When the Lumineers visited New York City in 2025, the band headlined a concert at the massive Citi Field. This year’s NYC performance, a continuation of last year’s tour promoting the band’s fifth studio album, Automatic, was in a far more intimate sports venue almost across the street. The Lumineers launched the 2026 US Open with a headlining performance at Louis Armstrong Stadium on August 21, two days before the tennis matches began at the venue.
The Lumineers emerged as one of the most popular indie folk-rock/Americana artists during the revival of these genres shortly after the turn of this century. The band formed in 2005 in Ramsey, New Jersey, and relocated in 2010 to Denver, Colorado. Founding members Wesley Schultz (lead vocals, guitar) and Jeremiah Fraites (keyboards, percussion) presently are supported in concert by Stelth Ulvang (keyboards, accordion, mandolin, guitar, percussion), Byron Isaacs (bass, guitar), Brandon Miller (guitar, mandolin, percussion) and Lauren Jacobson (strings, piano).
After a half hour set by Petey USA and a half hour intermission, the Lumineers were introduced by an LED animation showing a cassette unspooling, with the tape forming the band’s name. The six musicians arrived onstage under bright lights with no further theatrics. Schultz was dressed in what appeared to be a hand-dyed silk jacket, his long hair tied into two braids under a baseball cap. Fraites wore his signature white t-shirt, black suspenders and dark fedora.
Schultz and Fraites immediately led the touring musicians through a spirited assortment of fan favorites and newer songs. These musicians proved to be more than a backing band, since they added visual as well as musical accompaniment. On the LED screens above the stage, videos of American landscapes and close-ups of the musicians enhanced the songs.
Rather than play rock star roles, the band’s homespun charisma projected a rustic charm, particularly when Schultz served as narrator and host between songs. This simple and honest approach engaged the audience. The bulk of the fans remained standing and swaying at their seats even when much of the set featured soft and slow songs. The fans grooved to the rhythms and sang along boisterously on the better-known songs. The fans cheered the loudest as Schultz and later Jacobson walked through the audience while performing.
Schultz sang the bulk of the lead vocals, with other musicians contributing sporadic harmonies. They sang well, although the rectangular design of the stadium perhaps created too much echo. The band’s performance was imaginatively and tightly arranged. The musicians were masterfully versatile, seamlessly switching between keyboards, percussion, and stringed instruments, including guitar, bass, banjo, mandolin, violin and viola.
Curating a delicate balance between nostalgia and evolution, the Lumineers performed both fan favorites and newer songs. Schultz’s introductions to the newer songs helped give them more weight. Nothing beat the ovation the band received for “Ho Hey,” however, the band’s sole mainstream hit; Schultz leaned away from the microphone for much of the song, encouraging the audience to sing the familiar lyrics.
Early in the program, Schultz spoke about the connection he and Fraites shared. “We’ve been playing music for 20 years, and we’ve made five albums,” Schultz said. The Lumineers share a similar connection with the fans, many of whom have followed the band loyally since “Ho Hey” reached a wide audience in 2012. Given the band’s faithfulness to creating unpretentious, integrity-rooted and musically-adept indie folk-rock, the Lumineers may likely continue to enjoy stadium-sized success.
Related Articles:
The Lumineers at Forest Hills Stadium, Queens (2019)
The Lumineers at Madison Square Garden (2017)
The Lumineers at Terminal 5 (2013)
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The Manhattan Beat covers New York City's live music circuit. All articles are written by Everynight Charley Crespo. All photographs are taken by Everynight Charley Crespo, except when noted otherwise.
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