Travelogue: Mr. Mumford and His Gentlemen of the Road

This weekend will be a rollicking one, I tell you.  For this weekend, my face will have a hot date with my pillow and my bed.  As I've probably reiterated a million times, I need a break!  As such, I am perfectly satisfied with lounging on my couch in my pajamas and watching "Say Yes to the Dress," attempting to catch up on some more work tonight (key word here is "attempting").  This, of course, comes at a complete contrast from last weekend (a.k.a Mystery Weekend Event).  A couple months ago, some friends Joe, Kaydie and I snagged passes to Mumford and Sons' "Gentlemen of the Road" tour stop on the Tennessee-Virginia border.

At the Tennessee-Virginia borderline in Bristol; J. Crew Factory Two-Pocket Chambray, Club Monaco Irene Shorts, Madewell Contrast Mini Mail Bag

The festival literally shut down the small Southern town for two days, with the population literally doubling just for the concert.  Bars, restaurants and shops were decked themselves in top hats and mustaches to fit the theme of the weekend.  Surprisingly, Bristol turned out to be a hot bed of culinary goodness, with amazing drinks like the Peach Moonshine (served in an actual mason jar).  Joe and Kaydie, being ever the social butterflies, managed to befriend the bartender at K.P. who gifted us with an adorable mustache on a stick.  This in turn made us incredibly popular because about 15 people approached us to get pictures with the mustache stick, which both proved a little sad and a little hilarious.

Kaydie, Joe and I modeling mustache-wear at K.P. in Bristol, TN.  As an obligation to my dear friends, I am required -- no honored -- to say that they are complete bad asses in every awesome connotation of the term.

At around sundown, we staked out some excellent spots about 25-feet out to the right of the stage.  It was insane the sheer amount of people that we met waiting out for a spot.  Mike, the military man from Virginia who flew out his friend Stephanie from Connecticut and cried at "Awake My Soul"; Hunter and Emma, the two college freshmen who shared water with us; and Carrie Ann who shared stories of growing up in Tennessee and was a distant relative of June Carter Cash (Johnny Cash's wife and Reese Witherspoon's character in "Walk the Line").

By the time the sun went down and after performances by Haim and Dawes, Mumford finally stepped up to play.  Now, I'm going to leave you all out on a limb because I'm going to force you to click the next page to see a pretty sweet picture from the concert.  I know, it's mean to leave you on a cliff-hanger, but they are some gorgeous pictures.  Click away!

I think no other words can describe the concert other than unworldly.  You know when you experience something and you think that this memory will stay with you forever?  This was one of those times.  The concert was a beautiful display of lights against the coarse English sound of Marcus Mumford singing along to the beat of banjos and drums.  We were tired, but just the atmosphere was enough to keep us jumping up and down and clapping the entire time.  It was amazing.

Mumford & Sons at the Gentlemen of the Road Concert Festival in Bristol, TN/VA

Alright loves, what do you think?  Know Mumford?  What would you have worn instead of my fine display of no fashion-thought?  I had 30 minutes to pack.  Can you blame me?