August 24, 2018

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Of A Revolution made its annual summer Cleveland stop on Thursday evening when they brought their Just Like Paradise Tour to Jacobs Pavilion At Nautica. A perfect summer night for a concert that the band dubbed “St. Larcey’s Day,” in celebration of Mike Larcey, who has spent ten years behind the boards with the eight-piece touring band. 

 

O.A.R. opened the show with “Dangerous Connection.” They quickly worked the crowd into a frenzy with “City on Down” and “One Shot,” which are all fan favorites from early albums  throughout the bands twenty one year career that has spanned eight studio efforts. 

 

The band launched into “Road Outside Columbus” – yes, that Columbus. The group may have originated in Rockville, Maryland, (which is the basis of the band's “Black Rock”) but they didn't become a five piece until the members attended Ohio State University.  There they met Youngstown native Jerry DePizzo.  Since 2000, the band has constantly referred to Columbus and Ohio as the places that “raised us."  Another local tie to the outfit is touring trumpet player, Jon Lampley from Tallmadge, Ohio.  Jon got his first turn in the spotlight  during “Road Outside Columbus.”  Through out the set, Jon’s energy and passion was evident through his trumpet playing. 

 

Working the crowd into a fever pitch, the band played its two biggest singles “Shattered (Turn the Car Around)” and “Love and Memories."   More than once Marc remarked about the crowd's vibe and energy.  Pretty much every  O.A.R. show you’ll go to, the band will call the audience the best of the tour; tonight it felt like that may have been the truth.  Near the end of the set, the crowd was singing along at the top of their lungs to “Hey Girl.”

 

O.A.R. worked its way through its catalog of over twenty songs, which included a number of jams, improvisations and a few set list gems in their two hour set. The always fun, “That Was a Crazy Game of Poker” closed the show which left the fans dancing and throwing playing cards into the air as they left the venue. 

 

Matt Nathanson performed a co-headlining length set. Working his way through his hits “Car Crash,"  "Come On Get Higher,” and “Faster,” he sounded vocally sharp even though he seemed like he relied heavily on covers through out the set.   

 

The New Respects, relative newcomers on the scene, opened the show with a brief set and are a band to keep an eye on in the future. 

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Review by Troy Smith