Elephant Revival plays New Mountain, April 30

Photo by Anne Staveley

It seems unlikely that a washboard would be the thing to set a band apart. But that’s kind of the case with indie-folk act Elephant Revival. Bonnie Paine’s washboard gives the band its shimmying percussive sound. There’s also an odd and magnetic quiver to her voice. But it’s also about the contributions of the rest of the Nederland, Col.-based quintet: Bridget Law (fiddles), Charlie Rose (banjo, pedal steel, guitar, horns, cello, double bass), Dango Rose (double bass, mandolin, banjo) and Daniel Rodriguez (guitar, banjo, double bass) — all together they add up to pure magic. And while the band taps influences of Celtic, Americana and gypsy music, their mission, according to Rose, is “to close the gap of separation between us through the eternal revelry of song and dance.”

Elephant Revival played a triumphant set at LEAF last fall and the band returns to Asheville on Thursday, April 30, for a show at New Mountain. Fellow indie-folk group Paper Bird opens. 9 p.m., $15.

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About Alli Marshall
Alli Marshall has lived in Asheville for more than 20 years and loves live music, visual art, fiction and friendly dogs. She is the winner of the 2016 Thomas Wolfe Fiction Prize and the author of the novel "How to Talk to Rockstars," published by Logosophia Books. Follow me @alli_marshall

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