The Lumineers. Haven’t heard of them? You will. Their self-entitled album was released last April, and if what I write doesn’t entice you to listen to it…do it anyways. I was lucky enough to discover them last November and have been avidly following them ever since. So imagine my joy when I heard they were going to be playing a free show in Chicago, just a few stops up the red line from me. Yeah, I was going to that show, even if I had to skip Italian class. (Don’t worry, I didn’t.)

When I arrived the show had already started, but you wouldn’t know it from the outside. The place wasn’t crowded at all, and when I arrived the security guard said it wouldn’t matter if I was VIP or not. That’s just how close we all were. It couldn’t have been more than a hundred people there. That small of crowd either makes or breaks a show. It definitely made this one. Everyone there loved the energy The Lumineers gave off. It was early afternoon in a small bar, but they still put in the same effort they had at their big show the night before.

They are true musicians. You can hear it in their album. They use a variety of instruments, sound great together, and love to involve the audience in their music making. And in concert, they were exactly that. Whether it was their cute love song – Ho Hey – or their funny, slightly “drunkard’s tale” – Classy Girls – we, the audience, were every bit a part of the music as the band themselves.

While some go to concerts to see entertainers, myself included, The Lumineers offer a nice reprieve. They are more about their heartfelt, relatable lyrics, varying their sound from slow, chill, dream-like, to upbeat, thigh slapping, folk, than they are about impressing you with their “mad” guitar skills or perfectly timed transitions. The band itself has such great dynamic that it feels as if you’re sitting in on a group of friends just playing music together than at an actual concert. A really talented group of friends that is.

So if you’re into that folky guitar, tambourine, cello mix, check ‘em out. Or if you’re looking for something that doesn’t sound like it’s been edited to the max, check ‘em out. And if you’re just looking for something new, CHECK ‘EM OUT!

– Noelle Smiley