Photos by Jonathan Kalan
Review by Lulu:
The security guards of Royce Hall seemed mortified during last week’s show by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros.
“Wow. I love these seats. It’s like the stage goes on forever,” teased Alex Ebert, the lead singer and mastermind behind the local, eccentric ensemble that boasts over ten members. After only one song on the stage, Ebert walked on the backs and the arms of the historic auditorium’s seats, grabbing hands and sharing the mic with a young, spirited crowd. The group played favorites like “Home” and “40 Day Dream” while dancing, sitting cross-legged, jumping, and hitting beach balls around stage – barefoot and shirtless, or at times both.
Their energy was matched by the wild, sporadic dance moves from opening act, Francis and the Lights, and the enthusiasm of the UCLA students who worked to bring the groups on campus. The evening ended with a final battle between Ebert and security as he invited audience members on stage to sing the finale, asking them to crawl through the guards and up from the front rows. Definitely a night to remember.