Alexander (Edward Sharpe) in CAMP London 15th February 2011) 8/10

My impressions of my first live rock concert, Edward Sharpe (Alexander) in London

(supported by The Shutes)

The support act (The Shutes- photo above) from the Isle of Wight, UK were impresssive- I'd already downloaded their EP and my positive expections of the music were fulfilled. The looked pretty deeply involved in the music, but in an introverted sense, rather than reaching out to the audience in a charismatic way. Despite this, I'm eager to hear them again, and suspect they will become much better known- a band to watch.


Alex Ebert (hereafter referred to as Edward Sharpe) watched the support act in the crowd with a bottle of beer in his hand, and at the end of the show generously complimented The Shutes (unfortunately they weren't there to receive it as they left immediately after their set).

The basement venue (CAMP London) was gritty, but the people were smart: predominantly female, young, well dressed and affluent. It was a small venue, sold out for this concert, and felt intimate. These pictures were taken with a small compact camera and illustrate how close we were to the stage.

When Edward Sharpe came on, he said that he wasn’t going to say much as ‘We (the audience) will make our own story. I just f*cking hope it’s a good one’. Immediately he started playing, the audience reacted in a remarkable way. I started dancing (even though I can’t dance), people were moving in harmony, and I am unable to compare the feeling of togetherness to anything else I’ve experienced before. It was magical, spiritual, and I felt at one with everyone there. I cannot emphasise enough how amazing the connection between the band and the people in that room.

Then Edward Sharpe had a problem with his acoustic guitar, and asked if anyone in the audience had brought one with them! Whilst this was going on, the guy in the band who plays clarinet started improvising, and once again the audience responded with their bodies. The whole band is just so musical and were so evidently enjoying themselves, and believed and lived the values espoused in the music. This positive energy was infectious, and I hope the audience will be able to carry it into their everyday lives.

All of the songs were brand new to the audience (with the exception of Truth which was released as a free download)unless any had attended their first outing the night before in London. I'm concentrating on the live music experience here, as many reviewers will give a considered opinion when the album is released on March 1st. I can say with confidence that if you like the Magnetic Zeros album Up from Below or their even more inspired iTunes Sessions, you will love the new Alexander album. I did miss Jade (only half of the Zeros travelled to the UK with Alexander), but there are suggestions she might release her own solo album. Despite the smaller band, the style and sound world is similar to their earlier work, and in common with the first album, there was a great variety and originality between songs.

I honestly believe you will never forget the first time you hear Edward Sharpe live. If more people adopted his philosophy, the world would be a far more peaceful and wholesome place (and much more fun). Something amazing was going on in the interaction and closeness between people in that room, united by music, and the experience has, for today at least and I hope for longer, affected my interactions with everyone I've met for the better (basically there's more love). 

The morning after this concert, I booked another live concert, and whilst it will be hard to match the vibe and charisma of Edward Sharpe, this is definitely going to become a regular, and essential feature of my life.

8/10