Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros

Bowery Ballroom, 11/17/09

Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros (w/Local Natives and Fools Gold)

I tend to trust most things my friend Ryan says. When Ryan says that Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros put on the best show, he isn’t lying. When you can’t even count how many people are in the band, you know you are in for something special.

The opening acts primed the musical pump, mimicking the uber-indie scene that permeates the Bowery Ballroom at all times. Many beards, many flannels. The seven member team of Fools Gold with their latin infused chants, invited the members of Local Natives to play a song together and I had a startling realization. This new fad amongst indie rockers to have more than 5 people in their bands, is a little daunting. But in some senses, you can pull it off, especially when some of the members play novelty instruments like clarinet and cello. But when 4 of your members are playing different variations of percussion items, I must draw the line. And when you invite more dudes on stage than I know how to count, all singing, dancing, and playing different instruments, I have to wonder, am I watching art, or are there just 15 retarded guys on stage yelling in a language I don’t understand? Then I thought, it’s indie. And I instantly grew a mustache.

But if there is one band (and there are a few) that can pull off the 10+ member indie orchestra, it’s Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros. They exude an atmosphere of indie awesomeness that truly just defines the word “fun”. Everyone shares the stage, and they share it with the crowd.

I had a premonition that the show was going to be good, but I was blown away. Some shows you go to because the music is good, some you go for the atmosphere; this was truly the amalgam of the two.

If you have a chance to catch these guys, I highly recommend it, especially if you are a sucker for multi-part harmonies, whistling, or dancing. And do it in a small venue if you can. Something about bands like this demand a level of intimacy that a large stage just misses. When the members can jump out and walk into the crowd, you know you are in the right spot. And really, do you want to miss a band with a trumpeter and an accordion player? No. I didn’t think so. There will be dancing. There will be shirtlessness. There will be beards. Hopefully they will have PBR’s (Bowery Ballroom does not, and expect to pay around$7 for a beer).

And a studio version of “Home”, a real crowd pleaser.

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