The Lumineers Tour Overview
The Lumineers are an American alternative folk band based in Denver, Colorado. The founding members are Wesley Schultz (lead vocals, guitar) and Jeremiah Fraites (drums, percussion, piano). Schultz and Fraites began writing and performing together in Ramsey, New Jersey, in 2005. Cellist and vocalist Neyla Pekarek joined the band in 2010, and was a member until 2018. The Lumineers emerged as one of the most popular folk-rock/Americana artists during the revival of those genres, their popularity growing in the 2010s. They are known for their energetic live shows and several international hit singles, including "Ho Hey", "Stubborn Love", "Ophelia", "Angela" and "Cleopatra". The band has become one of the top touring bands in the United States and is also popular in other countries.
The Lumineers have released four albums on American independent label Dualtone Records (Dine Alone in Canada and Decca/Universal worldwide). Their self-titled first album was released in 2012 and peaked at No. 2 on the U.S. Billboard 200. It has been certified triple platinum in the U.S. and Canada, platinum in the UK and Ireland, and gold in Australia. Their second album, Cleopatra, was released in 2016 and debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, and also on the Canadian and British album charts. It is currently certified platinum in the U.S. Their third album, titled III, was released on September 13, 2019 and debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200. Their fourth album, Brightside, was released on January 14, 2022.
About The Lumineers
When Schultz and Fraites began collaborating, writing together and playing gigs around New York City, they did so under various names, including Free Beer, 6Cheek and Wesley Jeremiah. Fraites elaborated, "When Wes and I got together, our first band name was Free Beer. It wasn't serious at first. We were a crappy band doing (terrible) covers. But we slowly started getting away from covers and writing originals. We were doing everything: vanilla singer-songwriter stuff, hard rock, electronic music. There was no focus; it was a mad, random mess."According to Schultz, the band became The Lumineers after a band called Lumineers (a made up word) was supposed to play at a club in Jersey City the week after Schultz and Fraites played there. The emcee mistakenly introduced Schultz and Fraites as The Lumineers, and the name stuck.
The Lumineers struggled to find success in New York according to Schultz, who said, "I was living in Brooklyn and working three jobs just to pay the rent," adding, "it was really infuriating to move to a city that would help us grow musically but then never have any time to work on music. So I decided to do something about it." In 2009, after considering relocating to London, Philadelphia and Boston, Fraites and Schultz, in their "ignorance and naïveté", moved to Denver, Colorado, and joined the open mic scene. During this time they had a former member, Jason "Jay" Van Dyke play with them rarely. Van Dyke sued The Lumineers around 2008, claiming that Schultz and Fraites didn't give him the proper credit he deserved. Later Schultz and Fraites acknowledged Van Dyke, and admitted that they performed for a short period of time. Van Dyke claims that he co-wrote nine songs with Schultz and Fraites.
The Lumineers Facts
- They're maybe the only band to ever move OUT of New York in search of musical success.
- The name "The Lumineers," which is also a brand name for dental veneers, was randomly given to them by a promoter.
- The cover of their album is an old photo of Schulz's mother and grandmother.
- Technology isn't a big part of their lives, both musically and personally.
