By: Tom Roth
When Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros play Portland’s Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall on September 11th, it will mark the first time in exactly a year that the LA-based indie troupe has visited the City of Roses. For the curious, here are some other good bits to know about the band before their upcoming Portland performance:
- There is no Edward Sharpe (at least not literally). Front man, Alex Ebert came up with a “messianic figure named Edward Sharpe” while writing a story following a transitional moment in his personal life. According to Ebert, Sharpe was “sent down to Earth to kinda heal and save mankind but he kept getting distracted by girls and falling in love.”
- If Ebert’s voice sounds the same as the vocals of 90’s rockers Ima Robot, it’s because they are. Ebert is the lead singer of both Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros and Ima Robot.
- The charming dialogue between “Jade” and “Alexander” on ES&TMZ’s hit song “Home” is about as authentic as it gets: the two lead vocalists of the group are real-life sweethearts, which surely helps explains why their live performances give off an electric vibe.
- In April 2011, ES&TMZ were part of the Railroad Revival Tour along with Mumford & Sons and Old Crow Medicine Show. Together, the three groups toured the American southwest for one week by train, stopping in a different city each night to perform.
- On their current tour, the group will be performing tracks from their May 29th album, Here. While critics claim the album is more relaxed than Zero’s 2009 debut, Up From Below, fans can expect the same onstage energy from Ebert and Co. at any stop along their current tour, including Portland’s.