Words by CL Music Intern Mary Small; photos by Jeff O'Kelley.

After finishing up “On Top the Cage,” from their second album, Soul’s Aflame (2000), O.A.R. singer/guitarist Marc Roberge confessed that the band was reluctant to start touring again after taking some time off.

“We haven’t played a show in a couple of weeks,” explained Roberge [pictured left]. “But then you get a crowd like this, you are like ‘Oh my God, this is the best job in the world!’ Nothing can replace that.”

Ruth Eckerd Hall was was filled with all types of people this past Wednesday night, from college students to jammin’ grannies, all equipped with a drink in hand and a smile on their faces.

Roberge opened the show solo with an acoustic intro to “Here’s to You,” and when the band joined him and the tempo picked up, so did the energy in the room, the crowd surging from their seats and swaying to the beats.

Roberge was accompanied by his long-time band mates, fun-loving Chris Culos on drums, Benj Gershman on bass guitar, back-up vocalist and guitarist Richard On, and multi-talented instrumentalist Jerry DePizzo on guitar, sax, and snare drum.

This article appears in Sep 16-22, 2010.