Hi music lovahs, I'll start this bloggity blog off by saying, this show all happened so fast. In mid-January, Mumford posted to their website a registration to over throw all those dick-licker, scalpers that buy tickets and resell them on StubHub for four times the original price. Not neccessarily using that language, but it was in order to ensure that the tickets went to none other than genuine Mumford & Sons fans, and that the process is completely fair and even, tickets were only to be made available for sale through a special registration to receive an invitation to purchase on a first-come, first-served basis. This process was fairly simple and totally random. I registered and then 3 days later received a confirmation email, including a code to allow me to purchase two tickets to the Camden, NJ show and at the original price of $50, to boot! I was skeptical at first when the order was processed and the TicketMaster confirmation reported my tickets would be held at will-call, but nonetheless wicked excited and thankful that one of my coworkers directed me towards this operation in the first place! Thanks, Kyle! <3
My friend Tucker and I hit the road early Saturday so we could visit a friend in NJ. It was quite the aggressive trip, making our way there and back in one swoop and considering neither of us had been to Camden, NJ. After being warned that it isn't the safest place in the world we hit the road and after a brief period of getting lost in the pits of hell and crossing the border to Philly, we finally made it to The Susquehanna Bank Center....safe and sound.
It was a pretty cool venue, located right on the water, which opens up during the summer for outdoor seating, but tonight concert goers were packed inside. Our seats were pretty desc too considering the last minute ability to purchase them. I really enjoyed the show, the energy from the crowd was high and the acoustics sounded spot on. The talent that oozes from these men is insane and I was wildly blown away by the way they can transition from instrument to instrument as if it's nothing. I took guitar lessons for 6 months and I mastered, maybe 3 riffs...like seriously, these men are legit.
BUT...and there is a but, I know...what? Grammy winners with 2 fantastic albums that went platinum many times over...in addition to a sweaty, foot stomping-good time? ....I know, weird...however to be honest, there was no variety. I felt if I closed my eyes it was as if I was listening to the cd. I am in no way complaining, but when I go to a show, I wanna jam and experience things people who didn't get tickets missed out on. If I am this close to a musician with an abundance of talent such as these men, I wanna FEEEEEEL it. Ya dig? Maybe they were tired, maybe they are still nervous to stray from the path because they are so new to the scene, but whatever it was, made for a small let-down. I still love them and their music, and I am in no way putting down their efforts....I just want more. Does this make me greedy? Maybe, but this is why I love live shows so much more. This is why I spend at least one-third of my salary on shows each year, to experience that unique performance that varies form venue to venue and artist to artist. It lacked that connection, and it made it feel like they were performing on just another night. I just wanted it to feel special, mannnn.
Tuck and I agreed that maybe seeing them at a festival in the summer would make for a way better experience, not only because festivals make everything better, but because they would have the freedom to let their hair down and rock out a bit more genuinely because it wasn't a show that was included on their tour. It would be a little less business and a little more rock and roll.
Either way, Babel won best album for a reason, it's beautifully put together. It's romantic, strong, and shows a different side of these dudes which shines through from the lyrics. I'm super thankful I went and I'm hoping, for the sake of other fans, that it was just that night in the ghetto of New Jersey, and not the majority of shows on their tour.
Oh and PS, Jersey...get your shit together, you're the pits.
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