Kevin Bronson on March 18th, 2012

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One good idea spawned another Saturday evening at South by Southwest.

Last spring’s Railroad Revival Tour – the train journey that carried Mumford & Sons, Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros and Old Crow Medicine Show from Oakland to New Orleans and stopped for six shows along the way – was documented by director Emmett Malloy in the film “Big Easy Express.” And on a cool, grassy expanse on the University of Texas campus on Saturday night, far from the madness of 6th Street, the film was screened, followed by sets from two of the bands.

Thousands turned out to see Malloy’s love letter to three bands that in their own way carry the torch for vintage music. The film weaves together interviews, impromptu performances aboard the train and concert footage to make a strong argument for the power of roots music. Or, as Marcus Mumford told everybody, “Real music played by real people.”

Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros’ set was a loose affair, with frontman Alex Ebert explaining that the band had spent most of its time recently in the studio working on its sophomore album “Here,” which is due out May 29. The band kicks off the Greek Theatre’s season on May 4.