The Bay Area's one & only alternative rock radio station, LIVE105 KITS 105.3 FM, celebrated 30 years of being on the airwaves by inviting listeners to a special show with The Lumineers at Great American Music Hall! How cool is that?! In true rock fashion, LIVE105 didn't sell tickets to the show, you had to listen to win if you wanted in.
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| photo by Nikki DeMartini |
Considering everyone who was there had tickets at will-call, the line moved quickly once doors opened at 7:30. Gingerly mingling, listeners filled Great American Music Hall with cheerful feels and no time seemed to pass before the music started an hour and a half after doors opened.
After a little wave and quick hello, fresh faced and smiley Wesley Schultz efficiently started the show with the sweet, soulful lullaby "Sleep On The Floor". Their sophomore album, Cleopatra followed a more melancholy route than their 2012 debut, so it was refreshing to see that the whole band was all smiles with an amicable showmanship to boot.
Happy to chat between songs, the frontman built a friendly connection with fans carrying on about The Lumineers' early days when they played at the quaint Amnesia bar in the Mission District.
He shared that he had a new found love for San Francisco since his brother moved here and that The Lumineers had opened for a band at the same venue years ago but Tuesday night's show was the first time they headlined at Great American Music Hall. It was really cool to hear all those little known facts about one of folk-rock's most popular acts.
It was also cool that they played their most well known songs at the top of the set: "Sleep On The Floor", "Ophelia", "Cleopatra" and the beloved, break through hit "Ho Hey". Smartphones and Androids were held high to capture Kodak moments and video snippets of the intimate show but before playing "Ho Hey" Schultz politely requested that after the song, all phones be put away so we would all be there, enjoying the moment together. Fans happily obliged.
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| The Lumineers @ Great American Music Hall 12/6/2016 photo by Nikki DeMartini |
At times all five members were on stage, other times only two or three were on stage with practically un-noticible transitions. The band's beauty, Neyla, switched between violin and cello through out the show and charming harmonization came from all of the band members at one point. There was no crazy lighting, just some simple whites and soft pinks accentuated their humble music, making the lighthearted show that much more luminous.
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| The Lumineers @ Great American Music Hall 12/6/2016 photo by Nikki DeMartini |
The frontman was exceptionally engaging and personable, giving fans sweet insights about the song "Dead Sea" being an homage to his now wife and his crazy life on the road. He even performed a song from the middle of the crowd which he did at shows on their World Tour, like their two shows at The Greek Theater in Berkeley October 6th and 7th. Those shows were at bigger venues though, so it was really special he ventured into the crowd at such a small(er) venue.
Being that it was a radio station gig, the fact that they didn't phone it in and played a full, 17 song, set was awesome! The Lumineers went above and beyond for LIVE105 and their listeners.
They looked great, they sounded great, they were great!
A private show with The Lumineers was a great way to celebrate 30 years of LIVE105!
set-list 12/6/2016
1. Sleep On The Ground
2. Ophelia
3. Flowers In Your Hair
4. Ho Hey
5. Cleopatra
6. Classy Girls
7. Dead Sea
8. Charlie Boy
9. Darlene
10. Boots of Spanish Leather (Bob Dylan)
11. Slow It Down
12. Submarines
13. Gun Song
14. Angela
15. Big Parade
16. My Eyes
17. Stubborn Love
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