I had a phenomenal time out at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts yesterday evening. Summer is the off-season for the venue in regard to theater shows and ballet. However, it is currently running an exciting series called “Kauffman Center Presents” in which it brings in musical artists for a variety of shows. Last night, the influential ‘80s British new wave band Culture Club performed live in the second concert of the series, and I was fortunate to be granted with a media pass to shoot photos for my website, Live80sKC.com.
Such a friendly crew there, everyone from marketing to the events staff is so kind and welcoming. Combined with the intimate atmosphere, it really set a show at this venue apart from any other. With a nostalgic act like Culture Club too, the ambiance was simply impeccable. It is certainly an evening I wish that I could relive. The band is currently in the midst of a world tour with all of the original members for the first time in 14 years. So, to say that this was an absolutely rare opportunity is an understatement. The group sure delivered as well, seeming so youthful and energetic. All of the big hits were played plus songs from its upcoming album. You can check out my review here.
Shooting the Culture Club show was a blast. One thing about these bigger concerts though, there is generally a 3-song rule allowing media to only shoot the first few songs. This was the case for this particular one, so I definitely had to work quickly. I always shoot in continuous mode anyhow, and that certainly helped in regard to walking away with a greater amount solid images.
Also, sometimes there is an ability to shoot from the pit and others from the soundboard. I like to be knee deep in the hoopla, of course, especially because I like pretty tight shots. However, for this show, we were stationed inside of a media room a bit farther back behind upper orchestra. Luckily, I just picked up that brand new zoom lens this week though, which gave me approximately 20–25 extra feet and bit more light. I had to shoot all the out the entire time and still did not get quite enough distance, but it sure helped tremendously.
The night was also a great opportunity to meet and learn from some amazing people, all of whom possess incredible talents in areas that I hope to follow. I met a freelance marketing professional who is currently helping at Kauffman plus a career photographer from The Kansas City Star and the owner of I Heart Local Music in Lawrence were both covering the show as well. I am so blessed and grateful for that opportunity and hope to cross paths with all them again in the future.