The Lumineers stomped and clapped through the rain on Saturday July 9th at RBC Bluesfest during a beautiful set on the City Stage.
The Denver based folk-rock band includes Wesley Schultz on vocals and guitar, Jeremiah Fraites on drums and percussion and Neyla Pekarek on cello and backing vocals. The group sang tracks from their two albums, The Lumineers and Cleopatra. Despite their recently released second album, the band showed seasoned confidence and poise while performing.
A simple stage featuring five light displays provided the background for the emotional songs of the night. Beginning with Sleep on the Floor the audience immediately began to sing along with Schultz and the band.
Ophelia and Ho Hey, two of their most popular songs to date had the audience stomping their feet and cheering. Some remarked how similar Schultz’s vocals were to the albums and voiced their support. The songs featured tambourine and piano that were performed seamlessly by Fraites.
Classy Girls, a ballad from their first album kept the mood light despite the dark sky. Schultz tipped his hat during particular moments and provided sincerity to the song. He thanked the audience numerous times for braving the rain and not letting it affect the concert, as all sang and danced through the night.
Two touring members, Stelth Ulvang and Byron Issacs provided interesting instrumentation with a mandolin and an electric guitar respectively through several of the emotive songs as well. Their musicality especially showed during solos from both men.
One highlight was the track Slow It Down which featured only Schultz standing in a spotlight with his guitar. The emotional and touching lyrics were heartfelt with the acoustic backing. The singer sounded confident despite performing the song alone.
Another highlight was when the band walked through the thrilled crowd to perform on a smaller stage. Playing Bob Dylan’s Subterranean Homesick Blues and another track, many audience members smiled and cheered. Pekarek also delivered steady vocals that shone. The move showed the band’s appreciation for all the fans that stayed despite the steady rain.
Shortly after returning to the main stage, the band performed the poignant Gun Song. Before beginning, Schultz explained the song was from a time very shortly after his father’s passing. The emotions from this difficult time in his life showed in Schultz’s face as he sang.
Despite the heaviness of Gun Song, liveliness returned with Big Parade. Confetti towards the end of the song provided it colour and light.
After screams for an encore, the band closed with four more tracks. The drumming Scotland was a particular highlight. The finale, crowd-favourite Stubborn Love off their first album, had young and old singing together. All five members performed to their fullest with wonderful instrumentation. Encouraging the audience to clap and sing, one member even stood on the piano with enthusiasm while playing the tambourine.
The emotions and confidence of the band made their first Ottawa performance very memorable. Despite the rain that dampened the crowd, The Lumineers kept spirits soaring through the night.
