Wednesday 03/03/10 Mumford & Sons @ ABC, Glasgow

A wise man once wrote that the times they are a changin’, and that’s certainly the case in the world of Mumford &Sons. It was almost  two years ago to the day that f Marcus Mumford was picking up a guitar and play his kick drum while supporting Laura Marling on her Songbox tour.  From The Captains rest, to the tiny yet utterly charming Sneaky Pete’s, to sitting with about twenty people at Sleazys, it’s fair to say Scotland has seen Mumford's baby steps, but the times they most certainly are a changin’.

The success and radio play of 'Little Lion Man' last year coupled with the shear quality of their debut album 'Sigh No More' have seen the ranks of Mumford & Sons fanbase swell immeasurably over the past few months. Tonight the completely sold out ABC is surrounded by people outside willing to spend over the odds on tickets to get in to see their new favourite band. Inside the venue the anticipation builds in the capacity crowd as the bands massive new banner which resembled some sort of two tongued lion in an old mirror was unveiled. Walking onto stage to massive cheers the four-piece start proceedings with the harmonious wall of sound that is album opener and title track 'Sigh No More'. As their voices barrage eardrums two things became abundantly clear, firstly that “man is a giddy thing” and secondly that Mumford & Sons are built to play big stages.

Marcus takes great delight in saying that this was their biggest ever headline show before sliding seamlessly into 'Winter Winds'. The band are then joined by a mini brass section and another cellist which fill the high ceilings of the larger venues but are perhaps superfluous. Welcoming the crowd as “new friends” Marcus tells the crowd that he was slightly nervous about playing this size of venue but that their reaction was helping to make it feel like a small gig. A new as yet untitled song is slipped into the setlist; the lack of familiarity only spurring the crowd on to create a sea of handclaps. This enthusiasm is good to see as radio friendly bands like Mumford & Sons can struggle to engage new fans with non single tracks.

After playing the beautifully quiet 'Timshel' Marcus alludes to what a contrast the last six months or so had been for the band compared to the first couple of years of their existence. Explaining that “It takes quite a lot more effort to put on a tour of this size, so thanks to everyone, It’s all getting a bit serious to be honest with you”. They rounded off the set with new single “The Cave” and perennial closer “Dustbowl Dance” with Marcus moving behind the drumkit. Taking the well deserved adulation from the crowd they shuffled offstage and left the appropriate interval before appearing back on for their encore.

Explaining that they don’t usually do this and that they were going to try and play a song that they hadn’t performed for over a year, encores are not Mumford & Sons thing. A minor wait as Winston’s “bloody hand” was suitably bandaged up passes before the excellent “Banjolin song” complete with the obligatory and absolutely genius glockenspiel solo rings out. Leaving the stage the band thanked everyone for having them and with a “we’ll see you at T with Eminem” disappearing stage right to celebrate what must be one of the gigs of their lives.