After we met during freshman year, we started discussing one of the most important aspects of friendship: music taste. When the name Mumford & Sons was brought up, we both knew instantly that there was a great bonding to be had.

Mumford & Sons is a London-based folk-rock band. The band has won two Brit Awards and a Grammy for Album of the Year. Their discography includes their first album, Sigh No More, a smash hit, along with their second album Babel and several EPs.

Dates were released for The Tour in late March. We set aside our $48 for the tickets and asked for permission from our parental units. After much hoping and wishing, we were granted permission to see our favorite foreign band in concert; a true dream come true. Now, all we had to do was wait three months.

We found ourselves at The 360 Amphitheater June 9 for the concert. We headed towards the lawn — our glorious seats for the evening — when a saint sent from above dressed in a classy green shirt gave us pit passes.The thought of this being a sick joke was a huge possibility, because who doesn’t love scamming two teenage girls? So, we checked with a security guard and the passes were indeed legit. We grabbed our things and faux-sprinted to the pit. It was a wide open space in that moment in time. But that wouldn’t last long. We decided to make our way to the left side of the stage and get as close as we could. We ended up being about three rows away from the stage. Not bad considering we started off with mediocre lawn tickets. Once we were settled, the second act dubbed The Mystery Jets came on and blew us away.

Finally, after 30-ish minutes, they bid their farewell and we waited for the main act.

Intro guitar chords began; we knew what that meant. We rose to our feet and watched for the curtain to rise and reveal Mumford & Sons on stage. The set began with Babel, a very upbeat tune. As the night went on, they played some of their slower songs. Lead singer and guitarist Marcus Mumford asked everyone to be silent during these songs. The acoustics were remarkable and the harmonies of all their voices gave us goosebumps. They might as well have been playing in an empty amphitheater. Mumford & Sons is incredible live, to say the least. Another high point of the concert was the cover they performed of Bruce Springsteen’s “I’m on Fire.” They also treated the audience to “Sister,” one of their yet-to-be-released songs.

Mumford & Sons do not disappoint. Unlike other concerts we have attended, the energy and sound that radiates from this band does not require any special effects or voice enhancers. This was the best concert we have ever attended, and we highly recommend giving the band’s music a try.