There’s a change happening in music today. The modern version of musical innovation seem to rely heavily on electronic beats or edgy guitar cuts giving the Average Joe the ability to design their very own homemade sounds through recent technological advancement, or allows a well-known artist the opportunity for reinvention by switching up their genre or dare I say, “changing their tune.” Both are revolutionary notions for the music-lover and the artist. The type of change I’m referring to takes us back, not forward, to a time when songwriting and personal tales of tragedy or triumph ruled what made music beautiful. Back then, the music-making process was an expression of soul-baring joy, an outlet for lovers of sound and an escape from their day-to-day redundancies.
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The Railroad Revival Tour |
Port O’ Call
San Pedro, CA
April 22, 211
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This all occurred to me when the genuine, deep, down home, Americana melodies of yesteryear culminated in the form of The Railroad Revival Tour. For just one week this April, three bands will travel to six unparalleled locales across 2,000+ miles of the American Southwest to bask in musical collaboration and pay homage to the trails once voyaged by thousands of 21st century musicians. No first class airline service, no smelly, beat up tour bus, no five-star hotels with unlimited room service - just vintage rail cars, the open desert and a common bond: music.
Last week on April 22, photographer Cathy Cornejo and I drove out to the makeshift pseudo festival-parking lot at San Pedro, California’s Ports O’ Call. Stoked out of our minds and excited to enjoy the harmonies and stories of passion by the groundbreaking band of brothers and tour headliners, Mumford and Sons. Joined by folk-inspired festival favorites, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, and the energetic, country-rooted Old Crow Medicine Show, we had a feeling the evening ahead of us would be as unique as it was time-bending.
What these three groups have in common, other than making beautiful music, is their ability to organically entertain an audience through the crowd-member’s experience. Their performances take on an ethereal form of connection, emotion and spirit, as they morph into the entertainers by showing up as fans - lovers of music.
From the first strum of the very first fiddle string, Old Crow Medicine Show kicked off the evening with their soulful, country-inspired simplicity. Back in 2008, the guys from OCMS took off from NYC to perform across the country. This 6-piece crew ended up in Nashville where they graciously accepted the honor of performing at the Grand Ole Opry and eventually hit the road with the legend himself, Merle Haggard. But on the stage at San Pedro, everyone in attendance rocked back and forth (a few even got a good old knee-slapping going) through every song including catchy crooner “Wagon Wheel” and fiddle-heavy, quick stepper “Raise a Ruckus” (my personal favorite). To kick off a show, that highlights old time, bluegrass, country and folk genres to a crowd of twenty- and thirty something’s, re-emphasizes that where we’re going is somewhere we’ve already been. And I kinda like it.
During 2010’s Coachella show in Indio, California, I was graced by the refreshing yet completely unassuming Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. In San Pedro, their euphoric expressions of musical obsession continued through the lively performance provided by this group of 10 members. They are a tribe of talented musicians who with hippie-inspired attitudes embrace folk music and allow anyone watching them to do the same. When the group’s crowd favorite sing-a-long “Home” began playing, it was obvious to me that radio airwaves and festivals across the country have allowed American to take notice of this troupe.
And then the moment we all were anxiously awaiting arrived. Or maybe selfishly I should say, the moment I’d been waiting for all month. Mumford and Sons are not just four blokes from England who, through good genes and a string of luck, happen to have clinched popularity. They are young, but they are gifted. They take music to a place that has been lost in time. I cannot last recall when I was afforded a more genuine yet mystical experience hearing music.
Their album, Sigh No More, has been incredibly successful around the UK and in America for quite some time. Through haunting, heartfelt, and somewhat inconspicuous lyrics, choral harmonies and romantic instrumentals, it is easy to see why the world is jumping on the bandwagon. Their set-up was immaculately simple. With blue and white lights scattered across the stage, their hit song “The Cave” set the audience on fire. As they played “Winter Winds,” a sincere tale of love, the crowd in unison chanted the lyrics, “and my head told my heart ‘let love grow,’ but my heart told my head ‘this time no’.” Then came tenderhearted songs with messages of ardor and loyalty like those in “Awake My Soul” and “Timshel.” People are sick of the electronica, auto-tuned, unauthentic crap recycled and exposed to mainstream media. Mumford and Sons make real music for real people living practical lives who desire originality and honesty they can connect with.
In the end, all musicians came together for one last round ‘em up as the three bands honored the late, great Johnny Cash and June Carter with a rousing rendition of “This Train Was Bound For Glory.” I see continued success for these new outlaws of tried and true American music. In this girl’s opinion, The Railroad Revival Tour is bound for success, and yes, quite a bit of glory.
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