On Saturday, December 4th, Denver Comes Alive returns to the state-of-the-art Mission Ballroom. Produced by Live For Live Music in partnership with AEG, the second-annual event promises a full day of unique performances featuring an array of live music greats [get tickets].
Every “Comes Alive” event aims to capture a bit of the collaborative, lightning-in-a-bottle magic of New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival by night—a feeling that has been sorely missed while the annual event has remained on pandemic-imposed hiatus for the last two years.
Filling the “never-before-seen band” role on the Denver Comes Alive 2021 lineup is the Ramble On Revival, an outfit packed with celebrated players at every position: Oteil Burbridge (Dead & Company) on bass, Steve Kimock (The Other Ones) and Eric Krasno (Soulive) on guitar, Holly Bowling (Ghost Light) on keys, Jeff Sipe (Col. Bruce Hampton and the Aquarium Rescue Unit) on drums, Skerik on sax, and Jennifer Hartswick (Trey Anastasio Band) on trumpet/vocals.
“Not being able to play in New Orleans for two years in a row has left a big hole in my life,” Oteil Burbridge tells Live For Live Music about the new-look band. “That’s where I would normally get to jam with all my friends that I don’t see regularly. The Ramble On Revival is going to help fix that!”
Burbridge has spent years building a reputation as one of the most talented and accomplished bass players in rock music. From his ongoing gigs in behemoth Grateful Dead spinoff Dead & Company and Phish keyboardist Page McConnell‘s Vida Blue to his past roles with Tedeschi Trucks Band, Col. Bruce Hampton‘s Aquarium Rescue Unit—and, of course, a 15-year stint as a member of the Allman Brothers Band—Oteil remains the glue that holds the jam community together.
Oteil is also a veteran of several “Comes Alive” events. Back in 2016, he used Brooklyn Comes Alive as an opportunity to debut the All Brothers Band, a combo outfit featuring himself, his late brother, Kofi Burbridge, and another pair of musical brothers, Soulive’s Neal and Alan Evans. In January of 2020, he brought an all-star Oteil & Friends lineup to the Mission Ballroom to headline the inaugural edition of Denver Comes Alive. Then, during the pandemic lockdowns, Burbridge twice appeared as an interview subject during Live For Live Music‘s virtual “Comes Alive” festivals, examining systemic racism with Nikki Glaspie (The Nth Power) for Justice Comes Alive and chatting with Ari Fink (SiriusXM) about accelerating the forces of change in our country for Democracy Comes Alive.
With Ramble On Revival, which takes its name from Jerry Garcia‘s “Ramble On Rose” and the Allman Brothers Band’s “Revival”, Oteil Burbridge will weave another strand into his tapestry of musical connections. “I’m so psyched to finally get to see and play with so many of my old road mates again,” he tells Live For Live Music. “It’s gonna be a great reunion.”
In addition to the debut of Ramble On Revival, the thoughtfully curated 2021 Denver Comes Alive lineup will feature Grammy-nominated New Orleans soul/funk/jazz/hip-hop/spoken word outfit Tank and the Bangas, beloved instrumental dance band Circles Around The Sun, former Prince and Michael Jackson collaborator Judith Hill, and more. The one-day event, hosted by SiriusXM’s Ari Fink, will also feature DJ Logic performing between sets and a live-painting exhibition/pop-up gallery by beloved New Orleans artist Frenchy.
Get excited for this year’s Denver Comes Alive at Denver, CO’s Mission Ballroom on Saturday, December 4th by reliving 2020’s highlights here or watching the official 2020 recap video below. For tickets and more information, head here.
Denver Comes Alive 2020 – Official Recap Video
