This past week, Mumford and Sons wrapped up their seven-date, week and a half long tour of the east coast. Selling out every date on the originally four-date tour, they doubled up stops in New York, Fairfax and Camden where I was lucky enough to be one of 7000 to grace the sold out Susquehanna Bank Center.
The venue itself was pretty standard; a year-round amphitheater with lawn seats available in the summer and a closed in experience in the winter. It was pretty easy to get to, and being able to see Philly across the Delaware River once we parked was really nice.
Getting in line and walking into the venue I got a chance to do one of my favorite things—people watch. With some fanbases, I can peg easily by their age or the clothes they wear. What was so cool about the people coming to see Mumford and Sons was the diversity. There were college kids, middle-aged couples, families with young children. I even saw a relatively young man guiding an older blind woman to her seat. To be an artist that transcends age and lifestyle is a difficult thing to do, but these guys do it in stride.
Haim and Ben Howard both had the daunting task of opening for Mumford, each bringing their own style to the stage. Haim, a family band who described themselves as “three sisters and a mister,” started the show off with their blend of 80s girl-rock meets 90s grunge. I loved their whole vibe; laid back, long flowing hair and killer drums. Their song “Don’t Save Me” was my favorite of theirs because it really had an awesome 80s sound.
Ben Howard was next up, a British singer/songwriter who was accompanied by various musicians as he crooned on his acoustic guitar. While his style bears a similar comparison to British singer/songwriter Ed Sheeran, Ben’s lyrics really help him to stand out among the rest. I loved his song “Only Love” for its sweet melody and raw acoustic sound.
Finally, it was time for Mumford to take the stage. They opened with tons of energy, singing “Babel” as their trademark “Gentlemen of the Road” banner dropped its veil, revealing them onstage.
They kept the energy surging throughout the night with hits like “Little Lion Man,” “Hopeless Wanderer” and “I Will Wait,” as the crowd jumped around and sang along. The impressively on-pitch roar wasn’t something that could easily be ignored. While the high energy hits were great to hear, it was the slower, more intimate songs like “Timshel,” “Lovers Eyes” and “Ghosts That We Knew” that brought me chills down to the bone. As soon as Marcus Mumford dropped his voice down to a near whisper, the crowd went nearly silent without him even asking for it. The way Marcus commanded the audience…simply amazing.
Another element that Mumford and Sons is famous for is their earthy instrumentals, which were all equally displayed on stage that night. Featuring two trumpets, a trombone, violins, a double bass, and occasional banjo along with their usual drums, keyboard, and guitars, one might have thought they were seeing a symphony. The way that the boys balanced all those instruments with their already delicate harmonies was probably the best example of musical balance and blend I’ve heard in my life.
The show wrapped up with all three bands coming together for a very appropriate cover of “Atlantic City” by Bruce Springsteen. It was probably one of my favorite covers of the song (next to Paul Baribeau and Ginger Alford’s version) because of the way the big band vibe allowed the song to groove. I was singing and dancing along the entire time.
Overall, I could have told you how amazing this show was going to be before I even went. Mumford and Sons are amazing musicians and I would drop everything right now to be sitting back in Camden listening to them do what they do best. Their Best Album Grammy this past week for Babel was so well deserved, and they prove it every time they walk on stage.
