor banjo, bass and fiddle which is a pretty impressive array of stringed instrument skills.  Seemed very soulful, too.

Dango Rose on the double-bass.  If being a musician doesn't work out, with a name like that he could easily be an action hero.  Or possibly a porn star.

The band was joined by a well-received special guest at the end of their second set -- Vince Herman from "jam grass" icons Leftover Salmon.

Great to see Colorado artists supporting a Colorado cause, and to expand my own musical horizons a bit!