Mumford & Sons - The Rambling Rover

I GAVE UP FREE FOOD, (not something i ever do), but you would never guess why.

Also, disclaimer: Marcus Mumford actually has no sons in his band… we were all lied to.

Okay. So one week ago, Claire and I made a spontaneous decision to buy tickets to a Mumford & Sons concert in Glasgow (@ the SECC) which Jack and his friend Katie-Anne were already going to. As we were debating whether to buy it or not, the timer ran down to only 5 seconds left on the reservation, so we panic-hit buy xD (oops).

The opening band did not start playing until 7 and so our plan was to catch a train around 5:30. However, as you will read, that plan–and the rest of the night–drastically changed with one message.

It all started when Jack messaged us saying that Marcus Mumford was IN Edinburgh signing at an Assai record store past the castle. We found out about this at 1:50 and he was leaving at 2:30, so we immediately jumped in an Uber and sped there like the wind. When we got there, we were greeted by a small line out the door. So we got in it and stood for about 15 mins eager to meet Marcus and get a record signed.

The time was rapidly approaching 2:30, and we had yet to reach the counter. At this point Marcus’s manager came around and said they had to cut the line off because there wasn’t enough time for everyone… and she cut it off AT JACK (so Jack was the first person to be denied meeting Marcus)

This was the view we had of Marcus taking pictures with fans as he signed their records

So we were just left standing outside the record store, disappointingly taking creepy photos with Marcus through the windows of the store because we figured it was our only chance to get a photo with him. Meanwhile Jack was begging the manager to let him get at least one thing signed, but he was denied.

As we were getting ready to head home, Jack had heard something mentioned about Glasgow’s HMV, so we hit up Twitter like it was breaking news and found another signing that day at 5:30 at a HMV (HMV – His Masters Voice, An electronics and Record Store in Glasgow). However, in order to go to it you had to buy their new album on vinyl from the store that the signing was taking place at. We immediately called the store to see if there were any records left over and they said they were not sure if there was enough. So we took a look at our schedules, saw that I had a lab, Katie-Anne had a test, and Jack had a Workshop. So logically we said screw it to those things, and our learning/education went out the window for a chance to get another signing. Getting ready as fast as possible, we raced to the train station and bought the first ticket we could to Glasgow.

Once the train pulled into Glasgow we BOOKED it to the record store. It was pouring rain outside. And in our frantic race to the record store, Claire full on tripped, flew superman style, and face planted in the middle of the street (love you Claire).

The suspense was real as we arrived to the record store and saw a line already out the door. I jumped in line while Jack, Claire and Katie went in… I had no idea what was going on until Jack came outside to take my place and informed me they had enough records. Here is our celebratory record purchasing photos (they came with a cool bag also):

Since we hopped in line as soon as we arrived, around 4 o’clock, we ended up being about 20th in line, if we had queued after we got the records we would have been around 200th. And talk about a blessing in disguise. At the signing in Edinburgh it was only Marcus Mumford doing the signing, however at this signing IT WAS THE ENTIRE BAND. A twist of fate, maybe this is why the signing in Edinburgh cut us off (we still hate her–the manager–for cutting us off and even though we were keen to rub it in her face that we had come all the way to Glasgow in a totally not-stalkerish manner–she did not show up to this signing).

As they signed our records we got to talk to each of them individually. They asked our names, where we were from, and made conversation and cracked jokes with us. It was unreal. I even informed them of our crazy race to Glasgow which they both apologized for (Marcus did not know anyone had been cut out of the line) but as I told them, it made for a far greater story. One of them is named Winston and when he shook his hand and introduced himself I ALMOST said “I’m related to Winston” meaning Churchill… but I didn’t.. Good thing too. Also Winston was nice and said that his thoughts are with California and the fires… which was really sweet but I had just been cracking jokes with the other three so his seriousness freaked me out so I was super awkward. Each of us got the new record, Delta, signed by all four members. However, Jack bought both their new record and an older record, Wilder Minds, and got them both signed

After the signing, still in a daze, we went and got Five Guys before the show–it was such a rip off though, I paid 16 pounds for a hamburger and a milkshake IN-N-OUT #forthewin. (and we had to walk in the pouring rain again)

Jack convinced Claire to pay for his return train from the exhibition centre – cheeky bugger.

At the show we were in the standing zone right in front of the stage, 1 person from the railing. It was an amazing show. At one point in the middle of a song sparklers just exploded out of the stage. And at the end of the show legit fireworks started shooting up out of the stage and hitting the light fixtures above the stage… I don’t know how that was pre-approved by the Hydro Staff…

The show ended around 11 pm, and even though we had pre-purchased bus tickets at 1 am (we didn’t know what time the show would end), Claire an I were so dead that we convinced Jack and Katie to run to the train station and catch the very last train from Glasgow to Edinburgh at 11:30… unfortunately, everyone else had the same idea, and so the train was PACKED, to the point that there was no room on the train and we ended up just sitting on the ground