The Lumineers Light Up Pretoria

The Lumineers made it to Pretoria and if you missed it, the real loss wasn’t just the atmosphere, it was the sound. This was a night where the music itself did all the heavy lifting – the audience elevated to unforgettable heights.

It’s pretty obvious that we were there for The Lumineers, but it was Tommy Wá who blew my mind, and that in itself was further evidence of how well thought-out the show’s curation was.

I’m of the view that the opening act matters just as much as the main act, because it is the opening act who sets the tone of the event and loosens up the audience’s muscles just enough to be even more excited for the main act without tiring them out.

Tommy Wá struck that balance with the perfection of a seasoned musician. From initial introduction right through to the end, Tommy Wá had the audience in the palm of hands – engaged, intrigued and grooving (and he deserves his flowers for that).

By the time The Lumineers took to the stage, the air was thick with excitement and anticipation. True to form, they set the stage ablaze from their very first note. Their sound engulfed us (bless the sound team). We were not just hearing the music, we were in the music. The band’s trademark blend of driving percussion, piano, acoustic textures, and unmistakable harmonies was on full display in all its splendour with each track that played.

What stood out most was how dynamic the set was, essentially consisting of two stages connected in the center by a ramp, that the band travelled up and down on at the speed of light between songs. And if that wasn’t enough, members of the band took turns jumping off the stage and making their way through the auditorium, much to the audience’s delight. Wesley, the band’s lead singer, even shared a drink with a gentleman in the audience – because truly there are no strangers in music.

As explosive as the show was, there were also softer moments that joined the band and audience in a bond of vulnerability and the universal experience of grief.

The heaviest among the moments had to be Wesley sharing his experience of grief, having lost his younger brother, Sam, unexpectedly in May 2025 and dedicating a song to him. Nothing really prepares a person for a loss like that.

What was beautiful in that moment is how the audience held space for his sadness, holding it delicately and sharing in the grief like Sam was a part of their family too. But then again, that’s the beauty of music – it reminds us of the shared experience that human existence is.

I’m still in awe of their masterful curation. How they weaved the softer moments through the fabric of the let it rip tracks. The changes between instruments, because if your band is a collection of talented multi-instrumentalists, then the right thing to do is show off… and show off they did!

The Lumineers proved once again that their strength lies in musical storytelling. Every lyric landed, every harmony felt, and every arrangement served the emotion of the song. Wesley and Jeremiah created magic when they formed this band, and if this show is any measure – the magic is far from over!