Photo courtesy of www.kansascity.com
Following a five month hiatus, folk band Mumford and Sons successfully sold out the Sprint Center April 18 with their Arrow Through the Heartland tour. Thank God for the email reminders or I likely would’ve completely forgotten about the tickets I’d purchased in November. Looking back on that statement, I’m appalled that I almost missed the concert of a lifetime.
Admittedly, the trek to my nose-bleed seats dampened my mood. How were my pictures going to compare to those taken by my friends in General Admission?
Upon taking the stage, lead singer Marcus Mumford expressed his excitement at being back at the Sprint Center, laughing that we were the only venue he’s played in that is sponsored by Farmland. Classic KC.
Mumford and Sons didn’t mess around with any dramatic entrances or flashy costume changes, but simply did what they do best: perform. My lofty seats didn’t seem so bad when the band opened with “Snake Eyes” – an upbeat hit from their latest album, “Wilder Mind.”
Being more familiar with their older album, “Sigh No More,” I was ecstatic when they continued with “Little Lion Man.” There’s something freeing about being able to sing the F-bomb with such passion in a public place. I could tell from their wide smiles and cool confidence that the band felt it, too.
Later in the evening, Mumford had the audience moving as he ran around the floor section singing “Ditmas.” The herd of people shuffled back and forth to catch a glimpse of Mumford in his dead-sprint through the aisles, never failing to lose breath or momentum.
Naturally, the band debuted “Kansas City” for the first time on their tour. The song was done with The New Basement Tapes, a Bob Dylan cover band, and certainly fueled the passion we natives have for our beloved Kansas City. Even those unfamiliar with the song were able to give a good shout for the acknowledgement.
The post-concert depression set in as they exited the stage, but certainly didn’t last long. Moments later, the band reappeared on a smaller platform in the center of the arena, guitars and microphone in tow. Mumford explained that they were only to be assisted by one microphone and requested silence so that they could be heard. Here they sang “Timshel” and “Cold Arms,” gathered around the mic, giving a living room concert kind of feel. Straining to hear every word, I teared up hearing the lyrics from “Timshel:” “as brothers we will stand and we will hold your hand.” As they left the stage, I prepared myself mentally for the concert to really be over this time. I shouldn’t have been surprised when they showed up again on the main stage minutes later.
Screaming into my friend’s ear, I bet that “I Will Wait” would be their encore song, although his guess of “Hopeless Wanderer” was a valiant effort. I won pride and a high-five when they began the tune to one of their original hits. The crowd screamed along, desperate to be heard before they exited the stage for the last time.
On the trek back down numerous staircases, I convinced myself that I needed a T-shirt. Handing over the $40 was definitely cringe-worthy but I reasoned that such a band deserved my $40. My respect for M&S has increased significantly since Monday night. The band truly knows how to entertain their audience while still keeping complete focus on the quality of their music.