Mumford and Sons brought folk, friends and fireworks to BST Hyde Park
Mumford and Sons, the wholesome boys of British folk music. They’re the sort of band you might imagine listening to on BBC Radio 2 while drinking a cup of tea, right? Anyone expecting a gentle evening at their BST Hyde Park concert was quickly proved wrong. Taking place on 4 July, the concert felt like a homecoming for the London band, who first performed here in 2016.
If you love the atmosphere of a festival but could do without the camping, BST Hyde Park is hard to beat. Since launching in 2013, the event has welcomed an extraordinary line-up of artists, from The Rolling Stones to Robbie Williams. The headline acts are given the chance to choose their own support artists, and for Mumford and Sons, this included The War on Drugs and Holly Humberstone.
When I first bought Mumford and Sons’ debut single, I dipped in and out of their albums over the years, but eventually relegated them to background music you might hear at a dinner party. The crowd ranged from hardcore fans to multi-generational families, with the odd cowboy hat and paisley shirt dotted among them. “I half expect to see a Conservative politician in the crowd,” I overheard one person remark. Funnily enough, there has been controversy surrounding the band – former member Winston Marshall left the group, launched a political podcast, and has since contributed to Fox News, The Spectator and GB News (where his father is the financial backer).
Mumford and Sons’ return to BST Hyde Park felt like a redefining moment for them as a three-piece. They shared their love of the capital, and spoke about how they live in London, formed the band in London and wrote songs in London. Marcus explained: “Each and every song started in this city. Our relationships started in this city. We spend a lot of time in the States, but this is our home and there is nothing like being home.”
When frontman Marcus walked on stage wearing black trousers and a white shirt, he looked more prepared for dress-down Friday in the office than a Saturday night stage. Within moments, however, he transformed from Colin From Accounts to a full-blown rock star. He declared: “After all this time, in our home town, we didn’t come to fuck around.” He then launched into “Begin Again” from the band’s latest album, “Prizefighter”, setting the tone for an energetic and exhilarating evening.
The group wasted no time reminding everyone why Mumford and Sons are one of Britain’s biggest bands. The crowd-pleasing classics, “I Will Wait” and “Little Lion Man”, transformed Hyde Park into a joyous 75,000-person-strong singalong. Their distinctive banjo, soaring harmonies and stomp-along rhythms were elevated by a three-piece brass section, while Marcus’ rich vocals (and occasional guitar thrashing) tied everything together. The setlist also included “Lover of the Light”, “Hopeless Wanderer” and “White Blank Page”.
Having seen numerous acts perform at BST Hyde Park over the years, it was Marcus who made full use of the space, not only moving from left to right and down the runway but also charging into the crowd. He was moving so quickly that even the cameras struggled to keep up with him – he turned the stage and the park itself into his playground.
The band powered through their two-hour set and still found time for surprises. Stella Lefty joined the group for “Badlands”. The crowd erupted when Hozier appeared for two songs, “The Boxer” and “Awake My Soul”. It was Shania Twain, however, who got the audience not just singing but dancing. She had travelled straight from Wembley Stadium, where she had been supporting Harry Styles. Marcus described her as his “hero”, before the pair launched into a cover of “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!”
The night closed with the anthemic “The Cave” and a fantastic fireworks display. Wholesome? Not quite. Background music? Not a chance. Mumford and Sons lit up the stage, crowd and London itself.
Where: Hyde Park, London, SW1X 7QN
Contact: https://www.bst-hydepark.com