Maybe it was the opportunity to relax on uncharacteristically sunburnt grass, but punters' spirits were noticeably high on this sunny Dublin 8 afternoon. Before the chance to pay homage to everyone's favourite crowd-pleasing and commercially successful indie-folksters, there was a nifty selection of support acts to savour. Those who completed the mammoth trek through Phoenix Park in good time witnessed an exuberant barrage of indie-rock from Meath natives Ham Sandwich. Clearly enjoying themselves, LA collective Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros were an early highlight: frontman Alex Ebert epitomised the sunny festival vibe as he interacted with (and got down amongst) the crowd between and during soulful feel-good psychedelic folk numbers. Next up on the eclectic bill were English post-punk/indie-rock act the Vaccines, whose up-tempo if rather generic hits were greeted with general enthusiasm. As the numbers swelled, it was clear Ben Howard was a big draw for the predominantly early-twenties attendees, as the English singer's band fleshed out a series of acoustic folk numbers. Special appreciation and sing-along moments were reserved for fan favourites 'Only Love', 'The Wolves' and 'Keep Your Head Up', as Howard took command of the stage and provided an appropriate backdrop for assembled sun-worshippers.
Fresh from a headline slot at Glastonbury, a glorious day in the President's back garden offered a chance to see Mumford & Sons at the top of their game. For this indie-folk juggernaut, live performances are the bread and butter, and here they embraced their ambitious melodrama with merry abandon. Clad in familiarly rustic pseudo-uniform, the London outfit took to the stage shortly after 9pm and while such a vast arena set-up ought to be damaging to the intimacy which enhances any Mumford show, this is a group adept at indulging their fans. A capacity crowd of 40,000 hung on each tune, hoping for a smash hit, but perfectly content to bask in album tracks more often than not sung back to the band in unison. Amid understated stage lighting and moody smoke effects, a well-pitched set gave an airing to cuts from both albums in their catalogue, aided by the clarity of the sound throughout the venue. Reverent sing-alongs (standouts included a hushed 'Ghosts That We Knew' and a powerful 'Holland Road') were exchanged with stomping rambunctiousness. 'Little Lion Man' was dispensed with early on while an urgent 'Hopeless Wanderer' stood out as another boisterous highlight. Relatively sparse interaction served to confirm that it was indeed a lovely evening and that Mumford & Sons really enjoy their visits to Ireland.
The niggling sense of the show as somewhat perfunctory (perhaps forgivable for any band who have relentlessly toured their material to ever-expanding audiences) was initially supported by a set which ebbed and flowed according to the thrust of the music, but both crowd and band came alive during some rowdier build-and-drop numbers; a mid-set 'I Will Wait' unsurprisingly drew one of the night's biggest reactions. As the sun faded, so too did the last inhibitions of some portions of the crowd, as a band who can rally and rouse like few others incited a raucous hooley. An encore ignited by 'The Cave' was given a fitting final crescendo, with Marcus inviting assorted support acts to help perform a rootsy, irresistibly fun rendition of the ubiquitous 'Galway Girl', delivering further credence to those devotees who insist Ireland is a home from home for Mumford & Sons. Say what you will, but it is hard to begrudge any band who so passionately enjoy what they do, and maintain commendable humility while occupying their literal and figurative moment in the sun.
Review by Killian Barry
