Live Review: The Lumineers, The Falls

Local duo The Falls started things off on the night with an endearing set filled with sweet songs dedicated to love, loss and all emotions in between. Their partnership on songs like Home and Girl That I Love, on which their capabilities as both musicians and as writers flourished, successfully captured an audience that had previously been impatiently waiting for the headline act.

As the crowd steadily streamed in, it was easy to see why The Lumineers had been upgraded from the smaller Metro Theatre. Not only did the packed house justify this move, but the nostalgic, worn essence of the Enmore made for a much better backdrop for this jaunty, old-fashioned, foot-stomping band.

Starting off with a few technical difficulties in opener Submarines, frontman Wesley Schultz treated the audience to a new, unplugged duet with cellist Neyla Pekarek, a smart improvisation that proved to be a treat with the audience. Crowd favourite and their current moneymaking single Ho Hey was delivered with vigour and charm early in the set to enthusiastic whoops and cheers from the audience and that eagerness continued through to Dead Sea, which saw Schultz's raspy, attractive vocals coupled with that of the crowd.

The Lumineers have tried to achieve that polished old Americana, country-folk image they obviously strive for. Schultz is a very warm and affable frontman and the rest of the band embody a charming energy. However they fail to really stand out beyond any of the other bands in this genre (and there are many). Schultz's cover of Bob Dylan's Subterranean Homesick Blues missed the mark despite the energy he was pouring into it; similarly, their cover of Violent Femmes' American Music was unfortunately a lacklustre way to round off the night. An enjoyable band to watch; however, their reputation may precede them somewhat.