All Photos by Jared DePoe
This last Saturday night I had the pleasure of attending Railroad Revival Tour in Tempe, Arizona; a unique outdoor tour that consists of six stops where the bands travel from Oakland, CA, to New Orleans by, you guessed it, train. 15 vintage railcars from the 1950s and 60s will be home for this entire magical mystery tour as the bands will eat, sleep, jam and even record in the cars. Wanting to relive the old, charming ways of the classic folk-musician Woody Guthrie, the bands (Mumford & Sons, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes, and Old Crow Medicine Show) set forth on an American Southwest adventure, which embarked on April 21st, 2011.
After the Arizona venue changed from Chandler to Tempe, and after 5,000+ more tickets were released, the show ended up in a parking lot close to the Buffalo Exchange and Zia Records shopping center on West University Drive. How fitting.
It was a rather warm day, being in the desert and all, as concert attendees dressed in their California-cool meets Coachella-like attire. Floppy hats, cowboy boots, and wild-printed summer dresses were just some of the spotted pieces of the females. Fedoras, short shorts, thick-black-rimmed glasses, and vintage tees were in the mix for the Tempe males, along with the typical baseball caps and Arizona State University gear.
While the fashions are beside the point, it is still noteworthy to mention what a variety the crowd held. Along with the diverse attire, the ages of the crowd held an equal variety. From tweens to grandparents, it was a concert everyone at any age was enjoying. Mothers holding babies with earmuff-like earplugs also attended, in their American Apparel and Forever 21 Kids’ lines. Seeing these children, all I could ask myself was, “Wow, how hip are these children, seeing Alexander Ebert and Marcus Mumford at the tiny age of two?”
The doors opened at around 5pm and the crowds spilled in to the tightly-gated area. The trains were parked just to the right of the stage and with the sun slowly starting to set, making for a perfect western scene in the cactus-filled desert. To entertain the crowds before the concert, canvas banners hung on the fences with buckets of paint to write messages and draw art on. TOM Shoes also had a booth where free promotional materials like stickers and bracelets were being passed out to concert attendees. Along with typical festival food for sale was $30 tour t-shirts and $20 high quality poster prints which both sold out immediately following the end of show.
Old Crow Medicine Show took the stage right at six o’clock. Pleasing the crowd with an energy filled “Wagon Wheel (Rock Me Mama)” performance, OCMS was the perfect opening act to a night of fun and folk. Inviting members of Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes & Mumford & Sons to join on stage throughout their set, good vibes were felt as the bands truly shared brother-like relationships.
The band easily convinced the cowboy-boot-wearing Arizonans to “hoe down” as the band jammed out an extra country-fried tune. Bringing bluegrass to Tempe like we have never seen, the band got the energy of the crowd on the right track.
After OCMS had readied the crowd for more singing and dancing, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros took the stage with a theatrical performance. The band started their set with “40-Day Dream” during which singer Alexander Ebert jumped into the crowd several times, making the fans go nuts. The audience was right on cue with the claps that make this swinging song so catchy. Next, Ebert asked the crowd to sing the opening melody to “Janglin’” for him, as he mockingly joked about how “fucking ridiculous” the melody is. The “hey”s during the chorus were yelled and paired with fist pumps into the sky from every crowd member as the horn players stole the show.
Throughout the set, Alexander Ebert made dry, sarcastic one-line jokes that the audience didn’t always seem to get. Lines like “What do you call a Mexican with a rubber toe? Roberto!” and poking fun at Arizona and its immigration issues were just a few of the comments the audience reluctantly laughed at. Ebert danced on stage in his long johns along side his bandmate Jade, decked out in overalls and pigtails. The two were like a traveling Woodstock. “Carries On,” was also performed and paired with mass amounts of crowd participation. Collaborating once again, members of OCMS and Mumford & Sons joined the stage to play with Ebert and his crew of hippie musicians.
As predicted, with the audience’s high demand and the 10-piece band having no choice but to give in, Edward Sharpe closed their set with none other than “Home.” The 10,000+ crowd swayed back and forth, whistling along, with arms around each other. The crowd felt like family and for those short three minutes, I truly felt at home.
The show was the biggest of the tour, but nevertheless quickly sold out. Lucky residents of the apartment complex next door had incredible views, as residents poured out onto their balconies and rooftops. Tempe residents also crowded on the rooftops of the nearby restaurants and floods of fans filled the streets, peaking in through the fences, desperate for a glimpse of the epic night.
After what felt like a set change that took a lifetime, Mumford & Sons began at around nine o’clock, just as the thick desert air was finally cooling down. Kicking off their much-anticipated set with their hit, “Sigh No More,” the crowd full of young girls dreamily sighed at the sight of Marcus Mumford. The band showcased two new songs, the first being “Lover’s Lies.” The second, “Lover of the Light,” featured Mr. Mumford on the drums along with an epic breakdown that featured a strong horn section. The band was full of soul and gave an oddly spiritual performance.
After an impressive set, the crowd demanded an encore. All three bands took the stage for a grand finale of a cover of Johnny Cash’s “This Train.” Inviting their families and friends on stage, there were at least 35 musicians singing at the top of their lungs, playing everything from banjos to kazoos. Shouts, tears and laughter came from the Railroad Revival Tour family as they paused mid-song to thank their fans, family, friends and of course, the entire hard-working crew of the tour. The sense of hospitality these folks had for one another was impressive and appreciative. Unintentionally, there was a sound of a train whistle from another train nearby, which closed the night magically.
