Last Night: Mumford & Sons and Cadillac Sky at the House of Blues

Mumford & Sons
November 4, 2010
House of Blues

Better Than: Going to a show at House of Blues when the Mavericks or Stars are in town.

Andrew Shepherd

Marcus Mumford. For more photos, check the slideshow.

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The frenzy that currently envelopes English folk-rockers Mumford & Sons is as clear as it is impressive.

Last night at the House of Blues in Dallas, the four-piece sold out their second area show in just four months. Only, well, this time, the room where this concert was held was about triple the size of the Cambridge Room of the same venue, where they played in June.

Andrew Shepherd

Mumford & Sons

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Against a dark backdrop, only illuminated by brilliantly simple light bulbs, the band reached for roughly the same material as the previous stop. Mumford & Sons made sure to bring the same energy, however, even if they carried themselves as more of a set of experienced veterans this time.

Last time, these charming fellows from London seemed like doe-eyed, gracious newbies that were amazed anyone in Texas knew who they were.

The brisk harmonies and anthemic sweep of each, ahem, anthem, had no problems filling the larger room, as the band opened with the song that opens their album with the same title, "Sigh No More."

This same song just happens to be what they opened up with in June, for whatever that's worth.

Leader of the group, Marcus Mumford, boasted an air of authority that he lacked a little last time. Perhaps that was most visible in the way he rhythmically punished the kick drum which rested at his feet.

In a way, another sign of a band emboldened was how each of the four stood at their microphones. By looking and focusing into only the crowd, and not repeatedly looking over at one another, the Sons showed a tremendous trust in their fellow performers, and that confidence paid dividends.

If there was much of a fault to be found, it was perhaps the way in which the band was too precise, at times. While there were certain tunes that made great use of the live setting and spread their sonic wings a tad, many of the numbers, such as the opening song, were almost too identical to the recorded versions, rendering them a bit predictable.

But that's really just nit-picking.