Photo Credit: Nina Robinson
Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros (@edwardsharpe) headlined Roseland Ballroom on Wednesday for the second night of their well-attended performances. Los Angeles outfit Fool’s Gold got things started with afro-beat styling’s mixed with 80s dance grooves. Delightful and full of joy, Fool’s Gold was a great primer for what was to come.
Finally, Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros took the stage to thunderous applause. While the set started strong with a cut from their unreleased album and fan favorite “40 Day Dream”, the band fought an uphill battle for the remainder of the show, plagued by sound issues and clear exhaustion from frontman Alex Ebert. Ebert said once “It’s hard to be a good guy when you’re so tired”, and later in the set, he commented to his band “everything sounds kind of sleepy doesn’t it?” Much of the show was given over to The Magnetic Zeros for instrumental exploration. While it may have been solely to allow Ebert some time for rest, the audience danced along, shifting the show’s focus from Ebert’s shamanistic character to the shining musicianship of the band.
Whether from exhaustion or personal issues, Ebert spent a good deal of the show either sitting down or giving center stage to Jade Castrinos. To her credit, Castrinos rallied the band and powerfully commanded the room. Ebert still managed to find moments of brightness in the set during title track “Up From Below” and the during the band’s final song and hit single “Home”.
Even with these issues, the collectivist experience that has become a trademark of Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros was certainly present, with Ebert organizing a venue-wide hug that left audience members with a warm fuzzy feeling. While the musical aspect of the performance didn’t shine, the camaraderie of the band and their connection with the audience was undeniable.