Kevin Bronson on July 27th, 2009

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By Mara Schwartz

Anyone who still thinks ’70s-vibed indie collective Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros are a relatively unknown local band – not unreasonable, considering they were a few months ago – might have casually sauntered over to Thursday’s free Hammer Museum show a bit after doors opened. What would have greeted them wasn’t just a line to get in: It was a “Phantom-Menace”-on-opening-night type behemoth stretching along Wilshire, around the corner, and U-turning back behind the museum, while the music-hosting courtyard had long hit capacity. Many gave up, freeing some pretty choice parking spots in Westwood.

Those who did gain a much-coveted entry to this show, the last in the Hammer’s “Also I Like to Rock” summer series, found scenesters, throwbacks, music industry types and tons of teenagers whose parents happily dropped them at a museum for a few hours (bar lines are mercifully short at Hammer shows) expectantly milling about waiting for the 11-piece boho crew to begin.

Edward Sharpe, the musical alter ego of Alex Ebert (whose last group, the new-wave tinged Ima Robot, tackled the subsequent decade; we fully expect a British Invasion tribute next) masterminded their sound, a Polyphonic Spree-ish “Up with People” vibe transported from the church choir to a happy SoCal hippie commune. (The band has so many members we’re not sure exactly what some of them do.) The shirtless, long-haired frontman has long known how to create an adoring crowd, and most of the attending faithful – and they really do inspire that sort of devotion – knew exactly how many claps to do and when during their debut single, the hallelujah-tastic “40 Day Dream.” And crowd favorite “Home,” a love duet between Alex and his red-hatted girlfriend/co-conspirator Jade Castrinos, created a sweet blend of joyousness and eye-misting.

Having conquered L.A., the band now takes its show on the road, for a tour of the U.S. and Europe. Its debut album “Up From Below,” was released independently on July 14.

Photos by Jeff Koga

Contributor Mara Schwartz blogs at Nobody Walks In LA.