James Bay Opens for The Lumineers in Philadelphia, Surprises the Audience with Something He Has Never Done Before

Words & Photos by Katelyn Sandvik | View full gallery here

August 23, 2023 — The Lumineers brought their tour to The Mann Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for a sold out show, and along with them came English singer, James Bay who opened the show. Upon anticipation of new music, Bay’s setlist included a few unreleased songs, and some of his biggest hits. 

Walking out onto stage with his guitar and signature hat, the audience was instantly engaged and you could feel the energy in the room come alive. Bay created a warm atmosphere, connecting with the audience through his lyrics and story telling. You could hear people throughout the Mann Center singing along with him, and cheering him on. 

Towards the end of his set, Bay stopped the show to surprise the audience with something he’d never done before, which made the room go silent. As he pointed to the two screens a QR code appeared. Bay explained that he was about to sing an unreleased song, and if the audience scanned the QR code they would receive an exclusive link to a video of him performing the song. As the first notes started to play, fans immediately raised their phones to scan the QR code. 

With only a couple songs left, Bay introduced his newest single, “Goodbye Never Felt So Bad” and wrapped up his set with “Hold Back the River.” He will continue to tour with The Lumineers until mid September, when he will headline a few shows and play a festival.