A few years ago, I had the absolute pleasure of witnessing and photographing one of the most unforgettable live acts I’ve ever seen: MarchFourth Marching Band. If you’ve never seen them in person, you’re missing out on something truly special. This isn’t just a band. It’s an explosion of sound, color, movement, and energy that grabs you from the first beat and doesn’t let go.
MarchFourth is hard to pin down in just one genre. Their sound blends funk, rock, jazz, and big band with a wild theatricality that feels like a New Orleans street party collided with a punk circus. Add in acrobatics, stilt-walking performers, and a crew that parades through the audience mid-show, and you’ve got a recipe for something electric and chaotic in the best way possible.
As a photographer, trying to capture that kind of kinetic energy is both a challenge and a dream. Every moment on stage (and off) is alive with movement, blaring horns, pounding drums, swirling dancers, and soaring performers. My camera was in constant motion, chasing the action, trying to freeze-frame the moments that made the room feel like it was levitating.
One of the best parts of the night was when the band left the stage and started weaving through the crowd, still playing, still fully in character. The energy was contagious. People danced, laughed, and followed along like we were part of some spontaneous parade. It’s in those off-stage moments that you truly feel the connection MarchFourth creates with their audience. Everyone becomes part of the show.
I came away from that night with some of my favorite live performance photos and a deep appreciation for what it means to put on a show that’s as much about human connection and joy as it is about music. If you ever get the chance to see MarchFourth live, do it. Trust me, no recording can ever do justice to the magic they create in the moment.
