(Photo Credit: Michael La Torre)
I have to confess, I could not wait for the vinyl to arrive. The first time I listened to the expansive Live from Wrigley Field was on Spotify. In it I found a litany of special musical moments that have been with me over the years listening in a new form from the band. I also found a myriad of new special moments, especially when members of the band are giving back stories behind the songs and moments that have been special to them throughout their career. I don't want to ruin those for you, so I'll let you listen. But I will tell you, I first thought "There's no way they keep those on the vinyl release." And they did! So good on you band and team!
(Photo Credit: Michael La Torre)
The music is simply impeccable. The Lumineers show off why they're one of the best bands in the business by playing a venue that is notoriously difficult (an open air stadium, just see all the flubs on National Anthems to prove this. The feedback is killer) and they do it with swagger. The music beautifully pops off the record to the listener and you can tell the band spared no expense in capturing this show.
The packaging is full of brilliant photography of the band playing live and a massive crowd surrounding them, each sharing and having a moment. The front cover looks almost like a candle in the distance, until you realize when your eyes focus that it's actually singer Wesley Schultz among a giant crowd of fans. The photography also makes great use of black and white photography to capture the Chicago night skies with the band and crowd in tow.
The vinyl expands to three LPs and is chock full of music, no space on the LPs goes to waste. (And you know how that drives me crazy). There are a myriad of pressings of the LP, but I'll focus on the two main ones. One is the standard black and then there is the Zoetrope LP (see below):
I bet that thing looks cool spinning on a turntable. If you're interested in the Zoetrope LP, it'll cost you around $80 on the band's website (still a bargain!). In short, I cannot say enough about the mix of songs the band played in this set, the energy they brought to Wrigley Field, and the care they put into capturing it for their fans. If you are remotely a fan of The Lumineers, this live album is a must add for your LP collection.
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