Thurs 13 Dec
words: HELEN LOCK
★★★★☆
Often credited with bringing the folk music genre back into mainstream culture (whether this is a good thing or not is still up for debate), Mumford & Sons have experienced an incredible rise to fame in the past couple of years. Along with other artists such as Noah And The Whale and Laura Marling, the band’s blend of folk-tinged melodic rock has proved to be a hit both in the UK and the United States.
Having released Babel, their follow-up to 2010’s Grammy-nominated Sigh No More, earlier this year, the band have embarked on a sell-out tour of the UK and Ireland. Entitled The Tour Of Two Halves, it sees the band splitting their time on the excursion between theatres and arenas, in order to give their fans the best chance of being able to see them if they are unable to make it to the larger arenas.
So, on to the gig at Cardiff’s Motorpoint Arena. The band was supported by Californian group Dawes, whose upbeat and catchy songs did a great job of getting the crowd ready for the night ahead. Lead singer Taylor Goldsmith’s voice had a remarkably similar quality to Marcus Mumford’s, which meant that by the time Mumford & Sons came on stage, the atmosphere was electric.
Launching straight into songs from their second album, the band mixed things up with a combination of hits from both records. From audience favourites I Will Wait and Lover Of The Light, which had everyone singing along, to stunningly moving versions of Thistle & Weeds and Below My Feet, the perfect harmonies and eclectic mixture of instruments combined to incredible effect. The stripped-down stage, devoid of fancy light effects and simply adorned with rows of bulbs and lanterns, created a summery festival vibe, making the audience forget that it was in fact the middle of winter.
From the first song to the last, Mumford & Sons put on a fantastic show. As someone who began the night sceptical of the performance ahead and unsure quite what the fuss was about, I left with a new respect for the band, and in awe of their incredible talent.