O.A.R. plays The Amp in Vail on Friday

In 1996, O.A.R. formed in drummer Chris Culos’ mom’s basement in Maryland. Nearly 30 years later, the childhood friends remain tight — these days, headlining the likes of Red Rocks Amphitheater and The Amp. But they still retain the spirit of being a “band from the basement,” Culos said. They’re just a group of friends writing songs and having a great time playing together.

“We were making music for ourselves and for our friends, and that kind of spirit is really what resonated with other people,” he said.

Granted, throughout the decades, they’ve matured as musicians, taking a more critical approach to which songs make the cut, in terms of arrangements and lyrics.

Unlike many bands that experience lineup changes after a couple decades, the kids who started out attending summer camps and playing sports and Nintendo together have remained on stage.

“The biggest thing is that we were friends before we were in a band, and that spirit of friendship is important because you’re with your bandmates more than you are with your family at times. It’s like a marriage. There is conflict. There are things that you have to learn to navigate. It really just comes down to communication,” he said, adding that they prioritize both friendship and business within the band. “Because of that, we know we have each other’s backs, and that’s a really comfortable feeling. It’s something that we take pride in, and it allows us to have fun, and, ultimately, when we are having fun on stage, the audience can tell, and that’s what makes for the best show — that’s what makes for the real connection of live music. My favorite part about it is the time on stage, but it’s those 22 hours of the rest of the day that we enjoy being together that makes it really worthwhile.”

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“Apart from communicating, I think the number one thing you need to keep a band going is really appreciate and find joy in what you do, and that’s absolutely the case with us,” said singer and guitarist Marc Roberge. “We don’t ever take any of it for granted.”

No show, or set list, is the same, so O.A.R.’s gig Friday at The Amp will surely differ from its next night at Red Rocks.

“Reading the room and connecting with the crowds is the stuff that makes each night unique. It’s really fun for us, and it’s fun for the audience. It’s something that makes them want to come back and see an O.A.R. show over and over again because they’re not going to get the same thing twice,” Culos said.

They view performing previously recorded songs, like those on their last album, “The Arcade,” laid down during the pandemic and released in 2022, as “continuing the story life and seeing what happens as that develops on stage,” he said.

Recently, the Washington Nationals contacted them to create O.A.R.’s last single, “Our Diamond, Our District,” a tribute to their hometown baseball team; they debuted it a few weeks ago at a post-game performance.

This summer, they’re playing a bunch of festivals and preparing to celebrate 30 years in 2026 with their biggest tour ever. They’re also about two-thirds the way through recording a new album in New York and working on a documentary to celebrate the band’s success. Yet, they’re very focused on the upcoming Colorado shows.

“It’s kind of like a flagship weekend for us. We’ve played Red Rocks for years, and the Vail venue has become one of my new favorite personal gems of the entire summer,” he said. “When you have an audience that appreciates the outdoors … that you don’t see in most places in the United States — it’s almost like a European mindset, where, ‘yes, you do have work, but there’s also this acceptance of wanting to enjoy the outdoors, wanting to enjoy life, wanting to enjoy the hobbies that you have that make this all worthwhile. That tends to get lost in big-city living or whatever you want to call it, so when we get to go and perform at the most beautiful iconic outdoor venues like the Ford Amphitheater and Red Rocks with people that are already living that lifestyle, it’s just awesome.”

The Amp’s audience can expect a blend of crowd favorites — old and new — and deeper cuts that will leave a smile on everyone’s face, he said.

“It’s about creating special moments throughout the night. You’re going to get something that resonates with the family crowd — (our fans) want to bring their kids with them, so it’s a really family-friendly show,” he said, adding that he’s thrilled to return to Vail, since it’s the first place he skied. “To this day, I’m in love with it. I know we’re going to be out and around, probably grabbing dinner and hanging with friends. We’re just really looking forward to it.”