Elephant Revival, a six-piece orchestra from Colorado, delivered a spellbinding hippy, trippy, Celtic-infused set at the Red Butte Garden Amphitheatre on Wednesday, July 30, 2025.
The band expertly blended their transcendental folk into a unique Americana symphony with a surprising combination of instruments: electric guitar, fiddle, pedal steel, mandolin, cello, bass, musical saw, washboard, and drums (with a little goddess magic mixed in). Add in the ethereal vocals of lead singer Bonnie Paine, and we were blessed with a unique patchwork of music that was both soothing and psychedelic. It reached that celestial plane where classic music meets classic rock.
The epic 20-song performance began with Bridget Law playing an uplifting fiddle-forward Scottish instrumental, “The Reel McKay Wedding.” Then they gently massaged the audience into a blissful trance with fan-favorite “Remembering a Beginning.”
Dueling electric guitar and mandolin traded hot licks on “Stolen,” creating a Romani/Spanish vibe. I know that may seem a non-sequitur. But somehow the two instruments blended beautifully with the fiddle and Bonnie Paine’s haunting warble and signature washboard. That combination proved an intoxicating sonic elixir.
Elephant Revival shared new music, too. I hope that means a new album is in the works. One fresh offering, “What Does Wonder?” felt like Elephant Revival 2.0 (the band went on hiatus in 2018 and only recently reunited). It conjured up all the pre-2018 magic and more. Paine bowed her electric cello while Dango Rose did the same on his electric upright bass. Charlie Rose added the right amount of twang on his pedal steel, and newcomer Daniel Sproul provided depth on electric guitar. Darren Garvey kept perfect time on percussion, and as always, Law’s fiddle brought it all together. That’s the formula fans have been grooving on for nearly 20 years.
Much to my delight, Paine flexed her saw and played “Ring Around The Moon,” a band classic. Her vocal pitch matched the sound of the fiddle and the saw perfectly. I could almost feel myself levitate off my Tommy Bahama low-back chair.
Other surprise highlights included Charlie Rose singing the lead vocal and plucking his banjo on “Rainbow Connection.” I think Kermit would approve of Elephant Revival’s trippy version. (I hope someone has this on video for the next PBS Utah fundraiser!) While we’re on the topic of rainbows, the crowd joyfully rose to their feet for an amazing version of Pink Floyd’s “Have A Cigar.”\
“Paine held us in rapt attention as she donned a set of sadistically sweet, metal-claw-tipped gloves and scratched a washboard worn like an armored vest, accompanying the appropriately foreboding Gaelic song “Ciamar Nimi.” Beginning as a hauntingly sorrowful tune (It’s Irish, after all), the song moved into a hip-hop musical space. I think I may have experienced my first Gaelic rap! Move over Commitments! You never know what musical mysteries await you at an Elephant Revival show.
For the encore, Emilie Rose and Paige Anderson of Two Runner joined the ensemble on stage for a spirited rendition of Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy.” Paine ended the show with her majestic vocal soundwaves on “Rogue River,” with a brief reference to Richie Havens’ “Freedom” woven in.
Two Runner opened the show. The Northern California duo features Emilie Rose on fiddle and Paige Anderson on banjo and guitar. Anderson’s high-lonesome voice perfectly blends with Rose’s softer vocal harmonies. They started us off with a new fiddle and banjo number, “Road Runner” from an upcoming new album. In all, they managed 11 songs, including fan favorites “Run Souls” and “Devil’s Rowdydow.”
Two Runner connected deeply with the Red Butte Garden audience, given the duo’s link with the Salt Lake City music scene. Indeed, they recorded their latest single, “Late Dinner,” at Daniel Young’s Orchard Studio in North Salt Lake, with Young’s help as the track’s engineer. They shared a story of how a late-night drink at Duffy’s Tavern after a performance at The State Room gave inspiration for the song “Strawberry Rhinestones,” and Anderson penned “Helmet” following a motorcycle ride through Zion. They also gave a shout-out to the Tuesday night jam sessions at Gracies. Ah, shucks, I felt proud of our musical community that night.
Their final tune, “Burn it to the Ground,” was not inspired by our city, thank goodness. But, it did reflect on a feeling to which many in the audience could relate: the frustrations of growing up in a small town, where everyone knows your business.
Fun Fact: Bonnie Paine and Bridget Law bought the stunning gowns they wore on stage at Decades Vintage Clothing on 6th South.
The natural acoustics of the Red Butte Garden Amphitheatre made it the perfect outdoor venue. Occasionally, I got a brief whiff of nature–that sweet skunky perfume of freedom. Rock on!
- Who: Elephant Revival w/ Two Runner
- What: Red Butte Outdoor Concert Series 2025
- Where: Red Butte Garden Amphitheatre
- When: Wednesday, July 30, 2025
- Info: https://redbuttegarden.org/concerts/
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