Bluegrass darlings Railroad Earth kicked off a two-night set at the Ogden Theater on April 5th, delivering classic tunes from both studio albums such as Amen Corner and Bird in a House as well as tracks from live albums Elko and Live Railroad Earth.

Hailing from Stillwater, N.J., the band has accumulated a strong following among bluegrass lovers by mixing elements of bluegrass, rock and roll, jazz, Celtic music and more.

The band has many fans in Colorado and has played here many times, especially at outdoor festivals and folk shows like the Telluride Bluegrass Festival.

The band is known for its extensive improvisations and jams during live shows.

The band opened with the toe-tapping “Hard Livin'” from the album Amen Corner.

This created a fun atmosphere the audience couldn’t help but dance to. It was apparent from the start just how much Railroad Earth appreciates its Colorado fan base.

Throughout the show, members such as Todd Sheaffer (guitarist/vocalist) and Tim Carbone (violinist/vocalist) were constantly smiling and playing to the crowd as well as interacting with fans during song breaks.

It was apparent that both the band and the crowd were feeding off each other’s energy.

The room seemed to buzz with electricity. Everyone was moving, smiling or singing along with them. Whether you’re a fan or not, there’s no denying Railroad Earth’s onstage energy.

A crowd favorite, and for obvious reasons a hit among the Colorado crowd, the song “Colorado” from the album Elko kept the crowd moving through the middle of the first set.

The set ended with “Bringin’ My Baby Back Home” from the album Amen Corner.

After a short break, the band came out blazing with the Celtic-inspired “1759” off Live Railroad Earth and immediately the crowd was on its feet, dancing with intense ferocity.

The Ogden has long provided a great atmosphere for its patrons and the venue’s acoustics allowed fans to clearly hear the music no matter where they were in the theater.

The acoustics also allowed for each instrument to be heard almost equally to each other, a plus especially for instruments like the violin and the mandolin which have to compete with drums and guitars.

What made this performance so much fun was the connection and appreciation the fans had for the band’s music.

The audience was a mix of old-school bluegrass lovers as well as teens and college students, and everyone was laughing, dancing and interacting with each other. After playing a collection of songs from Live Railroad Earth such as “Luxury Liner,” “Storms” and “Walk Beside Me,” the band closed with “Seven Story Mountain” from Elko.

But that wasn’t the end. The encore was “Raindance” and “Cold Water,” leaving the audience hungry and begging for more.