It was a perfect summer night in Downtown Charlottesville when Rayland Baxter took the stage at the Sprint Pavilion to open for The Lumineers. There was a relaxed atmosphere in the air, which suited Baxter in his self-described “chill” set. Baxter’s songs had a smooth quality with hypnotic guitar riffs, which were aided by his powerful voice. Stand-out songs included the soulful “Mr. Rodriguez” and the mellow “Olivia.”
The quirky alt-rock musician hails from Nashville, Tenn. and released his latest album “Imaginary Man” in August 2015. This up and coming singer is definitely one to watch out for.
BØRNS followed Baxter, bringing the Pavilion to life with his slick synthpop sound. While BØRNS was more subdued between songs, he sang with such energy and excitement making it impossible not to enjoy his performance. The catchy, upbeat songs like “Seeing Stars” and “American Money” combined with BØRNS soaring vocals made for an electric show.
Finally, The Lumineers took the stage, giving a heartfelt, rousing show. Despite the hundreds of people in the audience in the Pavilion, the band made the show feel intimate, at one point moving to a stage towards the back of the venue. This gave a chance for everyone in the audience to get close to the band and feel part of the show.
The band led with a string of hits — popular songs like “Flowers in Your Hair” and “Ho Hey” — followed by the two lead singles from their most recent album, “Cleopatra,” and “Ophelia.”
The most earnest moments in the show came when frontman Wesley Schultz discussed the meaning between some of their songs. The singer shared a personal story about his uncle who was killed while fighting in the Vietnam War, and how his uncle’s dedication to his country inspired him to write “Charlie Boy.”
Later he sang a heartfelt rendition of “Long Way From Home” about his late father’s illness and death. This knowledge made the lyrics that much more meaningful, as Schultz sang, “God and medicine take no mercy on him … Enough is enough, he's a long way from home.”
While Schultz did most of the talking, fellow band members Jeremiah Fraites and Neyla Pekarek made their mark as well. Fraites anchored the performance on percussion, and Pekarek showed her skills on the cello, giving the band their signature, folksy sound.
The band closed with the fan-favorite “Stubborn Love,” concluding an exceptional performance from a talented band. The Lumineers have a laid-back vibe well suited to Charlottesville — hopefully they’ll be back soon.
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