Star 98.7 Penthouse - October 18
The Hollywood Palladium - October 18
The Warfield - October 20
The acoustic set at Star 98.7's Penthouse, which was won through Twitter, was short but sweet. Ever modest and endearing with their easy charm, not only could I sit and listen to them play for hours, I'd be content to sit and listen to them ramble on about farming and football, too. What can I say, I'm a sucker for handsome, amiable, ridiculously talented British men.
A representative of Glassnote Records was there and with the show at the Palladium looming large, it was obvious that getting to spend any one on one time with the guys was just not going to happen, though that didn't stop us from being a bit disappointed when it didn't come to pass. Nonetheless, seeing them perform with only a few dozen other people with the Hollywood sign and Capitol Records Building as a backdrop is an experience I'll never turn my nose up at, especially when the cavernous expanse of the Palladium takes the term "intimate" and flattens it like a tank.
Seeing the line outside the venue Monday night, as it snaked it's way down Sunset and around the building, I instantly remembered why I prefer small venues. It also became clear that for all the people that were there for the love of the band and their music, twice as many were there simply to be "seen." Ugh. Thank you, Los Angeles, for single-handedly making the collective audience look like one giant asshole. But I digress, that discussion is for another time and with a few more cups of coffee.
Thankfully, the guys know how to put on a fantastic show and though I would have been better equipped to enjoy it had I brought my binoculars with me, I'd do it again in a heartbeat. I love them that much. Highlights: "Sister" unplugged (goddamn Marcus Mumford can project - we heard him perfectly all the way in the back) and the New Song (i.e. Below My Feet), which gets better and more powerful with each performance.
After being unceremoniously ushered out of the venue, the trek back to the car seemed like a challenge befit The Amazing Race; the immensity of pain in our feet and backs and utter dehydration makes me think my friends and I are getting to old for this shit. Luckily, denial and I are old friends. The majority of the mob had already dissipated, so when we saw that there were a few people hanging out by what turned out to be the "back door," we ventured over to see what was up.
And who do we find but Ted Dwane chatting with some fans. Out came the ticket stubs and a pen I hoped would work in place of a Sharpie. I was wrong, but after fishing out a ball point, he was gracious enough to sign our tickets while answering a couple of questions from other fans who had wandered over. This was a nice little way to cap off a pretty great day.
Took Tuesday to recoup and pack and come five Wednesday morning, my friends and I were up and loading the car for a mini road trip to San Francisco to see Mumford & Sons at The Warfield. I've been to San Francisco before and it's picturesque and vibrant and a pleasant escape from the muck and mire of Los Angeles, but the area we stayed in did everything in its power to prove otherwise. There was trouble with our hotel, the short walk to the venue was sketchy beyond belief, and we had so little time to get ready before the show, that we were all a little miserable by the time we stumbled into line a full two hours before doors.
It all worked out in the end, though. Second row pretty much made up for the days trials and tribulations and how far away we were on Monday at the Palladium. King Charles made an indelible mark once again and Mt. Desolation found welcomed verve in front of the smaller crowd. Speaking of the crowd, though fraught with hipsters like any show these days, it felt decidedly less pretentious, and we were all in it together for the music. Everyone was a little distracted by the Giants game in progress, but you can't really fault them too much for that, especially since it aided in one of the more charming moments of the night (read: Marcus' reaction to Ted on drums).
Apart from the wonderful, light little moments between songs, the entire set had a weight to it that immediately set me and my friends a bit on edge. There was a rawness and intensity to the performance that felt different from anything we'd seen in person or via the wonders of YouTube. Though each member of the band holds equal footing off stage, as the voice of the band, Marcus truly sets the tone once on stage and he held a certain stillness that was heavy with unspoken emotion from beginning to end. His usual points of inflection during certain songs were amplified and messy, but in that really incredible way that you will only ever get at a live show when you actually get to see a musician working shit out on stage through his music. It was quite a thing to behold and made for an unforgettable experience.
This is also why I believe so strongly in small(er) venues. So much is lost when performances are held in outrageously large spaces and looking back on this week of shows, the one at the Palladium feels thin and almost like it didn't happen. Will I stop going to see my favorite bands when they play these venues (prediction time: Mumford & Sons, when they return to Los Angeles, will play The Wiltern or The Greek if it's a summer tour), of course not, but I may grumble about it afterward. I'm just sayin'....
But back to the show at The Warfield, it ended with a bang. They threw us for a magnificent loop and played "Feel the Tide Turning" and "Whispers in the Dark" as part of the encore. *insert expletive ridden exclamation of joy here* There were chills and looks of awe exchanged between my friends and I and then it was sheer glee over witnessing two songs live we honestly never thought we'd get to see. Way to take it to the next level, boys. I mean, these two songs could easily end up on the next album, but as of now, it's kind of a big deal for this Mumford & Sons fan.
All in all the night was a roaring success and incredible amounts of fun were had by all involved, but most especially by me and my friends. We came together a little over a year ago because of another musician, but this band has solidified the bond in ways nothing else could have. Their music has brought focus, happiness, and hope to our lives. This could all easily be written off as the overly sentimental musings of a fangirl, which they are, but how could I ignore or cheapen it all with indifference when this band joins the ranks of bands (read: Something Corporate and Jack's Mannequin) that have changed my life for the better. I can't and I won't. So here I am owning it from my little corner of the internet. Put that on a t-shirt or have it embroidered on a pillow, I'll buy them both.
