Midland Michigan
O.A.R. Of a Revolution
O.A.R. is the brainchild of a group
of true believers who began their musical journey as teens in Rockville
Maryland. As luck would have it, these fledgling musicians would continue their
quest for the perfect sound while attending Ohio State University. The lineup
consisted of Marc Roberge (vocals), Chris Culos (drums), Richard On (guitarist),
Benj Gershman (bass) and Jerry DePizzo (sax, guitar).
In 1997 they recorded their first
album entitled the Wanderer at Gizmo Recording Company and several of their songs
like Black Rock and That Was a Crazy Game of Poker continue to be staples of
their live performance. They never looked back and they never compromise their
craft. Instead of bowing to the wishes
of the big companies Oar refused to use much marketing to bring in an
audience. Instead OAR played as many shows as they could whether it was
fraternities or sororities @ Ohio State or to anyone who cared to listen. It
was ballsy for sure but they finally hit pay dirt with the fourth album
entitled In Between Now and Then. They broke into the Billboard Charts at
number 156 and they never looked back. They got a ton of airplay from MYV with
such cool videos as Lay Down, Love and Memories and Heard the World. By 2006
they officially sold over 1.2 million albums.
With this continued success the band
continued to evolve from reggae, ska and jam music to more rock and pop
arrangements. The band always remained humble and attributed their success and
popularity to the recording, trading and downloading their live performances.
The band remained active releasing
their albums every few years. In
2008 they released their All Sides LP on a USB wristband along with instant
live recordings of the performances. They released Rain or Shine on January
2010. This band was on top of their game, more than prolific, they were
incredible! They even returned to the studio in 2010 to record their 7th
studio album entitled KING and debuted at number 12 on the Billboard Hot 200.
Several singles were released from the disc including Heaven, Gotta Be Wrong
Sometimes.
In May 2016 Oar announced the release
of a compilation album to align with the bands 20th Anniversary, It
is titled the XX Tour; An Evolution of a Revolution. Vanguard Records is
releasing a two CD set in August to celebrate Oar’s legacy. It is a career
spanning retrospective that includes their best known songs such as Peace,
Heaven and Shattered.
OAR is performing @ Dow Diamond on July 17th
@ 6pm. Featured guests include Vertical Horizon who hit pay dirt with the album
Everything You Want which went on to sell two million copies; not too shabby,
brother. Midland native Michael Robertson will open the show. His band is a
well honed machine that takes music to a higher level; It simply breathtaking.
They are an unusually gifted aggregation with each player and each vocalist commanding
breathtaking skills. Robertson is a master songwriter, singer and guitarist who
can go deep into the psyche whether its kidding in the square or laying it all
out on the carpet. Be there!
The concert was delayed by about an
hour due to the high winds. The Michael Robertson Band opened the show with a
great rendition of Old Man with Honesty Elliot and Roscoe Selley lending
harmonies and Robertson playing electric guitar with some tasty country licks.
Highlights of their set include Blame it on You, Sale on Salvation (with the
“won’t shoot liberals” lyric) and All of My Stories, a stoned masterpiece.
Vertical Horizon was a total surprise,
Matt Scannell, the leader of the band was simply incredible. He seemed to
channel Michael Stipe (REM) though his voice is much stronger. He has a great
range going low and then soaring with a strong falsetto. The other band members
provide delicious three part harmonies and the drummer is a Buddy Miles clone,
a powerhouse; perfect timing, no missed cues. This band has it all with the
speed, motion , perfect harmonies and a pinch of modesty. They did early hits
such as Everything You Want and You’re a God. Radio friendly hits such as Best
I Ever Had, I’m Still Here and We Are rocked the crowd. It was a triumphant
set. Vertical Horizon is a great touring that should have a much stronger
following.
O.A.R headlined the concert and they
were simply breathtaking but no matter how you dice it up. The turnout was poor
for such an incredible national act. They opened up with recorded sounds, words
and music followed by a great song entitled Hey Girl. Syncopated drumming and a
whaling organ set the tone. The lead singer, Marc Roberge is simply incredible
and the harmonies are perfect! The band now has a trumpet player along with a
saxophonist that brings more pizzazz to the show like its Mardi Gras time. The
singer channels Paul Simon on some of the songs but the band has other ideas
including soulful reggae splashes. The piano player colors the song with a
trill that seems to cast a spell that is comforting. Highlights included Love
and Memories, Anyway, Hey Girl, I Go Through, That was a Crazy Game of Poker
and Heaven.
This was one of the best concerts
I’ve seen in years, yet the attendance was dismal. I blamed it on Sunday night
and the difficulty filling seats on an off night. Those who made the trek to
Loons Stadium in Midland got there money’s worth and then some.
Peace
Bo White
