Review: Mumford & Sons @ Beachland Ballroom 5/21/10

There, on the horizon, a distant storm slowly rolls towards you. A beautiful melody of clouds, gentle rumblings and soft flickers of light building as it moves closer. Then the rollicking roar of thunder and rain sweeps over you and the exhilaration fills you, inspires you to dance with the booming thunder and spattering rhythm of the rain. That's my best description of Mumford and Sons' music. Take that times ten and you have their sold out live show at the Beachland Ballroom last Friday night.

Considered an "English Folk Rock Band" from West London I would tend to think that they would find that label a bit limiting. Listening to the craft and maturity in their songs you feel that they would be much older than their early 20's. Equally surprising is they've only been together as a band and touring for two and a half years. Their debut album "Sigh No More" was just released this past February in the U.S.. It has already gone platinum in the U.K. and the band has sold out venues for most of their U.S. tour.

The Friday night crowd at the Beachland received them warmly and enthusiastically. As each songs' energy increased so did the crowd with hands in the air and full bodied stomps they followed the beat of the drum and rolled with the rollicking banjo. Applause from the audience, thoroughly familiar with their music, arose with the start of each song. You could hear the admiration as they sang along to the heartfelt, philosophical lyrics.

Well honed in their respective instruments and with fantastic vocal melodies between the band members, their love for the music was evident with each note. Marcus Mumford is the band's namesake and song writer and is also, in a unique way, the band's drummer. Singing lead and playing guitar and mandolin up front with Marshall "Country" Winston (banjo and dobro), Ben Lovett (keyboards and accordion) and Ted Dwane (double bass) he also keeps beat on a bass drum with a foot pedal placed in front of him. For a few songs he retreated back to a complete drum set behind the band.

I had not heard of the opening band, Middle East, before Friday night but was very captivated by their music. An Australian band, they complimented the music of Mumford and Sons very well. There was surely a mutual admiration for each other's music between the bands. They even sat in on a song from each of their sets.

You could tell by their demeanor that Mumford and Sons were a bit still in awe of their increasing popularity. They were graciously, genuinely grateful to be in Cleveland and on this wonderful new journey playing their "music that matters" as state on their website.

"Lend me your eyes I can change what you see. But your soul you must keep, totally free" is from their song Awake My Soul. To that I would say; lend them your ears and they'll change what you hear!

View photos by Bob Perkoski here

Review and photos by Bob Perkoski. His fine art photography where framed, matted or canvas prints can be purchased, may be found at http://www.Perkoski.com, 440-638-4164