Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros are a lot of fun. Getting to Governors Island is not. First you wait on line to get on the line for the ferry. Then you wait on the ferry line. Then they herd you onto the ferry like cattle. Then you wait in line to get off the ferry. Then you wait in line to get into the concert area. You wait on line to get your 21+ wristband, then you wait on line for the bathroom. There’s a beautiful view of the skyline once you’re there, but unless you’re with a ton of friends and you’re very excited for the band, it may not be worth it to see shows at Governors Island. The simple logistical problems are just really tricky- it’s not the fault of the concert organizers, it’s what happens when 1,000 people get off a boat at the same time.
The opener for the evening was one of the worst bands I’ve ever heard. I actually don’t know who they are and it doesn’t say on the Bowery Presents website, but wow, hackneyed lame-o country rock to the max! Plus, the guy was wearing a hat! I was offended that any booker thought we would want to listen to them. The lead singer was clearly surprised that they were playing as well. He was very gracious thanking the powers that be for the opportunity to play, but then did things like throw his pick into the audience because he’s “always wanted to do that.” Instead of being charming, it just made him seem like an aging mediocre musician sent to bore us before we got see Edward Sharpe.
We Are Each Other were up next, which confused all of the teenagers standing around me (and apparently the reviewer for The Huffington Post). It’s all the same members as Edward Sharpe, except Alex sits and plays the bongos and their piano player sings instead. The songs they played had promise, jangly and orchestral, much like Edward Sharpe, reminiscent of classic acts like The Band, but none of the musicianship or charisma was there to take it to the next level. In fact, that’s also what I’d say about Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, who returned to the stage in that form about a half hour later.
The band has three really, really good pop songs. Their aesthetic stands out in today’s popular music landscape, but is nothing new. They present themselves as hippies from the desserts of 1960s Los Angeles. Alex Ebert never picks up an instrument, he sings and entertains, prances around in linen pants and a bare chest, a nicely sculpted body that looks more like the result of yoga and cigarettes than any sort of masculine efforts. He’s captivating, but not quite captivating enough. As I said, there are three really, really great pop songs (“Home,” “Kisses Over Babylon,” and “40 Day Dream”), but the rest of the music falls flat. The musicians in the band either don’t have the chops or aren’t in quite the right combination to produce that little bit of magic that this type of music requires. I sort of felt badly for the kids around me. They fell for Alex’s stage tricks, his insistence that he would, “do the best to make sure this barrier isn’t here,” and that “this is a two way street, what we’re doing here.” Those are things that a greater band with a greater lead singer would communicate with their performance, rather than have to state. I heard many of the adoring kids say, “This is the greatest concert I have ever, ever been to.” All I could think was that they hadn’t been to enough concerts yet.
The one truly amazing element of the band is Jade Castrinos. She’s bashful and brash at the same time, with a voice that could melt butter and cut through a phone book. She’s got the magical X factor. Someone needs to give her her own band, stat. She should sing every song and call all the shots. Maybe that would take away from her timid charm, but I think that given the reigns, she would only end up kicking ass. At the end of the night I walked away feeling alright about Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros as a project, but a huge, huge Jade fan.
Here’s a bunch of pics. I’ve just lumped them all together. The first two band pics that don’t have Edward Sharpe people in them are of the opener, whose name I do not know.
Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros at Governors Islands:
MP3: “Home” – Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeroes
