Quantcast
Channel: Amber Stokosa Photography: Blog
Viewing all articles
Browse latest Browse all 20

Best Band of 2014: New Politics

0
0

And it’s not just about their live show.

This is a band that really cares for their fans and went from headlining The Shelter (a small venue in the basement of Saint Andrew’s Hall) in February: 
New Politics at The Shelter [Detroit]Click to open gallery

to headlining Saint Andrew’s Hall itself in November:
New Politics at Saint Andrew's Hall [Detroit]Click to open gallery
Not to mention a sold-out headline show at The Loft in Lansing in July:
New Politics at The Loft [Lansing]Click to open gallery

AND joining Paramore and Fall Out Boy on MONUMENTOUR, playing DTE Energy Music Theatre in the summer:
New Politics at MONUMENTOUR [Detroit]Click to open gallery

I was lucky enough to experience those four shows (and of course they were lucky enough to come to Michigan that often)! They were touring fiends this year! And judging by their ever-growing facebook fan community and twitter/Instagram posts, they met every fan they possibly could.

And, if you follow me on Instagram (@astokosaphoto), you already know that I did a hilariously fun and honest interview with the band last April 2013 (watch it here). After that not only was I in love with their music, but they are just great, fun, down-to-earth people. Both they and their crew have been pretty good to me ever since.

But here’s the real reason New Politics is my pick for “band of the year:”

Ask any music photographer and I’m pretty sure they share the same fantasy: you’re at a show, innocently shooting away, when the band surprises you and pulls you up on stage.

Well, New Politics made this fantasy come true for me this summer.

Near the end of the set at their sold-out Lansing show I was standing side stage, getting in some crowd shots (with singer David Boyd up against the front line). I looked down at my screen to preview a shot I’d just taken and noticed that singer David Boyd – along with everyone in the crowd – was staring at me.

(It was a bad photo, but just to add to the story here it is↓)

Bad photo, but this is what I saw. I looked up and snapped back to reality when I realized that he was calling my name.

“Amber! AMBER! Get up here!”

I quickly swallowed my embarrassment and hopped up on stage. Boyd asked me to take a photo of the three band members with the crowd.

So there it was – my photography fantasy was coming true. Adrenaline was rushing through me but I tried my best to stay calm. I hadn’t had that many people looking at me since I was in my high school musical in ’04!

Thankfully my fisheye lens was mounted on my D600 because that was the only way I was going to be able to get the entire crowd in the shot.

While they were setting themselves up I tested my settings with the lighting so I was ready when they were.

They struck a pose, the fans put their arms up, I snapped about four photos and that was it.

Before I left the stage each band member said thank you and gave me a quick hug.

Nicest guys ever.

And that was it, just a few seconds and I had lived out my music photography fantasy. 

New Politics at The Loft [Lansing]

So thank you, New Politics, for making my year. :)

••• Enjoy a few more photos below! •••
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Soren Hansen of New PoliticsClick to open gallery New PoliticsClick to open gallery New PoliticsClick to open gallery New PoliticsClick to open gallery New PoliticsClick to open gallery New PoliticsClick to open gallery New PoliticsClick to open gallery New PoliticsClick to open gallery New PoliticsClick to open gallery

Click to open gallery Click to open gallery Click to open gallery Click to open gallery Click to open gallery Click to open gallery Click to open gallery Click to open gallery Click to open gallery Click to open gallery Click to open gallery


Viewing all articles
Browse latest Browse all 20

Latest Images

Trending Articles





Latest Images