The Show
The 1920s glamour of the Belasco Theater in downtown Los Angeles provided a stunning setting for a triumphant performance by Mumford & Sons for an episode of Live from the Artists Den. The band delivered songs from its Number One album, Babel, along with such hits as “Little Lion Man” and “I Will Wait,” before closing the evening with a blistering rendition of “The Cave” from the classic, multi-platinum debut Sigh No More.
The band delivered songs from its Number One album, Babel, along with such hits as “Little Lion Man” and “I Will Wait.”
Behind the Den
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Mumford and Sons
Mumford & Sons was formed in 2007 by English vocalist/multi-instrumentalists Marcus Mumford, Ben Lovett, “Country” Winston Marshall, and Ted Dwane. The band was often cited as emerging as part of a developing “West London folk scene.” Mumford & Sons’ first recorded material, an EP entitled Love Your Ground, was released in 2009, followed shortly thereafter by its breakout, full-length debut, Sigh No More. The band steadily gained popularity throughout 2010, receiving increased airplay and popularity after its electrifying performance with Bob Dylan at the Grammy Awards. The album won the BRIT Award for Best British Album in 2011 and was nominated for six Grammy Awards. Following months of touring, the band reconvened in Nashville to begin work on new material. The resulting album, Babel, was released in September 2012, debuting at Number 1 in both the US and UK and becoming the biggest selling album of 2012 in both the US and UK. Following Babel they released Wilder Mind in 2015 and most recently Delta in 2018.
The Venue
Built in downtown Los Angeles in 1926 by Frederic and David Belasco, the Belasco Theater was originally a popular destination for dramatic theater. Designed by architecture firm Morgan, Walls and Clements, the Belasco features an awe-inspiring blend of Churrigueresque, Spanish Renaissance, Moorish, and Gothic styles, which culminate in a huge gilded dome over the main auditorium. During the Great Depression, the theater was part of the WPA Federal Theater Project. However, by the 1940’s, the theater had fallen into decline and was sold, in subsequent decades, to a series of churches. Closed for over 25 years, the Belasco was recently renovated and finally reopened in 2011. Photography courtesy of Colin Young-Wolff for Artists Den Entertainment.
