The Lumineers took Manchester on an emotional journey that featured more ups and downs than a night spent in the Hilton hotel lift, last Sunday at the O2 Apollo.
A chilly evening got underway with a warm-up set from the aptly-named Bahamas.
Bahamas are one of those bands that have a name but are actually just the one person. Confusing.
Singer Afie Jurvanen, along with the rest his crew, shyly made his way out on to a relatively low-key stage and, on the outside at least, did not appear ready to be part of a warm-up band that lived up to the standards its name suggested.
However, what the act initially lacked in stage presence they made up for with some funky tracks and a few well-placed jokes from the towering frontman.
A large portion of the crowd would have been happy for the Canadian band/singer/act to continue for a while longer, but once Bahamas had evacuated the stage, the mood quickly turned to anticipation for the main event.
The room darkened, Fleetwood Mac played through the speakers and, after the bass solo of The Chain died down, out stepped The Lumineers.
Although the group’s most successful tune is still the breakout hit Ho Hey from their self-titled debut album, the party started with a couple of tracks from their new record Cleopatra.
However, it was with the folk rock band’s biggest hit that the first of many stories from the night unfolded.
NO PICTURES: The band instructed fans to put their phones away
Every gig across the country, perhaps across the world these days, is littered with the lights of recording phones as the crowd hope to capture their favourite song on film.
To get around this, lead singer Wesley Schultz offered the crowd a deal; film our next song and for the rest of the night keep them in your pockets so that we can share this special moment together, without distractions.
After all, a video of Ho Hey would get the most likes on Facebook.
The band was formed by the lead singer and his friend Jeremiah Fraites in 2002 after Jeremiah’s brother overdosed.
Some concerts could be replicated by switching off the lights, plugging in an iPod and listening to the band’s live record.
This is not the case with The Lumineers
They put on a proper show with various anecdotes and lyrical explanations dotted around the set.
From dedicating The Gun Song to Wesley’s late Father, to sharing a tale of when the band’s equipment was stolen from their tour van in Slow It Down.
The song laments that the criminals ‘didn’t touch the stereo’ and though they may have taken the guitars, the rest of the tour still went ahead.
WARM-UP: Aptly-named Bahamas got the party started
Really, it’s the modern day antithesis to The Buggles’ mega hit Video Killed the Radio Star.
It is probably almost impossible for an American band not to mention the impending election in one of their sets at the moment, and this special night at the Apollo was no different.
‘Blue eyed boy, United States. Vote for him, the candidate,’ is the usual line in Big Parade, but this would not do in the current climate.
Instead the lyric came as, ‘Blue eyed girl, United States. Vote for her, the candidate’, in a swipe at Donald Trump.
No prizes for guessing who this band will be voting for come November 8.
Another highlight was a completely acoustic version of Darlene, a song that only featured on the deluxe edition of their first album. What a treat!
The hitmakers implored the excitable crowd to settle down so that everyone could feel the full impact of the hauntingly beautiful lyrics on offer.
One lucky gig-goer was pulled in as temporary xylophone holder; one can only assume that the accordion-playing band member that wandered all the way up to the terraces could have quite easily fulfilled that role if he wasn’t previously engaged.
This engagement included moving through the crowd whilst playing the accordion and harmonising with the rest of the band on stage.
The aforementioned camera ban was forgotten, presumably as this was the perfect opportunity for a decent Instagram.
After the customary ‘we’re leaving the stage now’, following by false exits and ‘surprise’ encores, the group ensured that even those up on the terraces left the Apollo with sore throats.
From top to bottom, every member of the congregation was instructed to get onto their feet and sing along as loud as possible – even louder if they wanted to push themselves!
The final singalong rounded off an incredible night of anecdotes, heartfelt songs and banging.
If there is one thing learnt from this unique gig, it was that The Lumineers like banging things: feet, drums, maybe even a camera phone if they managed to get their hands on one.
Wesley exited the stage with a final ‘until next time’ message and left the crowd to chatter about what was a memorable evening of music.
It can be sure that after a night like this one many of those in attendance on this emotional autumn night will be back for another bite of the apple if The Lumineers ever return to the 0161 area.
