The Lumineers are a folk rock band made up of five members including the talented lead singer Wesley Schultz. They are based from Denver, Colorado. Their recent achievements and successes have led to ‘sold out’ shows across the world. They are a band very much in demand, as their unique music includes catchy melodies and beautiful lyrics.
So, my months of anxious waiting to see the The Lumineers perform was over as I hopped on a plane from Southampton airport to Dublin. First of all, I would like to suggest that everyone puts a visit to Dublin on their bucket list, as it is an amazing place for a city break. As I arrived early I saw a crowd of fans eager to get inside the O2 arena. My expectations were high as The Lumineers have had a lot of praise and success recently, shown by their self-titled album positioning high in the charts around the world
The beginning of the show was slightly delayed due to the support act Thao & The Get Down Stay Down having their ferry cancelled. However, they made it in good time to give an outstanding performance. Thao & The Get Down Stay Down are a Californian based Alternative-Folk band that features the talented lead singer Thao Nguyen. The support act’s set was a great way to excite the crowd and they really did give all their energy to the performance. Thao Nguyen was highly entertaining and outstanding, as she proved this through her unique tone and unbelievable skill, playing on a variety of instruments. It was clear to me that she was a true professional of mastering a vast array of instruments, as she was rocking out to a new electric instrument pretty much every song. The best song I thought was ‘We The Common’, as it was highly catchy and everyone was dancing along to the ‘ooh’s’. They defiantly made a statement for themselves, as I would happily go and watch one of their concerts.
The buildup to The Lumineers arriving on stage was intense. The stage was amazing, as chandeliers were being lowered down from above with dimmed lights. Suddenly, huge bursts of screams arose from the crowd as The Lumineers walked onto the stage. I can happily say my expectations were not disappointed. Their performance featured songs from their album and some new unheard tracks. Wesley Schultz singing was brilliant, giving everything he could, demonstrating his vocal endurance throughout the performance. He used a lovely high falsetto vocal run in a song and some vocal rasps showing that he is a truly skilled singer and artist. Jeremiah Fraites humorous and joyful personality on stage was highly entertaining. While, Neyla Pekarek used a quiet approach to connect with the beautiful melodies she was playing on the cello, which was equally as effective.
The highlight of the night had to be when Wesley Schultz and Jeremiah Fraites stood in the audience and played a stripped back song. Wesley Schultz told the crowd to put all phones away so it could be just them and the audience. He obviously wanted to connect with the crowd and make sure it was a memorable night. He certainly did achieve this. The cliche ‘performance of a lifetime’ is the perfect way to describe the evening, as The Lumineers were evidently at their finest. Those that only know The Lumineers for their most famous track ‘Hey Ho’ should explore the rest of their music. Definitely a must see band to watch live.
