REVIEW: Mumford & Sons Gentlemen of the Road Stopover Troy, Ohio: Folk Festival Takes Over Small Town for Labor Day Weekend, Strongly Delivers [VIDEOS]

The city of Troy, Ohio, boasts a population of 25,000 people. Full of small shops selling craft beer, bread and haircuts, hardworking people and a larger-than-average football stadium, it seems as though on any average weekend, Troy is a typical town in Miami County.

Driving on the highway on Friday, Aug, 30, it was clear something different was happening. The neighboring towns of Tipp City and Piqua hung banners on the overpasses, featuring a dapper gentlemen and messages of welcoming. Once in Troy proper, mustaches and old-timey top hats were painted on the windows of nearly every store in town, from the local McDonalds to the automotive repair store.

After crossing a small bridge, tents were visible for as far as the eyes could see. For Labor Day Weekend 2013, Troy, Ohio, was not just another lovely Western Ohio town. Troy had been taken over by the Gentlemen of the Road.

Featuring a best-of-the-best 12-band lineup from the genres of folk rock, Americana, country and alternative rock, the Gentlemen of the Road stopover in Troy was headlined by Mumford & Sons and also boasted bands such as Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, Old Crow Medicine Show, The Vaccines and Phosphorescent. Over 35,000 people flooded into Troy -- reportedly from 48 different states -- to see one of music's biggest acts and their friends perform over two days.

Things kicked off Friday night at 6 p.m. sharp with Half Moon Run and country act Willy Mason. The crowd trickled in to the Troy High School football stadium and took in the sights and smells of the festival. Food vendors from Illinois, Ohio and even Florida were present, Goose Island made ale specifically for Mumford shows (the Stopover Ale) and small shops lined the edges of the venue, selling everything from banjos to tin signs to blankets and hoodies.

The music Friday night really got rolling when indie rocker Phosphorescent took the massive stage. A growing audience took in the atmospheric sound. Full of rich emotions and strained vocals, Phosphorescent (aka, Matthew Houck) filled the entire stadium. Set highlights, of course, included "Muchacho" tracks "Song for Zula" and the upbeat "Ride On/Right On."

Friday night headliners Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros gave a truly inspired and energetic performance, igniting the (at that time) massive crowd. Zooming through the best of their discography with songs like "Man on Fire," "I Don't Wanna Pray" and "40 Day Dream," the crowd was feeling Edward Sharpe just as much as the band was feeling the show.

The highlight, of course, was Edward Sharpe's closing song and biggest hit "Home." A 10-year-old girl joined the band on stage playing tambourine (and likely making her short life complete), and the group smiled and played along. When the song got to the part where Alez Ebert and Jade Castrinos trade off and tell a story, they turned the microphone to the audience and allowed them to share a tale. This is where things got truly touching: a woman got over her depression with the help of Edward Sharpe's music, two sisters were reunited at the Troy stopover and a childhood camp bonded over "Home" and a retold story of crushed Oreo cookies.

At the conclusion of "Home," Friday night ended, but that was just the beginning of the Gentlemen of the Road show in Troy.

Saturday's round of shows began at 1:45 with London band Bear's Den. Though the crowd was comparatively small, the folk trio won over fans one by one. Beginning with their beautiful song "Agape," Bear's Den amazed the audience by having a full, rich sound despite having only three members. They were a strong start to the morning and set the atmosphere of lovely rootsy music.

Nashville badasses Those Darlins followed shortly after, giving the crowd a taste of their upcoming record "Blur The Lines." Though it was slightly disappointing that the group only played one song from a previous effort ("Mystic Mind" from "Screws Get Loose") it seems as thought heir third effort will take away from the Phil Spector-esque fullness of "Screws Get Loose" and will instead return to the grittier, more Southern sounds of their debut.

Rubblebucket and Justin Townes Earle followed, delivering sets full of energy and down home country music.

The evening really got rolling when The Vaccines took to the stage. Though slightly misplaced as a straight alternative rock band, the Londoners gave a rousing performance, highlighted by "I Always Knew" and their biggest hit, "Post Break-Up Sex." Their set felt slightly long, but that's likely because the day was growing long and the growing and growing audience were getting anxious for two of the stopover's biggest acts: Old Crow Medicine Show and Mumford & Sons themselves.

Old Crow Medicine Show made things feel real downhome and close, despite the pure massiveness of the crowd. Constantly expressing their excitement to be playing in the Miami Valley of Ohio, OCMS rocked their fiddles and banjos and acoustic guitars for a properly American set. Highlights, of course, included their biggest hits and fan favorites such as "Tell It To Me," "Alabama HighTest" and "Take 'Em Away" (featuring Marcus Mumford). The true highlight, of course, is when Mumford & Sons joined OCMS onstage for a full performance of "Wagon Wheel."

Soon, after some slight delays seven-plus hours of music, it was time for Mumford & Sons. Opening up with "Babel" track "Lover's Eyes," Mumford gave a high-energy performance that felt intimate despite the 35,000 people in attendance, singing along to every word. They joked about bassist Ted Dwane's recent blood clot and life-saving surgery ("He's alive and still a dickhead."), enjoyed shouting "O-H" for the audience to reply "I-O" (typically, according to the band, they do this roughly two dozen times while visiting the Buckeye State) and smiled and filled the entire stage with their joy and presence.

Mumford & Sons blasted through fan favorites and "Babel" tracks during their normal set, featuring songs such as "Little Lion Man," "I Will Wait," "Below My Feet" and "White Blank Page." Featuring rich instrumentation and perfect precision, it's obvious Mumford & Sons have been on the road for quite some time and have mastered the art of the live set.

And though they clearly love being on the road, lead singer Marcus Mumford hinted that the band will take to the studio soon in a "secret location" to play new songs and record a third album.

Before the audience could fully comprehend the Mumford show, it was nearly over. The band disappeared from the stage, only to reemerge alongside The Vaccines and Bear's Den to perform a fully electric, plugged in version of the Beatles' "Come Together." It was shocking to hear the normally subdued Mumford & Sons and Bear's Den get their full-blown rock on, and the vocalists' voices were nearly unrecognizable for the pounding anthem. But, it was surely a set highlight.

The rest of the encore consisted of an a cappella version of Bruce Springsteen's "I'm On Fire" and "Sister," a rare song from an old EP. Mumford & Sons concluded with "Babel" and fan favorite "The Cave," eliciting dancing from the audience and a 50/50 audio battle between the crowd and the speaker system.

Mumford & Sons left the stage, leading for Australian musicians Yacht Club DJs to close out the weekend and play audience members out.

The stopover in Troy, Ohio, was a truly unique experience for all in attendance. The crowd left with swollen feet, fully stamped passports and memories to last a lifetime.