Rockin' to New Politics at Summerfest

Photo from New Politic's website

Looking at the Summerfest schedule, there's always bands you know and bands you don't know. Yesterday
we attended the show of a band we don't know and, damn, was it fun!

Entering the midgate for our first Summerfest experience of 2013, my wife and I veered left. The first stage that we encountered live music at was the U.S. Cellular Connection Stage. There, the band Tristen was just finishing their last song.

As they played their last note and pleaded fans to come meet them at the "merch" tent, the skies opened up and it poured buckets of rain. We faded back to the beer stand and took cover under a small umbrella and a  tiny overhang.

As we sipped our beer and looked out at the downpour, we spied a hundred or so young fans rush the U.S. Cellular Stage to get a good view for the next band. I fumbled with my phone to find out who the next band was.

"Hmm. New Politics. Never heard of 'em," I thought. "But they sure have a committed group of young fans to stand in the rain like that."

When the rain lightened up, we wandered the over to the new Johnson Controls World Sound Stage. There was nice rain protection at this stage, but frankly, it was crowded and African drum music just wasn't cutting it for me. After a few minutes, I said to my wife, "Let's go find out what's so good about New Politics that would make all those kids wait in the pouring rain."

Once we made it to the furthest bench away from the stage, we sensed it immediately: NEW POLITICS

Kay rocks in the rain
to New Politics

ROCKED! Oh man, they rocked hard. We were old enough to be most of these kids' parents, but that didn't prevent us from moving up one bench at a time to get a better view throughout the next rockin' hour.

We had never heard any of these songs before, but by show's end our voices were hoarse from singalongs and our arms were tired from the waving, clapping and one-armed alligator chomping. This 3-piece band out of Denmark really knows how to put on a show, and within their act, I could sense the influence of so many bands before them: U2, The Cult, Nirvana and rap music in general are all part of their eclectic swirl of rhythm, melody and presence.

When the show was over and we were exchanging our "Wow. Can you believe how good that was?!" commentaries, we encountered a fellow much older than us in a rain poncho. This man, I'd put him in his mid 60s, said to us, "Those kids sure know how to rock!" and we did a fist bump.

That, my friends, is precisely why I love Summerfest.

Check out this song from New Politics. If I understand correctly from the lead singer, it is currently #5 on the Alternative Singles chart. I haven't looked it up to see if it was true or not, but the video sure is cool!