Following a hiatus, Elephant Revival returns to Beaver Creek during Birds of Prey World Cup

Elephant Revival has, indeed, had a revival. After a four-year hiatus, the musicians reconvened in 2022. They return to the Vilar Performing Arts Center (VPAC), a venue they played pre-hiatus, Dec. 12 as part of the Birds of Prey festivities.

“We explored playing music in different formations and realized it felt good,” vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Bonnie Paine said about the band coming together again.

Fans can expect the same dynamic music, which moves from quiet, spacious moments to energetic and jovial tunes. And these days, the band is pushing those thresholds even further, particularly by incorporating electric instruments.

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“Our two tours have been really fun, and everyone was so sweet. It’s definitely the most loving reception we’ve had,” she said about the shows they’ve played since 2022.

The eclectic folk group formed in 2006 as a purely acoustic group, influenced by living in Nederland.

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“There were good acoustic opportunities,” she said. “At any gathering, rather than listening to pre-recorded music, half of the people brought instruments and we would (also) sing a cappella around the fire or in living rooms. It affected the way we started and why we started with acoustic instruments.”

With an already broad range of instrumentation that includes cello, djembe, washboard, musical saw, fiddle, upright bass, mandolin and percussion, the band has incorporated electric guitar into the mix. And then, there’s the world music that each artist, who has studied in different parts of the world, incorporates into the Americana, Celtic, folk and indie art rock fusion.

Having not released an album since 2016, the musicians are now working on a new one and plan on recording in late winter or early spring, with producer Tucker Martine in Portland, Oregon she said. Recent collaborations, including one with the Colorado Symphony, have inspired some of the tunes. Others, such as one she and upright bassist and mandolin player Dango Rose have co-written, begin with a mid-Eastern folk vibe and expand out from there.

While live shows usually start out pretty spacious, the energy naturally builds until seated audiences can’t help but stand up and dance. Tunes range from solo a cappella to spirited fiddle tunes.

“There’s a lot of camaraderie,” she said. “We leave some room for spontaneity — all of the musicians are good at improvising, (which) creates some fun interaction.”

The artists look forward to returning to the Vilar with new instrumentation and revived energy.

“The community is so sweet there, and the sound is amazing,” she said. “It’s just a really special place. It leaves a lot of space for something special to happen.”