Review: The Lumineers Sang Their Same Old Songs and More at the Automatic World Tour

Written By Nina Kremer | Tour Info Photo Courtesy of The Lumineers

Though the Lumineers called it “The Automatic World Tour,” the show felt less like a promotion of their newest album and more like a retrospective of everything the Lumineers have had to share throughout their decade of music. On July 17, the band took the stage at Fenway Park in Boston, with openers Hippo Campus and Young the Giant. The founding members of the Lumineers, Wesley Schultz (lead vocals, guitar) and Jeremiah Fraites (drums, percussion, piano), were joined onstage by featured members Stelth Ulvang (accordion, piano, guitar), Byron Isaacs (bass), Lauren Jacobson (violin), and Brandon Miller (guitar, mandolin, percussion).

They began with “Same Old Song,” the first track off of their newest album “Automatic,” before transitioning into “Flowers in Your Hair,” the first song off of their debut self-titled album, deliberately showcasing their growth throughout their lengthy career. While “Flowers in Your Hair” is gentle and optimistic, “Same Old Song” alludes to the maturation of the band lyrically. It is an interesting choice to open with, given the somber nature of the lyrics, but Schultz’s vulnerability is captivating, as he brings the audience into his innermost thoughts and feelings right off the bat.

During “Flowers in Your Hair,” the band came forward, playing on the edge of the stage, as close as possible to the tens of thousands of audience members. “Flowers in Your Hair” has a distinctly warm and youthful sound, one of my personal favorites. It’s one of those songs that you could imagine singing with friends while sitting around a campfire, and the Lumineers brought that same comforting feeling to the stage, making the crowd feel less like strangers.

The sentimentality was a throughline through the entire show, from the delicate finger-picking of the guitar to the powerful soulfulness of Schultz’s voice, as he sang “A.M. Radio,” echoing the poignant chorus: “I couldn’t give you up.” In the outdoor venue Schultz’s voice could be heard loud and clear, picked up by the wind and reverberating throughout the space. There was minimal distraction from the thunder of his voice, the soft guitar strums serving more as an accoutrement rather than the focus of the song.

Schultz then brought Sameer Gadhia of Young the Giant back to the stage to sing “Gale Song.” As the two sang together the wristbands in the crowd flickered to the beat, making the audience feel as if they too were on the stage, with the bright stage lights illuminating the now dark Fenway Park. The lighting coming from not only the stage but throughout the stadium made the sound even more immersive, as the heartbeat of the song visibly pulsated through the crowd.

Before singing the delicate “Donna,” Schultz spoke to the crowd with the same earnestness and heart that he brings to his lyrics, expressing his gratitude for their support. Another stripped-down song with just the founding members of the band, Schultz sat on the piano played by Fraites, the warm orange glow from the stage reflecting the warm feeling in the crowd.

Next, surprisingly, the band launched into “Ho Hey,” their most highly streamed song. I would have assumed this would have been played later in the set; however, it was a good way to reinvigorate the crowd after playing a few tender ballads in a row. It brought the liveliness back to the crowd, which went from listening with rapt attention to singing, clapping, and cheering.

Keeping the energy of the crowd up, at every show on the Automatic Tour, Schultz takes a stroll through the audience during “BRIGHTSIDE,” bringing the performance right to their seats. Wristbands from each section lit up as Schultz passed to mark his path, and excited fans ran to follow the lights. He held his hand out to touch those reaching out, reminiscent of a Fenway Park tradition: At every game in the middle of the 8th inning, the crowd can be heard screaming that lyric from the iconic “Sweet Caroline”: “Hands, touching hands, reaching out.”

A highlight of the show was Ulvang’s energetic performance, which continuously stole the spotlight. During “So Long,” he stood on top of the piano, ushering people to clap before dramatically jumping off of it when the beat dropped.

Before playing a cover of Justin Bieber’s “Ghost,” Schultz got vulnerable and shared that his younger brother recently passed away from a heart issue.

“He was my best friend. I’ve been playing these shows just thinking about him every time. Just trying to make him proud, and remember him in some way. I think that’s the beauty of playing music is that you get to put all this grief and all these emotions into something and I’m grateful for that.” Schultz said he was inspired to play the cover after last year’s Newport Film Festival, where he saw Josiah and the Bonnevilles perform the song. He brought the band onstage as a touching tribute, and the two lead singers’ voices blended beautifully together.

An old favorite, “Cleopatra” indicated the end of the show was near. Schultz sang the first verse acapella before the sound was filled out by the rest of the band. At the end of the song Ulvang, who had been hyping up the excited crowd, mysteriously left the stage, only to be found by a spotlight as he stood on top of the Green Monster, Fenway Park’s iconic left-field wall.

Leading into “Stubborn Love,” Ulvang played his accordion before climbing down the wall. He proved to be fearless of heights, using a ladder draped down the front of the wall rather than the stairs typical ball game goers take. The whole band also changed into Red Sox jerseys, paying tribute to their hosts for the evening, as a montage of the band and fans played on the screen behind them. Though it was bittersweet that the show had come to an end, Schultz comforted the audience with a final refrain of “Head up, love,” a warmhearted end to a show that felt like a labor of love.