Rip-roaring and rousing

Mumford and Sons, Manchester Arena
SINCE when did folk become fashionable?

Well, since 2009, when stomp-thumping bluegrassers Mumford and Sons became the cool heads of the genre.

Marcus Mumford and co packed out the Manchester Arena and provided one big knees-up that went on for almost two hours.

The frontman is armed with two weapons — an exceptional voice that held throughout the night and his equally exceptional songwriting.

Songs like “Little Lion Man” and “Winter Winds”, from their smash-hit debut album “Sigh No More”, have already earned a place in songwriting folklore. But their recently-released album “Babel” is bringing more anthems to stadiums — which they will sell out for many years too come.

The rousing “I Will Wait” and the beautiful “Lover of the Light” proved big hits.

The night was topped off impressively with a surprise a cappella number performed at the opposite end of the stage to get closer to the people sitting in the gods.

This was followed by their most famous tune — the rip-roaring “The Cave” — and finished with a rendition of Joe Cocker’s “Little Help From My Friends”, joined by rising American outfit and talented main support act Dawes.

Only two albums in, Mumford and Sons are already a blockbuster act.