Mumford & Sons kicked off its 15-day U.S. tour by playing in New Jersey for the very first time Wednesday night. An estimated 15,000 people attended the showing at Pier A in Hoboken, gratefully closing umbrellas and removing plastic ponchos right before the lights shined and the New York skyline glared straight on back. Marcus Mumford and his gentleman Ben Lovett, Ted Dwane and Winston Marshall took the stage with banjos in hand at about 8:30 and closed out the night promptly at 10. They introduced new songs that will appear on their next album in September, all the while confirming to fans that if you show up to a Mumford concert, you are bound to do a little jig and leave the stadium wanting more.

Listeners packed in at Pier A to do some dancing (with an addition of some rubbing elbows), proving that Hoboken should continue to use the stunning spot for future events. Beer and food vendors lined the area, as those who call the city home probably kept their windows down to hear five new songs from the band's next 'Babel,' and basically the entire set off their freshman album.

"White Blank Page," "Little Lion Man," "Winter Winds" and "Roll Away Your Stone" were clear favorites, but "I Gave You All" and "Awake My Soul" brought a tumbling roar from the audience. Fans waited for most likely three hours on foot to hear the men play, with not a care in the world. The wave of emotion, lights, banjos and lyrics gave you a sense of a different time. Some may call it religious, some may just enjoy the beer and folk beats, but the set and Mumford in general almost has a 1930s feel; with music that will always be relevant.

With Mumford, it never feels like a band on a label, a pre-packaged deal or about revenue and sales. By listening to their old and new, there's no instant questioning on whether or not this album will be better than the previous. It's effortless and pure talent. The only question that may have come to mind Wednesday night might have been, what day exactly is this new album coming out? Because "Lover of the Night" and "I Will Wait (Nothing is Written)" needs to be heard immediately. By everyone.

And that's what the British foursome probably do so well overall. They land on the top hit radio stations, but stay unrivaled and relatable simultaneously. Their next album may be 'Babel,' meaning noisy confusion, but to me it's storytelling that will be significant whether it be in the 1930s or now. 

In these bodies we will live, in these bodies we will die
And where you invest your love, you invest your life

Investing part of your life by listening to Mumford, wouldn't be such a bad way of living.

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Stephanie Webber

Mumford & Sons