The Lumineers
Automatic World Tour
2025
"Visually, the production was thoughtful without being distracting. The projections were razor sharp, with backdrops so intricately mapped that they felt like 3D illusions."
Riff Magazine
The Lumineers’ Automatic World Tour delivers a production that perfectly balances stadium-scale spectacle with the band’s trademark emotional intimacy. The show’s visual design is rich with warmth, texture, and storytelling, enhancing rather than overpowering the band’s folk-rock roots.
At the heart of the stage is are multiple LED video columns that move behind the band, creating various formations throughout the night. The team focused on visual content that would tell the stories of each individual song and live in the aesthetic space of its' respective album.
The stage itself is features multi-level risers for band members and movement, with a large arrow-shaped thrust reaching out into the audience. Multiple video surfaces at conflicting angles sit behind the band to provide a moving background for IMAG. They have a unique retro television facade and are supported by structures reminiscent of large antennae towers.
The lighting design is immersive yet subtle, focused on complementing mood rather than overwhelming it. Ian Haslauer uses shifting palettes that match each individual album aesthetic—moving from soft tungsten glows during the original album The Lumineers to cyan and magenta for Brightside tracks. A standout lighting element is the use of audience wristbands that sync with the show, creating a starry sky effect across the crowd during songs like “Ophelia” and “Sleep On The Floor.”
Team
How we got there
Sooner and Ian worked closely with the band to develop a production design that celebrated the multiple albums they've released in the past. Each album had a specific color palette and theme that was analyzed by the design team and intentionally produced through the multiple production elements.
The band requested a large thrust to help deliver them closer to the audience throughout the show. They used this performance area repeatedly, allowing the fans to see each band member utilize multiple instruments and microphone positions. Multiple lifts allowed pianos and drum kits to rise from below the stage surface. The result was a performance area that created an incredibly dynamic performance environment, constantly keeping the audience engaged in the music.
The album Automatic features a unique aesthetic inspired by vintage television nostalgia. To reflect this, the video columns were designed to emulate the color bars seen on the album cover, while the floor video screens were styled to resemble old television sets. The overall set design leans into this retro TV theme, but does so subtly—allowing space for visuals that represent the band’s other albums as well.
Because of the massive catalogue of music, the stage needed to transform. Ian and Sooner elected to use an automated system for the video columns and large upstage wall. It allowed them to change the shapes of the walls throughout the show, providing a large, solid surface upstage, or a broken up video palette.
“TVisually, the production was stunning without being overwhelming. The band’s use of engaging visuals during songs like “Gloria” and “Where We Are” enhanced the storytelling without distracting from the music. Confetti rained over the crowd at one point, and the lighting design kept the energy high while maintaining the warm, earthy aesthetic that fits the band so well."
Utah Concert Review
"The light-up wristbands each fan wore transformed the stadium to a starry sky as Schultz's twangy voice serenaded the audience."
Following Backstage
