Live on Red Rocks

At a July 2012 show at Colorado's Red Rocks Amphitheater, O.A.R. treated its fans to what’s documented here as the band’s best concert recorded and released to date. The Rockville, Md.–based quintet opens with “Dangerous Connection” from 2011’s King. This version bursts at the seams with a swell of energy, as steel drums and a festive horn section flesh out the tune to fill up the Rocky Mountain air. “Gotta Be Wrong Sometimes” from the same album also gets the live treatment, with closer vocal harmonies and an infectious refrain that begs for the puffy-vested audience to chime in. It’s easy to tell that the other tunes here—like the more indie-edged “Shattered (Turn the Car Around)” and the peppy, reggae-tinged “Black Rock”—are band favorites; Marc Roberge sings the hell out of both of these as Richard On’s lead guitar parts get played with a noticeably enthusiastic attack. Fan favorites like “That Was a Crazy Game of Poker” get jammed out well past the 13-minute mark, with enough space to hear the crowd go crazy.