By the end of the second act of the Railroad Revival concert last night, Marcus Mumford of Mumford and Sons had played no less than three different instruments (plus vocals), and his own band had yet to perform. When they did eventually go on, he would add at least 2 more instruments to that list. There was no question among the cheering crowd or the bands that continually requested him on stage that Mumford’s musicality is something to be celebrated.
Everything about last nights Railroad Revival show seemed like a celebration. Fill a stage with fiddles, mandolins, banjos, and the camaraderie of a group of musicians who have spent the past six days jamming with one another aboard a train and it’s hard not to be infected with their energy and excitement.
Old Crow Medicine Show started off the set with their sound that transported me deep into the heart of the Appalachian mountains. Alex Ebert commented later saying that their name was appropriate because their musical medicine was sure to cure any ailment of the soul. He might be right. When Edward Sharpe came out on stage a friend of mine said, “It looks like a bunch of homeless people from San Francisco got together and started a band.” That’s exactly what they look like, and damn can they put on a great show! Mumford and Son finished off the set and for their final number, The Cave, they brought out the entire Austin High Marching Band to accompany them. It was perfection. Then again, I’m partial to both Mumford and Sons and marching bands.
The finale brought all the musicians on stage for a jam of Woody Guthrie’s, This Train Is Bound For Glory. As I danced and sang along in the heat and sweat of a hot Texas night, I couldn’t help but feel so lucky to be a part of this concert experience. It is a train that is bound for glory for sure.
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