O.A.R. electrifies Bluebird crowd

Take a gamble on O.A.R., whose staple song, "Crazy Game of Poker," got the crowd at Bluebird Nightclub, 216 N. Walnut Ave., on its feet Saturday night.\nThe Maryland quintuplet kicked off the first set with its classic "island roots rock" sound, leading into an extended jam of "City on Down," the melody carried by the saxophonist, Jerry DePizzo.\nIn between playing its own music, O.A.R. mixed it up with covers of The Kingsmen and Bob Marley. Marc Roberge, the lead singer and guitarist, swooned the crowd with his blissful voice during Marley's "Stir it Up."\nChris Culos, drummer, Benj Gershman, bassist and Richard On, guitarist, rounded out the upbeat, warm and carefree sounds that filled the stage.\nAfter a set break, two members of Virginia Coalition, the opening band, joined the percussion section of O.A.R. with cowbells and bongos.\nRoberge did not want to leave the crowd out of the fun he was having on stage. Audience involvement was at its peak during a band-led chant, which preceded the crowd favorite "Crazy Game of Poker."\nThe 15-minute rendition of "Poker" was not only twice as long as the studio-recorded version, but also exactly what the crowd had been waiting for all night. The audience danced, sang and got into the music, even singing verses without Roberge's help.\nAlthough O.A.R. has not yet hit the mainstream, the band's raw, eclectic and harmonious sound is sure to leave audiences surprised by how much better the band sounds live than in the studio. \nThe band is clearly on its way up, judging by the enthusiastic crowd. \nTo learn more about O.A.R. and Virginia Coalition, visit their Web sites: www.ofarevolution.com and www.virginiacoalition.com.