O.A.R. set to deliver more jam band goodness to ‘Burgh

How many times has someone put on “Crazy Game of Poker” and the party just erupts?Every… How many times has someone put on “Crazy Game of Poker” and the party just erupts?Every person in attendance sings along with the raspy voice of Marc Roberge, and the jam — some versions last more than 10 minutes — puts everyone in a great mood.

Multiply that energy found in a house party by a couple hundred people and that’s what you get from an O.A.R concert. And with the addition of another 12 songs, maybe more, the energy runs from the opening of the set to the very last song.

O.A.R formed in 1996 when lead singer Marc Roberge and drummer Chris Culos started playing together. With the addition of bassist Benj Gershman and guitarist Richard On, they went on to attend Ohio State University where they met saxophonist Jerry DiPizzo.

With a style that they call “island-vibe-roots-rock,” every live show is different when O.A.R takes the stage. Whether as an opener or headliner, or even in a festival setting like the Sprite Liquid Remix Tour, which they were on the last time they were in Pittsburgh, they take the stage with energy and play their best possible set.

But a lot of the band’s energy comes from the crowd response. “Our shows rely very heavily on the energy of the crowd,” Culos said the last time O.A.R. was in Pittsburgh. “We go up there every night and play 110 percent, but that doesn’t mean we have to be dancing around the stage and going crazy to give 110 percent.”

O.A.R sports a great mix of songs to hop around to as well as more laid back tunes that have a lot of emotion running through the lyrics. They do an incredible job of mixing the two different styles of songs, and they are able to keep the audience in the show no matter what song they play.

Starting out under the radar, and almost underground, O.A.R signed with Lava Records last year and put out their major label debut album In Between Now and Then this past spring. Their second single, “Right On Time,” an upbeat song that beats with a powerful pulse, is set for release Feb. 16.

Signing onto a major label has helped O.A.R much more than you would think. Having to start out as a band getting exposure through word-of-mouth and constantly touring, they now have an outlet to media resources that they didn’t have prior to joining Lava.

“We have opportunities to be on the radio and on television,” Culos remarked about signing with Lava Records, “Which is limited for a band that is on an independent label to actually break through.”

And the exposure that they have gained from being on Lava Records is a huge boost for a band that, like O.A.R, still constantly tours, because that remains the best way to get the word out about their music. And O.A.R has had success on the road, having the opportunity to play with the likes of N.E.R.D on the Liquid Remix Tour, as well as with 311 this past fall.

Also taking the stage Tuesday night is Robert Randolph and the Family Band. Robert Randolph is one of the most impressive steel guitar players in the business, and the last time he was in Pittsburgh was for the Liquid Remix Tour as well. To close out his set last time he was in Pittsburgh, he played a cover of Jimi Hendrix’s “Purple Haze” that might be one of the most incredible covers ever played by one man and a steel guitar.

With the combination of O.A.R. and Robert Randolph, this show sets itself up to be several hours of non-stop jamming. And what could be better than that?

O.A.R. and Robert Randolph will be performing an all-ages show at the A.J. Palumbo Center on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $28 in advance and $30 the day of the show. For more information, call (412) 323-1919.