Elephant Revival comes to The Center for the Arts on Nov. 28

GRASS VALLEY, CA, November 25, 2023 – The Center for the Arts is pleased to present Elephant Revival in the Marisa Funk Theater on November 28, 2023.

Elephant Revival is a folk music group from Nederland, Colorado, formed in 2006 and is a unique collection of multi-instrumentalists blending elements of Celtic, Americana, Folk and Indie Art Rock. The band consists of Bonnie Paine (vocals, cello, djembe, washboard and musical saw), Bridget Law (fiddle, vocals), Dango Rose (upright bass, mandolin, vocals), Charlie Rose (banjo, pedal steel, mandolin, vocals) Darren Garvey (drums, percussion, vocals) and Daniel Sproul (guitars, vocals) of Rose Hill Drive. The music they create together is like weather systems meeting in the sky, Bonnie’s warmly haunting voice either merging with the rhythms and melodies of the band or providing a counterpoint and transforming it. Paine delivers additional beats via foot stomps on plywood, her stockinged feet doing near jigs as her hands, encased in antique leather gloves, rub silver nickel against corrugated metal.

Described as “transcendental folk,” Elephant Revival’s rustic style centers around bluegrass instrumentation. Weaving a cohesive tapestry from disparate influences, their music mesmerizes with the evocation of a traditional folk group and the communal vim of a jam band. Every member contributes original songs, with many reflecting a proud social consciousness and deep commitment to certain ideals, such as responsible stewardship of the planet and its inhabitants.

Elephant Revival’s third album, 2013’s These Changing Skies, peaked at #8 on Billboard’s Top Heatseekers chart. In 2015, the band released a live album and DVD recorded during a two-night run at the Boulder Theater. A half-dozen releases and countless live shows later, the band took a hiatus in 2018, after which band member Daniel Rodriguez embarked on a solo career. Now the band has regrouped with an updated lineup.

This dynamic sextet is a sight to see and The Indie Acoustic Project labels their sound “progressive edge.” Rose has described their mission “to close the gap of separation between us through the eternal revelry of song and dance.” Elephant Revival also shares a commitment to responsible stewardship of the planet and its inhabitants, working with organizations such as the Conscious Alliance, Calling All Crows, Trees Water People, and other nonprofits supporting humanitarian causes. 

Sitting in the audience during their performance, one music blogger was moved to write, “Elephant Revival serenaded the crowd with arabesque melodies, harmonies and rhythms that braided and coiled into a sublime aural tapestry. Their instrumental dynamics, verse, and even the harrowing story that inspired their appellation, invoked the majesty, mystery and sorrow of Mother Earth.”

Dance the night away and leave the evening inspired by a wide range of musical sights and sounds as Elephant Revival takes the stage at The Center for the Arts. 

Since 2000, The Center for the Arts, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization, has grown into a leading presenter of music, dance, theater, comedy, literary and visual art, and family programming, offering more than 150 events per year from its location in downtown Grass Valley. The Center recently completed a major renovation of its multiuse, 21,000-square-foot facility in downtown Grass Valley, making it a premier performing arts destination. The venue includes the Main Stage, which accommodates up to 492 guests in configurable theater seats and up to 700 patrons for dance shows, and a 90-seat studio theater.