Mandolin Orange Red Rocks | Morrison, CO

It’s nothing but the best memories as I think of Mandolin Orange and the sweet beauty that they have brought into the world. I first met this lovely crew while working as an On the Road Photographer for Gregory Alan Isakov back in the 2015/2016 tour season. We had been on the road from Colorado, through the Northwest, down the West Coast and back across the great Southwest. For the first part of the tour, Shook Twins were on the bus with us and opening each night in their 60’s through the window type of way, as we sailed from Seattle to Phoenix. After the Phoenix show, Shook Twins had to head home to the Northwest for other show commitments back in the city of all cities Portland, OR. We were sad to see them go, but grateful that Mandolin Orange was scheduled to take over the opening slot for the rest of the Isakov tour.

As I photographed the rest of the run from Flagstaff all the way back to Denver, I fell hard for the duo. Their music and just their over all love for humanity made me a quick fan. Since that tour we have stayed it sweet contact…crossing paths right back in Boulder’s Chautauqua amphitheater, or all the way across the country in the middle of Prospect Park in Brooklyn.

The photos you’re looking at here are from a couple years ago when they passed through Morrison, Colorado just oustide of Denver as they had been invited to open for The Avett Brothers at the esteemed Red Rocks Amphitheater. I’m grateful to them and their manager Jimmy, a lovey human and long time friend who got me my photo pass to the entire night, 30 mins before the show began.

Emily, Andrew and crew played an incredible opening… it reminded me of the time Shookies kicked it off for Greggers on the same stage. At the time of the show Emily was nearly 8 months pregnant, history was made that night in so many ways. They’ve since gone on to continue to make great music as they’ve added to both their family and their band family.

Most recently mid-Fall 2020, they released… ‘Tide of a Teardrop’ get yours at www.mandolinorange.com

Here’s a few lyrics from one of my favorite of their songs, written a few years back…

Echo

And I saw it in a dream

Monuments to trees

As the air we breathe turned our lungs to dust

And the redwoods so tall

And all their awe

Began to rust

With no bend and sway at all

That ancient dance is lost

And the wind moved like an echo

Beside every gust

Well some day I hope to find

That land of funny wine

Where the coffee grows on the white oak trees

And those sugar coated mountains

In the spring begin to melt into

Sweetest streams

And the wind moves like an echo

As the world drops off to sleep

Where each night the starlight and the sea

Together form eternity