The Lumineers “Automatic World Tour” Lights Up The Mohegan Sun [Photos]

Beloved alternative folk legends The Lumineers brought their “Automatic World Tour,” in celebration of their recent album of the same name, to Connecticut’s Mohegan Sun Arena on July 13th. Core members Wesley Schultz and Jeremiah Fraites took the world by storm in 2012 with the single “Ho Hey,” quickly becoming mainstays of the Americana-infused stomp-and-holler sound that permeated radio waves in the 2010s. Their success continued in the following decade, seeing numerous more commercial hits such as “Ophelia,” “Angela,” and “Cleopatra” across four album releases. Aside from their universally appealing sound, The Lumineers spent the years amassing a devoted fan following with their exuberant live performance and lyrical vulnerability. Their latest release, February 2025’s Automatic, is no exception.

Supporting band Hippo Campus opened the evening with a bright and bubbly set of their signature indie rock that has brought them plenty of commercial success in their own right. Hailing from Minnesota, the band has headlined tours across the globe, earning themselves a loyal following not unlike that of The Lumineers themselves. Their set included some of their better-known songs (“Buttercup,” “Way It Goes,” “South”) alongside gems their more devout fans would appreciate (“Tooth Fairy,” “Suicide Saturday”).

The Lumineers opened their set with Automatic’s lead single, “Same Old Song,” before jumping right into a whopping 28-song setlist that showcased the very best of their work across all five of their albums. With such an enormous stage production and six musicians on stage, it would be easy for such a massive show to feel ultra-polished and impersonal, but a Lumineers show has always been the exact opposite. The band has managed to cultivate such an intimate and respectful environment surrounding themselves, their music, and their fans that their shows feel just as personal in an arena as they did a decade ago in clubs. The greater production efforts have served to intentionally bring them closer to their fans, not further away.

Longtime fans enjoyed deeper cuts such as “Flowers In Your Hair,” “Submarines,” “Sleep On The Floor,” and “Leader Of The Landslide.” Of course, the radio hits all made appearances, with the band using their audience’s enthusiasm to elevate the performance. “Brightside” saw singer Wesley Schultz wandering throughout the arena, giving hugs and high-fives, while “Ho Hey” received the loudest singalong the Mohegan may have seen all year.

Schultz paid tribute to the tristate area, mentioning the incident that inspired the song “Slow It Down.” While living in New Jersey, his car got broken into while he was in Brooklyn. Somehow, his EZ-Pass was the only thing that was stolen, but the incident prompted the move to Denver that ultimately led to the birth of The Lumineers. The band dedicated “Cleopatra” to the New York Mets mascot Mr. Met, who came out for the song at the previous show in New York City, and went viral after taking a tumble off the stage.

With such a large touring band, Schultz made sure to include them all as much as possible, stating that The Lumineers would not be who they are without them. Each member of the band was invited to sing a verse on “Big Parade” alongside a quick introduction. Violinist Lauren Jacobson is known for the quiet grace and whimsy she brings to the stage. Multi-instrumentalist Brandon Miller was originally part of the band’s crew in 2016 before they discovered his musical talent.

Guitarist Byron Isaacs holds down the low end with his incredible bass guitar skills. Stelth Ulvang, a man of seemingly endless energy who flits about from instrument to instrument bare-footed and occasionally upside-down or on his head, embodies the wild joy of music that brings us all together. And lastly, Schultz’s best friend of over two decades, and the other half of The Lumineers: drummer and multi-instrumentalist Jeremiah Fraites.

Towards the end of the set, Schultz got vulnerable with the audience, explaining that his little brother passed away unexpectedly just six weeks ago. In an effort to bring him with them to all of these shows, the band has been performing a cover of Billy Joel’s “New York State of Mind” every night, in homage to the way the two used to love singing Joel’s music together. He made sure to emphatically thank the crowd for allowing him and the band to have such a special career full of so much heart and soul.

Finally, they closed the night out with “Stubborn Love,” a deeply loved song from their debut album that embodies the very essence of The Lumineers: gorgeous instrumentals, powerful vocals, a relatable story, and a tune that you just can’t help but sing along to.

The Lumineers (w/ Hippo Campus) @ Mohegan Sun Arena (Uncasville, CT) on July 13th, 2025

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