Gig Impressions: Kodaline at LKA Longhorn, Stuttgart

Hey guys!

A while ago I was asked by an interviewer, if I've ever had to cover a gig which I didn't enjoy.

And my answer was no.
Since I own house in the sand, I have the freedom to choose which gigs I want to cover.
As a photographer you have to accreditate in order to photograph the show- and I only accreditate for gigs I really want to see.

In my opinion it makes more sense to photograph and write about concerts I've enjoyed.
For me it's easier to capture an atmosphere if I understand the artistry behind it.

Last week I had the pleasure of photographing Kodaline, a bloody brilliant band whose music I really adore.

Below you'll find all photographs and written impressions of their gig at LKA Longhorn in Stuttgart on February 26th 2016.

Supporting them on one half of the tour are All Tvvins- so check out my photos of them too.

All Tvvins won the crowd over within the blink of an eye.

With their energetic songs, their electrifying stage performance and their infectious energy, it wasn't too long until the Stuttgart crowd was dancing and clapping along.

Their Indie Pop meets Rock and Punk attitude works so well and warmed up the crowd in a very brilliant way.

I sure can't wait to hear more!

All Tvvins online: Website | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram

Kodaline are a four piece band from Dublin, Ireland. Genre-wise they walk on the fine line between alternative and folk-rock. 

Singer Steve and guitarist Mark have known each other from school. Meeting drummer Vinny and former bassist Conor a few years later led them to start out as a band. As "21 Demands" the quartet was part of the Irish talent show "You're A Star" and came in second. 

After a busy time and a chart hit, things slowed down.

With a new bassist and a new band name - Kodaline was born. Their first selftitled EP brought out their song "All I Want" which found a lot of positive feedback, especially online. Soon that song was played on the TV series Grey's Anatomie and The Vampire Diaries.
In 2013 the press re-discovered the band and predicted big times for the Irish lads.  

 

Kodaline are:

Steve Garrigan (lead vocals, keyboards, rhythm guitar)

Mark Prendergast (lead guitar, backing vocals, keyboards)

Jason Boland (bass, backing vocals)

Vinny May (drums, percussion, backing vocals)

2015 was a whirlwind for the band; they released their fantastic record "Coming Up For Air", played tons of festivals, performed with Ed Sheeran and continued living the dream. 

So far 2016 consisted of writing new songs and touring.

The four Irish gentlemen came on stage and immediately had the crowd on their feet- dancing and singing along to their hit "Ready" (which has a fantastic music video, by the way!).

Even though I was in the photo pit for the first three songs, I already knew the atmosphere of this gig was one to remember.
The crowd was just as into the music as the band members themselves.

With the room already having a party, the band sure knew how to keep the spirits high and made the most of the night.









You could think that ballads would "take the wind out of the sails", but that sure wasn't the case.

Kodaline made it obvious that they are passionate about their music and that their lyrics are just as real and honest as you think they are.

With a clever setlist and a strong stage performance, there was no chance for the evening to be a dull one.

What I really enjoyed about seeing Kodaline live, was watching the flawless connection between the band members. They played with so much timing, so much passion and so much fun.

Drummer Vinny nailed pretty much every song- as the backbone of the band, a drummer has to lead a track and hell- he did.

Guitarist Mark knows his craft, he played those riffs with so much coolness and so much passion.

Bassist Jay is probably the most energetic performer in the band; his joyful and bouncy movements made it so very obvious that he's very grateful to be on stage.

Singer Steve entertained the crowd and belted out those killer notes so effortlessly, you could easily get jealous.

But rather than being jealous of the immense talent and passion that the band has, it's much better to just enjoy the music and sing along.

One thing that stood out to me, was the way the band interacted with their audience.

It wasn't just the average "band makes audience sing along" sort of concert,
it was an evening of pure and honest interaction.

There were all sorts of moments- from picking up chocolate and gifts from the fans, to chatting with loud crowd members to taking requests of what to play- Kodaline showed that they are an incredible live band.

To sum it up- I would go and see the band live again.
They write fantastic music and know how to present it live- massive thumbs up!

Had a fabulous time and left as a very impressed listener.


Kodaline online: Website | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram


Make sure to check out the interview and accent challenge I filmed with Jay and Steve earlier that day!
:)





Thank you for your visit!

Credits // Text, Photography & Video: Vanessa Jertschewske
**with special thanks to FKP Scorpio for arranging a photo pass & Sony Music GER for the tickets