It was an indie rock dance party at The Underground this past Tuesday evening as Danish rockers New Politics made a stop in Charlotte on their “Lost In Translation Tour.” The trio is out supporting their fourth studio album and brought their unique blend of pop, punk, rock, and dance to the Queen City.
The first time I saw New Politics live was back in 2013 at the local alternative radio station’s summer music festival I was completely unfamiliar with the band. They quickly made a fan out of me with their stellar live performance led by frontman David Boyd and top notch musicianship. I have been following their career ever since. You can always count on New Politics to give it their all and Tuesday night was no exception. As the band took the stage, drummer Louis Vecchio was the first to run out with his kit positioned stage right followed by guitarist Soren Hansen. The venue erupted as vocalist David Boyd made his way to center stage and the band kicked into their opening number “Istanbul.” David is not only a terrific singer but he is an entertainer extraordinaire. He had the audience involved in the show from the very first song as he made his way over the crowd standing on the fans and balancing himself by hanging onto the ceiling joists. From then on, he was in nonstop motion dancing and sliding across the stage as he led the band through a solid set of both newer songs like “CIA” and “Lifeboat” and fan favorites “Girl Crush” and “Berlin.” Known for his breakdancing and headstands, Boyd did not let the smaller stage of The Underground stop him as he flipped, flopped, and did handstands as the crowd cheered him on. Hansen is an outstanding musician and his guitar skills match up with the best of them. He was changing guitars left and right throughout the performance as Vecchio kept a driving beat behind the kit. About halfway through their set, a piano was rolled out onto the stage as Soren Hansen traded his guitar for a spot behind the keyboard. Proving he is also an accomplished vocalist, he gave a poignant performance taking lead on the ballads “Madeline” and “Stardust” which had the crowd swaying side to side and appreciating the beauty of the music. After that, the band was back in party mode with “Berlin” as Boyd even grabbed a fan’s cellphone at one point taking video of his performance for a memory that fan will never forget. The fun wasn’t over yet. After closing with “Harlem,” New Politics returned for a three song encore ending in a roof raising version of their biggest hit “Yeah Yeah Yeah.”
It’s easy to see why New Politics has such a loyal fan base. With electrifying songs that make you want to get up and move and a spectacular stage presence, they truly are one of a kind. Don’t miss your chance to experience all they have to offer when the “Lost In Translation Tour” hits a city near you.
Set List:
Istanbul
Everywhere I Go
Love Is A Drug
15 Dreams
Girl Crush
Lifeboat
Color Green
50 Feet Tall
Dignity
Perfect
CIA
Madeline
Stardust
Berlin
West End Kids
One of Us
Harlem
Encore:
Lifted
Pretend We’re In a Movie
Yeah Yeah Yeah
We would like to thank TM Zach Snyder for the credentials to review the show.
