Marcus Mumford brings steady acoustics to Palace Theatre

Marcus Mumford performed at Palace Theatre in St. Paul on Saturday, October 22, 2022.Andy Witchger for MPR

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October 24, 2022

Marcus Mumford returned to the Twin Cities for the first time in six years on Saturday with a reliable set that showcased his solo debut, (self-titled). Strong acoustics carried a 17-song show that satisfied the fans assembled.

Mumford, the 35-year-old English singer-songwriter, made a name for himself as the frontman of award-winning and commercially successful folk rock band Mumford & Sons. After three Billboard 200-topping albums and two Grammys, including a Best Album win, Mumford & Sons’ future is uncertain.

Since the four-piece band’s last album in 2018, one member left the group after controversial tweets, and Mumford, well, he’s flying solo now.

Released by Island Records on Sept. 16, (self-titled) boasts a number of high-profile and high-brow collaborators. Clairo, Phoebe Bridgers, and Brandi Carlile provided features. Blake Mills produced all 10 songs. All spell the makings of a proper solo debut from a songwriter with a reportedly large budget and industry cred.

“It’s a solo record. I’ve never had so much f*cking help in my life,” Mumford said onstage Saturday.

The actual music on (self-titled) sounded like a subdued version of Mumford & Sons' more recent output. Admirers of Mumford’s affecting and listenable croons could find plenty to love.

Saturday night’s show reflected this reliability. Mumford even began the show with two of his old band’s songs: “Awake My Soul” and “The Cave.”

Dressed in a plain white tee and baggy pants, Mumford said he was “feeling extra cheeky tonight” at the beginning of the show. The added cheek did not make itself noticeable beyond that.

In fact, it seemed like many members of the crowd were not even trying to give Mumford’s cheekiness its deserved attention. Chatter flowed from the general admission area up into The Palace’s second floor seating. At one point a loud hush from one agitated crowd member also made its way up to the rafter.

A man strums a guitar on a dim stage — Marcus Mumford performed at Palace Theatre in St. Paul on Saturday, October 22, 2022.
Andy Witchger for MPR

Thankfully Mumford’s accomplished guitar-playing rose above the fray, thanks in part to the Palace’s strong sound set-up. The stage lighting technicians did not deliver a similar reward. Backlighting obscured Mumford’s face in a way that felt unintentional. For a songwriter with such plainly personal lyrics, this felt like a mistake.

After the two Mumford & Sons songs, Mumford played the entirety of (self-titled) in order. “It’s pretty short. It’s a half an hour of your life, you’ll be alright. Then we’ll f*ck around,” Mumford said, laying out the game plan. Mumford said “f*ck” a lot in between songs, especially considering he only has one explicit song on the album.

For the most part, Mumford delivered the album in an even-toned fashion with little small talk in between songs. Occasional flourishes in the sound and lighting gave the setlist some much-needed texture.

Mumford made good use of an electric guitar for “Cannibal,” the opening song on (self-titled), while some flashing lights upped the ante. “Grace,” the next song after “Cannibal,” continued to stoke the more upbeat classic rock vibe before returning to the low-key folk sound for about three songs.

The encore included four songs. “I Will Wait,” the 2012 Mumford & Sons hit, two songs from Mumford’s supergroup with Elvis Costello called the New Basement Tapes, and a cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “I’m On Fire.”

The weakness for Americana shown during the Springsteen cover belies a tension in Mumford’s work present throughout both Saturday night and his decade-long career. Other high-profile English artists, like Dusty Springfield and Nick Drake, successfully emulated American subgenres, improving upon their original inspirations. In comparison, Mumford sounded more comfortable playing his own work.

Opposite to the pure exaltation of a dance-pop song, the fans chanted along to the softcore sounds in a low hum. Mumford’s soul-bearing meditations on trauma functioned like scripture to them, meant to be recited with reverence.

One thing’s for certain: The crowd at Palace Theatre on Saturday night who expected to hear Mumford sing his songs while playing his guitar got exactly that, sans any tricks or treats.

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