With their new album “Here” on the horizon, Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros played an amazingly psychedelic show at the Greek Theater in Griffith Park on Friday night.
Edward Sharpe’s former pianist, Aaron Embry, opened the show with a folksy sound that was reminiscent of Bob Dylan in his early days, before he went electric. The small crowd sat and listened with little enthusiasm, but still appreciated the music being played.
By the time Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros took the stage, the crowd was packed and eagerly awaiting the first song to start. Some audience members brought tambourines, others brought weed, and when the song “40 Day Dream” started, both items were immediately were put to use.
Bandleader, Alexander Ebert graced the stage in an off-white outfit, bare feet long hair. In many ways, he resembled a modern day messiah figure.
Love, life, harmony, happiness and peace were the messages being portrayed by the band. Before the song “Carries on” was played, Ebert told the crowd to “Hug the person next to you,” and this one act created a feeling of community, based on love and kindness.
During this song, Ebert sang “One love, carries on” and followed it by saying “Isn’t that corny?” Then, Jade Castrinos (co-vocals) said, “Yeah, but its true.”
Ebert’s energy and charisma during the performance got the crowd up and dancing. While singing one of their new songs, “Man On Fire,” Ebert jumped into the pit and walked around the aisles, singing and dancing with various members of the audience.
The most memorable moment of the night was when the band let the audience start off the song “Janglin” with the um bop tune. The entire crowd sang and the sound was a beautiful harmony made by music lovers. While the crowd sang, the band looked out into the audience in awe and a look of gratitude washed across their faces.
With the lack of a set list, the band played off the crowd, taking requests and just doing the songs that felt right in the moment. At one point, Ebert asked, “What song do you guys wanna hear?” and the whole crowd screamed out in unison “Home,” and Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros didn’t disappoint. The song was sung by the crowd, the band, and probably even by the people sitting on park benches outside of the venue, because the lyrics create such a unity. “Home is where ever I’m with you” is a statement that hits people and stays with them forever.
During the show, Ebert, in true hippie form, talked about how he never wanted to be part of an institution, and that he has always been “anti-establishment.” These statements got loud roars from the crowd, and led into the song “Om Nashi Me,” which according to Ebert, he made up, but ended up meaning “my destruction” in Sanskrit. This song is about Ebert destroying the façade of who he is, and embracing whatever comes.
The night ended too soon, and when it was time to leave audience members begged for more, but because of the outdoor venue’s curfew, the music needed to end at 11 p.m.
Ebert said goodbye and left the stage with “Peace, I love you.” Most audience members responded by holding up the peace sign to the band, in a silent, and powerful goodbye.
Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zero’s upcoming album, “Here,” is due out on May 29.
