Like Dave Matthews? Can’t afford the tickets to his shows?

Well then, my friends, have I got a band for you! Of A Revolution, or O.A.R. to their fans, is the perfect remedy for those kids who love rocking out to fun, inoffensive music with their friends without selling body parts.

Created while in high school in Maryland, this folk-jam band has been winning over fans since 1997. I recently caught their show at the pride of Sauget, Pop’s 24-hour nightclub. I was impressed; I was tired; I was extremely bewildered.

Then O.A.R came on stage, and the gates of Hell were opened.

The crowd, mainly made up of apathetic high school and college kids wearing much the same thing, started yelling and jumping and bouncing around.

By the third song, “About Mr. Brown,” the crowd was singing back to the band with unrelenting fervor. This continued into their next song “Delicate Few;” both of which are on their most recent album, Risen.

For being known as a jam band, the first few numbers seemed concise and to the point. Then came the bass solo, and I knew I was in for a long night. The next 45-minutes were a meld of several songs played seamlessly with the usual jam-band interludes. Unlike Llama, though, these musical interludes were exciting and fun to watch.

Some highlights of the evening were when the crowd sang “Happy Birthday” to the drummer, as well as a saxophone- guitar showdown between O.A.R.’s sax player and the opening band’s guitarist.

But, like anything good, the show had to end – and O.A.R. ended with a bang. By this time, the crowd as a whole was pretty drunk and happy, so the last number “Crazy Game of Poker,” created an explosion of proportions I’ve never quite seen. I liken it to when the U.S. won the gold in hockey in 1980; there was that much craziness.

I just had to sit back stunned as the audience screamed every word while jumping up and down, dancing and generally fluttered about. This lasted a solid 20 minutes, complete with references to The Police’s “I’m so Lonely.”

As it turned out, this was not the last song. Forgoing the formality of going off and coming back on stage, the band played their encore and crowd favorite, “Hey Girl,” directly after the melee of the previous song.

With that, the show ended, and all the kids went back to their jaded and apathetic selves. That in itself was a sight to see.

In hindsight, there was something lacking. For all the fun and happiness, I didn’t feel moved or motivated to do anything.

I was unchanged. It was just a fun break from life that ended as soon as it began – not a show of great importance.