OPENING DAY @ THE SQUARE ALWAYS BRINGS OUT EVEN THOSE LIKE MYSELF WHO TEND TO HIBERNATE ALL WINTER. THIS YEAR WAS NO EXCEPTION, ESPECIALLY DUE TO THE FACT THAT IT IS THE 25th ANNIVERSARY OF FREE MUSIC WITH THE ADDED BENEFIT OF CONNECTING WITH OLD FRIENDS. EDWARD SHARPE AND THE MAGNETIC ZEROS DID NOT LET THE CROWD DOWN WITH A HIGH ENERGY, LEAVE IT ALL ON THE STAGE PERFORMANCE. ALEXANDER EBERT THE FRONT-MAN IMMEDIATELY HIT THE GROUND RUNNING, LITERALLY. HE JUMPED INTO THE CROWD, SMACKING HANDS, ALLOWING THE CROWD TO GRAB ON TO HIM AS HE SANG. THERE WERE MOMENTS WHEN THE CROWD WAS ACTUALLY HOLDING HIM UP, BUT HE GOT BACK TO THE STAGE, REMOVED HIS SHOES AND THE AUDIENCE WENT CRAZY. LIKE JOSS STONE, SOME PERFORMERS ARE JUST MORE COMFORTABLE RELEASING THEIR ENERGY ON STAGE WITH BARE FEET.
THEY DID NOT DO AN ENCORE BUT WHO NEEDED ONE WHEN THE BAND HAND THE CROWD BOUNCING UP AND DOWN WITH HANDS REACHED OUT TO THE SKY. SOME DANCED ON THE CEMENT LEDGES THAT RUN ACROSS THE LAWN BEHIND THE SOUND TECH WHO SITS UNDER A TENT IN THE CROWD DIRECTLY ACROSS FORM THE STAGE. THERE WERE FEWER PEOPLE THAN USUAL STANDING BACK UNDER THE TREES CHATTING WHILE THIS BAND WAS ON STAGE. THE CROWD PUSHED FORWARD, WANTING TO ABSORB EVERY BIT OF ENERGY THE BAND WAS RELEASING FROM THE STAGE. IF THE BAND DID A SHOW AT A LOCAL VENUE LATER THAT EVENING WITH A TICKET PRICE OF $20 I GUARANTEE THEY WOULD HAVE SOLD OUT. THEY ARE A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH IN AN INDUSTRY FULL OF FILE SHARING WITH FREE MUSIC AT YOUR FINGERTIPS.
HAVING LISTENED TO THEIR DEBUT RELEASE OVER AND OVER SINCE IT HIT THE MARKET IT WAS STILL REFRESHING ONE MORE TIME ON OUR WAY TO THE SHOW. WHAT WE WERE NOT EXPECTING IS THE BAND WHO HAVE TOURED EXTENSIVELY WHICH INCLUDED A SIX STOP RAILROAD REVIVAL TOUR WHICH INCLUDED MUMFORD & SONS AND THE CROW MEDICINE SHOW TO BRING SUCH A RUSH OF ELECTRICITY. FROM START TO FINISH THEY PLAYED TO A WORTHY CROWD WHO WANTED TO INTERACT WITH THE ASSORTMENT OF MUSIC THE BAND WAS LAYING DOWN WITH EACH SONG. TO KNOW HOW REAL THE BAND IS, EBERT HAD THE BAND "TAKE IT FROM THE TOP" NOT ONCE BUT TWICE IN A ROW WHEN HE KNEW HE WAS SINGING THE WRONG VERSE. THE AUDIENCE DID NOT CARE. THEY EVEN EMBRACED HIS NEED TO DO IT SO THEY COULD SING ALONG.
BUFFALO PLACE COULD NOT HAVE PICKED A BETTER BAND TO OPEN THE SEASON AND GIVE THE CROWD A MEMORABLE NIGHT THAT EVERYBODY THERE CAN TALK ABOUT AT THE PROVERBIAL WATER COOLER FRIDAY MORNING. THIS WILL ONLY INSIGHT MORE ATTENDEES IN THE WEEKS TO COME. THE LINE-UP THIS YEAR HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO ONE OF THE BEST THAT BUFFALO PLACE HAS PUT TOGETHER OVER THE YEARS. THE DAYS OF FAMILY GATHERING TOGETHER ON A BLANKET STRETCHED OUT ENJOYING THE GREAT MUSIC IS OVER BUT IN EXCHANGE THE CROWDS HAVE BECOME LARGER. THEY HAVE ADDED LITTLE TO THE FOOD AND DRINK MENU BUT NO ONE REALLY CARES ONCE THE FIRST BAND HITS THE STAGE.
