Mumford & Sons sells out Lanxess Arena in Koln
One of the most successful acts to emerge from the 21st century’s English folk-rock revival, Mumford & Sons have long been known for rich vocal harmonies, fusing bluegrass, folk, country, and rock into a sound that resonates with audiences worldwide. Since their 2009 debut ‘Sigh No More’, the band has collected Brit and Grammy Awards, became an internationally successful act, headlined Glastonbury, and sold out arenas across the globe. The band is credited with bringing folk-influenced music back into the mainstream and have a dedicated global fanbase. Mumford & Sons’ evolution over the years reflects a band that grows while staying true to its roots.
Mumford & Sons released five studio albums up to date, from which three went platinum and one gold, while all of them were chart toppers. Three live albums, six extended plays and eight live extended plays are rounding up their discography. While the band had chart topping albums, there was no chart topping single so far.
Now touring in support of their new album “Rushmere”—their first as a trio since Winston Marshall’s 2021 departure—Marcus Mumford, Ben Lovett, and Ted Dwane proved that even after seven years without a full-length album release and five years of hiatus from touring, their live show remains as powerful and popular as ever.
The sold-out Lanxess arena was packed to the top for the second and last show in Germany on this tour, (the other show was in Berlin) and CountryMusicNews.de was there to report on this outstanding night.
Mumford & Sons brings live firepower to Folk-Rock
The Mumford and Sons opened their Cologne performance with the live debut of the anthemic “Run Together”, an unreleased track, blending in their setlist seamlessly. The mid-tempo “Babel “ followed, before Marcus called out “Wie geht’s Cologne?” and the crowd was jolted into high gear with the title song from the new album “Rushmere”. Fan favourites like “Little Lion Man” and “Hopeless Wanderer” ignited singalongs early in the night, while “Lover of the Light” saw Mumford take to the drums while delivering vocals, displaying his trademark multi-instrumental flair. The first half of the show closed with “Truth”, the most rock-driven track from “Rushmere”.
A stripped-down acoustic set followed on the small B-stage, planted in the middle of the crowd, bringing an intimate campfire feel to the massive arena. Later on, Mumford dashed into the crowd, running to the opposite end of the arena and up to the side of the bowl, during another rock-driven tune “Ditmas”, further heightening the energy. The band powered through “The Cave”, unleashing huge support and loud sing-along from the crowd which carried through “Roll Away Your Stone” and the country flavoured “Rubber Band Man”. The band slowed down for a breather for the first half of “Delta” and slowly rebuilt the momentum by the end of the tune. The rolling alternative-garage rock “The Wolf” closed the setlist before the short break.
The crowd cheered for minutes, waiting for the highly anticipated encore.
For the encore, the trio returned with “Timshell,” gathering around a single microphone for an acoustic rendition that hushed the crowd with its delicate harmonies. “Awake My Soul” followed, beginning slowly and inviting yet another heartfelt singalong before building in tempo and energy, paving the way for the highly anticipated “I Will Wait”—a powerful song for the final chance of the night to jump, sing, and celebrate. The evening came full circle with another live debut, “A Conversation With My Son, Gangsters and Angels”, but before hitting off the song Marcus thanked for The Vaccines for opening the night, mentioning that they are one of his favourite bands. The slow-to-mid-tempo closing tune left fans with a fresh melody echoing in their minds as they drifted out into the night.
Supported by a sextet, including a three piece horns section, the band’s casual attire added to the sense of authenticity. We had an outstanding night and Mumford & Sons delivered during their roughly two hours set a first class show with a first class crisp and clear sound. The Lanxess Arena audience witnessed not just a concert, but perhaps the most stirring country-folk rock and bluegrass-infused night of the year in Cologne.
The Vaccines open the night with high energy Indie Rock
English indie rock band The Vaccines opened the night in Lanxess Arena. The band was formed in 2010 and with six studio albums up to date they toured extensively opening for bands like The Rolling Stones, Arcade Fire Red Hot Chilli Peppers among other big names, while headlining several tours on their own. Their debut album was a the best selling debut album in the UK in 2011, nominated for several awards and winning two.
One of the benefits of going to see The Vaccines is that, for the time of their performance, you’re 20 years old. “If You Wanna”, “Post Break-Up Sex”, “I Always Knew”. “Norgaard”, “Want You So Bad”, “No Hope”. “All In White”, “Wreckin’ Bar”, indie smash after indie smash brought the crowd to pre-boil. The Vaccines are a machine of entertainment – all they want is for people to leave having had a good time. And all of the people along for the ride would tell you they are doing an amazing job of it. The Vaccines’ raw, natural sound feels especially refreshing in a time when so much music is overrefined and perfected to the point of losing its edge.They sure left the arena warmed up properly during their 40 minutes set, wrapped mostly in red stage light, for what is just about to follow.
Photos and review for CountryMusicNews.de.
Read my review here.
