“Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros are a travelling Woodstock, a throwback to the great lost days when bands thought of themselves as families and concerts were foaming whirlpools of joy.” Huffington Post, 2009

“Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros aren’t quite a household name yet, but we have a feeling they will be one very soon.” Time Out, New York, 2009

“Frolicky, feel-good sing-alongs that dip into ’60s psychedelia and ’70s boho-rock jam abandon, joyful vocal textures and jangly instrumentalism (there’s about a dozen people onstage at once), and most notably Ebert’s Messiah-like magnetism make for a compelling musical display.” LA Weekly, 2009

Being named as one of Rolling Stone’s “Artists To Watch In 2009” is just one of the notable places that Californian 11 piece Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros earned last year, appearing within a plethora of music press and pop culture blog’s “Best Of 2009” lists.

If you are one of the countless music fans who will claim the infectious pop song “Home,” from the album “Up From Below,” to be your pick of 2009, or cast a vote that helped the song place at number 15 of Triple J’s Hottest 100 countdown just last week, you’ll be pleased to know that Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeroes are bringing their colourful live show to Australia next month.

Their first Australian tour dates, scheduled just prior to their debut performance at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, will kick off in Melbourne, on Saturday 27 March at the Corner Hotel. They then perform at the West Coast Blues & Roots Festival, before returning east for one show at Sydney’s Metro Theatre on Tuesday 30 March. Tickets for the Sydney and Melbourne headline performances go on sale on Friday 5 February.

Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros have drawn comparison to acts such as The Polyphonic Spree, Arcade Fire and any number of hippy family bands from the 60’s and 70’s. With their shameless happiness and boundless energy, they are winning passionate new followers at every turn. The late Heath Ledger was one such fan that backed the band from the beginning, with financial support and intentions to be a part of their first record release before his untimely death.

The mastermind behind the 11-piece group is Alex Ebert, former front man of indie/punk/electronic group, Ima Robot. Ebert is also the creator of the bands fictitious namesake, Edward Sharpe, a character dreamed up during a difficult period where Ebert made an exit from the lifestyle he was lost in, one that included over indulgence and cynicism, and went back to basics. While in his apartment, he sketched out a the story of a boy called “Edward Sharpe” who was sent to earth to heal and save mankind, but kept getting distracted by beautiful girls and the power of love. Inspired by the story, Ebert found his own peace, and the affections of a stunning woman in the form of Jade Castrinos, who shares lead vocals on their current single “Home”.

Ebert and Castrinos enjoyed their escape to freedom and began to write music together; on their travels, they picked up a band of merry men and a white school bus and took their show across America.

Now days, a far cry from the front man’s dark former life, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros deliver their audience a childlike joyfulness and energy that you can’t help but be completely immersed by when you experience their live show. If you don’t dance, and sing, and leave the concert dreaming of a Woodstock life of hippy tranquility and unabashed happiness, you mustn’t have been paying attention.

“There's a medicine show coming your way, guaranteed to cure whatever ails you.” Huffington Post, 2009