Edward Sharpe And The Magnetic Zeros Janglin (iTunes Session)

I think many will be tempted to categorize Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros as some kind of thinly veiled cult of a band (I'm looking at you, I'm From Barcelona and The Polyphonic Spree), but  they're really just a bunch of harmless hippies happily jingle jangling' through life and making damn good music as they go.

Headlining the third annual Chicago Bluegrass & Blues Festival at the Congress Theater, the band stormed the stage, opening with their rip roaring anthem "40 Day Dream" to start a set that saw all the fan favorites from their 2009 release Up From Below.

Edward Sharpe is a band that would be difficult to really grasp without seeing live. The show runs on lead singer Alex Ebert's reckless abandon. On nearly every song he wandered into the audience as though he just didn't notice that the stage ended. A psychedelic folk savior, floating over his followers in a stained white sheet.

Ebert, formerly of Ima Robot, is the man behind Edward Sharpe, a messianic figure he crafted during a stint in rehab. He later teamed up with singer Jade Castrinos, who's innocent vocals compliment Ebert beautifully. From there the band essentially found each other, touring around in a big white bus... (okay, so they're kind of a cult band.)

If Ebert forgot the lyrics to a song, it didn't matter, he would either make something new up or pass the mic off to a random audience member to belt out a few lines, as he did during their breakout hit Home, leading the audience in an impassioned sing-a-long.

For the encore, Ebert had the crowd sit cross-legged on the floor as he strolled to the center of the massive, crowded concert hall and peacefully sang "Brothers" as the band looked on, in that moment everyone was Edward Sharpe.

Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros pack up their big white bus and take their hippie freak fest down under, on a full tour of Australia for the sweeping Big Day Out festival, but don't worry, they'll surely return when the weather is more hospitable to bare feet and hippie dashkikis.

Edward Sharpe 2011 Tour Dates:

1.21 Auckland, Australia @ Mt. Smart Stadium

1.23 Southport, Australia @ Gold Coast Parklands

1.26 Sydney, Australia @ Sydney Olympic Park

1.27 Sydney, Australia @ Sydney Olympic Park

1.28 Sydney, Australia @ The Forum

1.30 Melborne, Australia @ Flemington Racecourse

2.01 Melborne, Australia @ The Forum Melbourne

2.04 Adelaide, Australia @ Adelaide Showgrounds

2.06 Perth, Australia @ Perth Claremont Showground