“Press!  If you DO NOT want to get HURT- get the hell out- because I’m telling you this gate will come down, and you will!”  The head security guy pleaded with all of us yesterday before Edward Sharpe stormed the stage.  Now I’ve been apprehensive before- I’ve been in moshpits, I’ve seen a friend get a concussion during a Cannibal Corpse show, been in pits for Trivium, Hatebreed, Down- and I wasn’t actually nervous like I was standing there last night at Sunset Junction’s main attraction- mentally planning my escape route along with three other girl photographers that threw caution to the wind such as I in pursuit of an epic show, or rather, experience.

I had seen the group rock the stage at Lollapalooza, and it’s really no surprise the buzz reached L.A. and made for such a chaotic scene- the magnetic zeros were magnificent.

You’d think backstage would have been chaos- normal nonsense for a large scale show- but it felt like I was in the eye of the storm, just kind of biding my time until all hell broke loose.

Magnetic Zeros guitarist Christian Letts and I excused ourselves to chat outside amidst the insanity:

BNB:  So your main influences musically and through other mediums?

CL:  Well, my favorite musician is Django Reinhardt- a 1930’s guitarist.

BNB:  Taking it back to the old school!

BNB:  If I’m not mistaken, Alex (Ebert) was in another band prior to Ed Sharpe entitled Ima Robot- kind of a 180 from the folk infused 1960s sound you’ve got going on now- what kind of caused you all to go off on this sort of tangent?

CL:  You know- it just felt right.  I remember we went to Alex’s house about four years ago, and we had a demo idea, played some guitar- and I just remember coming home to my girlfriend saying this is what I want to do now- this feels good.  So I stopped my other band.

BNB:  Wow!  And what was the other band?

CL:  It was called Rittenhouse- and the drummer from that band came with me- and just, I don’t know everything just felt like it was exactly where it needed to be.

BNB:  So everything’s just kinda falling into place right now!

CL:  Yeah, exactly!

 

BNB:  The premise behind the band is incredibly unique, a prophet sent to earth to save the world perpetually distracted by love, lust, and life- how’d you all come up with that idea?

CL:  Well Alex was writing a book and the main character was named Edward Sharpe- and that was what the book was about, you know?  I mean, there’s nobody in the band that’s actually Edward Sharpe- it’s just kind of an everybody figure.

BNB:  Kind of the human condition!

CL:  Yeah, sure!

 

BNB:  So what’s up next for Ed Sharpe, can we expect another tour or CD in the near future?

CL:  Yeah we’re going to start recording soon- we go back out on the road in a week for a little while, we’re gone most of October.

BNB:  Great!  And where’s the next destination?

CL:  We’re heading up the coast.  So Seattle for Bumbershoot, and then we come home, and then in October we head to the South, Austin City Limits- and we end up in New York!

BNB:  Nice!  CMJ?

CL:  You know- I don’t know what it’s for!  But then we come home, and go to Hawaii.

 

BNB:  You know, I caught you at Lollapalooza, and people just could not get enough of you guys- you had people pouring out of the Sony Bloggie stage limits and everything!  How does that make you feel- at all intimidated?

CL:  Humbled.  Very humbled, and very blessed.

 

BNB:  You guys have been performing nonstop, how is it acclimating to life back in L.A. as opposed to doing shows across state lines?

CL:  Just getting home from being on the road for a while is a bit weird- not having something new everyday.  So I’ve definitely been feeling that a lot this time.

BNB:  Missing it?

CL:  Yeah missing it, just you know- decompressing.

 

BNB:  What’s your favorite pre-show ritual that you just couldn’t go onstage without doing?

CL:  You know, we all give each other one giant hug.  Just get in a circle and kind of just breathe together.

BNB:  hug it out!

 

BNB:  Closing remarks?

CL:  Just, thank you, for taking the time!

 

I let Christian go rejoin the ranks of his fellow band mates- and heading back out from behind the stage, nothing indicated the insanity that was soon to ensue.  I meandered a bit, and when the show was set to start, I was now struggling tp get through the immense crowd, ready to take my place in the makeshift press pit for the band not to be missed.  You know, I walked through the crowd- and it still didn’t hit me just how insane this all was- just why the LAPD and security teams were urging all of us to jump ship better safe than sorry style.

Rumors circulated among various other bands backstage yesterday that Alex Ebert, Ed Sharpe frontman was afflicted with a severe “Jesus Complex” and I have to say that though I’ve met him a few times and find him to be more down to earth than ever expected (The first time we met we sat Indian style on the ground while Alex ate an apple pre-Lolla performance) the idea isn’t completely unwarranted.  Ebert presides over the crowd just as a wayward prophet would be expected to do- and the hundreds of people are literally hanging on every word.  The overly enthusiastic crowd evolved into mass chaos when Ebert hopped from stage into the press pit and then into the crowd, on a mission to maintain close connection with his minions.  Security flocked to the scene of the insanity, and I along with several other photographers climbed onto the amps- unsure of what Alex’s antics would lead to.

That’s when it hit me.  Looking out into the sea of overzealous and ever-excited fans, I could finally see for myself just how intense- and just how immense the crowd was.  Presiding over this many people night after night at live shows- no wonder there were rumors circulating regarding a possible prophet persona.

Alex ends the show, still engulfed in the crowd, pleading with all of us to engage in a little union.  A group marriage to be exact (was I now on the set of Big Love?!)  He asserts  “Come on- everybody getting married to everyone else!  Well, we did bring a minister- he’s a legit minister- and this is so much nicer because every time a friend gets married, I’m happy for them- but I feel a little left out.  Let’s fix that.”  In a union of fans, friends, and self-proclaimed prophets- it seems even rock gods are still human.

 

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For more info regarding when you can catch Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, head to www.myspace.com/edwardsharpe!  It truly is an experience not to be missed.