But again, a sold-out Pavilion crowd would seem to indicate you're pleasing somebody. The group's fans are nearly as enthusiastic and their detractors are spiteful. I'd be willing to forgive the repetitiveness of the music if at any time the front man looked like he wanted to be there. Throughout the show, but especially during the darker numbers ("Thistle and Weeds," "Ghosts That We Knew") Marcus frequently looked flat-out miserable.

At first I thought it was the unfortunate choice of attire (jeans and a long-sleeved denim shirt? Welcome to H-Town), but my wife -- who apparently employed some superpower exclusive to married women -- insisted he was fighting with his girlfriend (or wife; turns out the poor guy is married to actress Carey Mulligan, yet more haterade). I laughed this off at first, but as the set wound down and Marcus distractedly knocked over his drum kit after the closing number ("Dust Bowl Dance"), I had to wonder.

Another possibility: he just doesn't like the arena thing. People I know who've seen them in smaller venues inform me he's very enthusiastic when playing in front of smaller crowds. Oh, the irony.

That said, the rest of the band we're as enthusiastic as their leader was apathetic. Unnecessary apologies aside, Marshall and Lovett were keen to express their gratitude for the warm reception. Marcus even got in one semi-appropriate regional reference, "Texas could be its own country, but you're all 'Nah.' You're like Scotland." And Scotland, as we all remember, was colonized by wankers.

It ended up being a fairly perfunctory set. After closing up with several of their bigger numbers ("Awake My Soul" and "Roll Away Your Stone"), they came out for a brief encore. First was an acoustic cover of "I'm On Fire," and the crowd mostly acceded to Marcus' suggestion that they remain quiet. Finally, "The Cave," one of the hits off Sigh No More. And that was that. Mumford & Sons may be the only band not hampered in the slightest by the Pavilion's 11 p.m. curfew.

We left the show wishing the guys would explore some of those aforementioned dark places. Two albums of quasi-folk are well and good, but if Mumford & Sons really want to prove everyone wrong, branching out musically wouldn't be a bad start.

And Marcus, buy your wife some flowers.

Personal Bias: I tend to prefer my guitars electric.

The Crowd: Walking around, I was happier than I'd ever been that I shaved my beard off two years ago.

Overheard In the Crowd: "I/We love you, Marcus!" Repeat.

Random Notebook Dump: "She's not filming the stage, she's filming the Jumbotron. That's like ... filming your TV while recording the show to your DVR."

SET LIST

Lovers' Eyes I Will Wait Whispers in the Dark Holland Road White Blank Page For Those Below Little Lion Man Lover of the Light Thistle and Weeds Ghosts That We Knew Below My Feet Awake My Soul Roll Away Your Stone Dust Bowl Dance

ENCORE

I'm On Fire (Springsteen cover) The Cave

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