Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros’ magnetism
Kevin Bronson on
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“Relax,” Alex Ebert told the crowd Tuesday night at the El Rey Theatre. “Just relax.”
A simple enough entreaty. The barefoot and bare-chested Ebert and his 12-member ensemble, Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, were playing hippie hymns fit for a 1960s love-in, but the capacity crowd was demanding and edgy, almost fit for Chicago during the 1968 Democratic National Convention. It was as if the Born Too Late Generation were fighting for limited seats on a time machine bound for the Age of Aquarius.
- ||| Photo gallery by Laurie Scavo
Tips for your next hippie gathering: 1) Check your testosterone at the door; 2) Respect your fellow concert-goer’s personal space; 3) Don’t chatter through the opening act, especially when it is a 25-member choir of gowned women; 4) Don’t shout coarsely at the lead singer; 5) Keep your “bro wear” (polo shirts with designer logos, ballcaps worn sideways) to a minimum; 6) Tip your bartender.
That said, the Big Love exuded by Ebert, partner-in-song Jade Castrinos and the rest of the band carried the evening. The adulation bestowed upon the Magnetic Zeros, who less than a year ago were an underground phenomenon, was palpable – and even bankable: Somebody threw cash onstage (which Ebert tossed back to the masses).
The soulful folk songs on the band’s debut, “Up From Below,” are paeans to harmony with the power to be a hedge against a madding world, but the charged atmosphere of the El Rey made them seem larger than life. “40 Day Dream” and “Carries On” fairly levitated the crowd; “Home” induced smiles all around with its call-and-response chemistry between Ebert and Castrinos; tunes like “Desert Song” turned the main floor into a popcorn popper of arms and bodies. Ebert forayed into the crowd to sing one number, and an encore featured a just-winging-it version of a” song that the frontman said guitarist Nico Aglietti “had just written,” as well as a couple’s onstage marriage proposal.
Coming as it did at the end of a long tour, Tuesday’s headlining show must have felt like a milestone, and at times Ebert – the former frontman of dance-rockers Ima Robot who has now segued to music that feels more organic – seemed overwhelmed by the reception. “It’s a dream,” he told the crowd. “Thank you so much.”
Frank Fairfield, and then the 25-member LA Ladies Choir (which featured a lot of voices from the L.A. indie scene) opened, with Joe McCord (father of Magnetic Zero Orpheo McCord) performing a brief mime sketch prior to the headliners.
||| Live: Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros perform Sunday at the Abbot Kinney Festival in Venice and Oct. 3 at the Manimal Vinyl Festival at Pappy & Harriet’s in Pioneertown.
Since I went to this show–and the “One Eskimo” show at Hotel Cafe on Wednesday, the comments here apply to both shows. Sadly, they apply to hundreds of shows.
I went to see One Eskimo last night. Decent. But indecent were the numerous clods who talked during the show… it sucked the life out of the show. Live shows should have a synergy from the audience and artist, but that’s undercut when talkers distract the artist and the listeners (they must think it noble to exhibit a sort of Waldenessque ‘marching to another drummer’). Kanye, Joe Wilson, and these talkers show a fundamental selfishness, immaturity, and rudeness when they can’t seem to understand that ethical conduct adapts to the time and place… and others. For them, the world is their ashtray. It’s the same mentality: the world revolves around me.
I have little doubt what political persuasion these people are, though. Like the people alluded to in Hair’s “Easy to be hard,” they are the ones that trumpet their faux social activism and compassion for humanity. Except when it inconveniences them.
I know someone else who likes the sound of their own voice and their name is Dougie!
def agree with you about the crowd at the el rey….well what do you expect? We were west of Labrea thats the type of concert going experience one receives going to shows with ‘westsiders.’ wink wink. At least they all seemed to really be sincerely into the Zeros. Ive seen Fairfield a bunch of times now (including playing for spare cash on colorado blvd in old towne pas) sadly I didnt see the audience uderstand what he was bringing to the stage at all.
[…] kevin bronson’s review over on buzz bands perfectly captures this night so well, i have no other words… so i direct you to his. […]
All the tips were good except the snipe about bro wear. What the heck kind of snobby and random “tip” is that.