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The Olora Bros. 2.1.13


Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom
Denver, CO

Words, Photos & Video By J-man


It was just another Friday in Denver and over at Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom, folks were turning out for an evening of music that would feature a handful of Colorado talent. Kicking off the evening were The Olora Bros., who by their appearance looked to be a bluegrass outfit. what at first sounded like a soundcheck, slowly became more coherent and melodic. The instrumentation was beautiful as the progression climbed. The vocals of Sean Healey entered with force and intention, while the dobro work of Jon Huge shined brightly at the forefront. To Jon's left was Julie Gussaroff on the mandolin. the second song of the evening was led by Andrew Portwood, who's vocals were soft and soothing. On the right side of the stage, bass player Alex Scott, kept the rhythm strong with Jeff Jani on drums, who at several times during the set commanded the attention of those in attendance.

As the set went on, each song was as well-written and well performed as the one before it. What drew me in even more were the instrumental sections that conjured up images of the old west. I imagined standing in the middle of a saloon surrounded by captivated and intoxicated individuals, watching a group of players who were just passing through. As the acoustic rhythm progressed, so too did the drums. Jeff slowly became looser and looser on the kit, eventually falling into a well-placed and impressive solo. The band jumped back in and took off once again with soaring instrumentation. As the room filled in more and more, it became chatty as it so often does, but The Olora Bros. powered on coming to a close just over an hour after they began. The crowd danced, cheered and showed great appreciation for the evening's opener! Be sure to check out The Olora Bros.!

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