Author: Lauren Katulka

I’m dragging my feet today. It takes a special show to lure me to Sydney and back midweek. I know I’ll feel sluggish and cranky the next day, so the music had better be worth it. And it was when Mumford & Sons and their exciting band of support acts graces the Entertainment Centre stage last night.

Willy Mason and Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros were support acts in the strictest sense of the word, but they took a much greater role in proceedings that most arists with that tag do. Members of all acts made appearances in the sets of the others, revelling in the opportunity to play amongst such accomplished and passionate musicians. The audience welcomed them all warmly, hanging on to their every note rather than using the time for toilet breaks and a few extra drinks at the bar.

Willy Mason was first up with his deep resonate voice, killer guitar skills, and gentlemanly charm. He reminded me a lot of Johnny Cash, and I lapped up his classic brand of countrified folk music. His set was simple, without bells and whistles, but when music’s that good you don’t need a spectacular show to jazz things up.

I enjoyed Willy Mason, but I was wowed by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes. What a band. This was really my first introduction to their music; I’d heard “Home” of course but didn’t click that they were “that band” until their set closed. But I was enthralled from the get go. A dozen musicians sharing a stage will always make an impression, but this band has much more than bulk on their side. There’s such a lovely old-fashioned feel to the group, like they’ve just stumbled off some hippie compound with their bare feet and left of centre instrumentation. How exciting to see mandolins and trumpets and piano accordions coming together with the most exquisite harmonies! And then there’s Alex Ebert, aka Edward Sharpe, a compelling messiah-like figure with a captivating voice that dances mad, joyful jigs. I wish one of my photos could accurately convey what an incredible presence he has, but sadly the dim lighting and his rapid movements were against me. Despite my love for Mumford & Sons, I was disappointed when they announced their last song. I was just not ready for the set to end. I can’t recall ever responding so deeply to a support act.

That disappointment was pretty easy to shake off once Mumford & Sons took to the stage. These British lads must be one of the tightest bands around. I marvelled at the way their voices mingled together, with just a gentle acoustic guitar to accompany them, in the opening strains of “Lover’s Eyes.” The show kicked into a higher gear when Mumford & Sons took us back to their debut album with a raucous rendition of “Roll Away Your Stone” and “Winter Winds.” I really appreciated the way Mumford & Sons celebrated both their albums, treating fans to a roughly equal number of tracks. This wasn’t about pushing a new release; instead it was a night just about enjoying great music. As captivated as I was by the band, I loved looking down and taking in the faces of the crowd on the floor, jumping like one pulsing organism in the more frenetic moments, singly loudly and proudly along with their idols. There was an awful lot of love in the room.

All the acts were in such fine form last night, it was only fitting that Willy Mason and Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes joined Mumford & Sons for their final song, a rousing rendition of Fleetwood Mac’s “The Chain.” Apparently that’s the first time they’ve all done that, and I feel so blessed that I was in the room to witness it.

Image source: Stephen Katulka