Barber Photography

It is a year ago to the day that I first met up with Hope and Social and I am amazed what we have done in the last 12 months. Barns my fellow 3B Media chum had known the guys proir to this but I was asked if I could help photograph a special gig that H&S were holding at The Crypt at the end of last October. It was suggested that I meet with the band before that gig so on the 12th October last year – which happened to be a slightly damp Monday night I found myself at Oporto to see H&S in action. If anybody has been to Oporto it is not the largest of venues and these guys came with all their gear and 3 piece horn section as well!!.

Not knowing what to expect the guys all got up on stage wearing their now famous blue jackets. ‘Horns and Blue Jackets’ I thought ‘This will be interesting!’ But after 2 songs I was hooked and I had entered the world of H&S. Some say once this happens you never really leave. 2 songs just stood out for me  ‘Sunlight Hold Me’ and ‘In Hope’ both of their ‘Architect of the Church’ album.

After seeing Hope and Social at Oporto it was off to the Crypt on the following Saturday for a really special night. This is the guys hope turf. It is where they recorded the album ‘Architect of the Church’ and has become a very special place for them. So to watch them play the whole album live from start to finish in the place it was created, was amazing. It was also recorded to produce a live album called  Hope and Social  -  ‘ Be the Architect’ What was pretty cool is that they have used some of the images we took on the night in the 80 page hardback book that came in the boxset and the image on the disc itself. Also included in the book were poems prayers and wishes that people were asked to write on the night. It is a beautiful thing.

The audience to get involved with mass kazoo playing

You just have to be there. Apparently they managed to get 1500 people to play Kazoo’s at Glastonbury last year – Check this video out.

Talking of video’s – we managed to record some video that evening and created a video of the track ‘Stuck Like Glue’

Hope and Social – Stuck Like Glue from Phil Barber on Vimeo.

Then over the next couple of months I went to see them play as part of the audience – It became a family thing with a gig at the Adelphi in Leeds one Saturday afternoon when my kids got in on the act.

Kids and Kazoo’s cannot be kept apart.

Then I caught them back at the Crypt for a Christmas gig. This time it was upstairs in the church to raise funds for the roof renovation

So 2010 comes and H&S go back to the Crypt to start recording their second album ‘April’ and 3B Media then get asked to be involved with what has become the almost legendary ‘Come Dine With Us’ . We meet up with the band in mid February whilst they were still recording the album. The idea was to turn the Crypt into a french bistro and invite 70 fans down to a 3 course meal served by the band who would also serenaded the tables between courses and if that was not enough to record the final track on the new album called ‘Eurospin’ . So they said could you document this in someway. Not one to shy away from a challenge we said ‘OK!’ whilst not knowing quite what we had let ourselves in for.

Hope and Social’s album April – check out band camp to listen

Before leaving the Crypt we managed to sneak a few images of the band recording some tracks for the new album.

‘Come Dine WIth Us’ has been very well documented over the last 6 months but I think it sums up what Hope & Social are about and that is a band who don’t just want to write good music ( which they do! ) but they want to give their fans an experience that will stick with them for the rest of their lives. Most bands still just perform a gig you turn up you listen, if you are lucky you might get a bit of recognition from the band and that’s it. H&S gigs are not like that. It is very hard for me to explain what it is like to be involved with a H&S event but if you watch the two videos we made for them I think you will get the idea.They are a great record of what happen that day and night and are well worth spending 10 minutes of your life watching them with a coffee.

Hope & Social • Eurospin from 3B Media on Vimeo.

Hope & Social • Come Dine With Us [Behind-the-scenes] from 3B Media on Vimeo.

Since Come Dine With Us they have had another fab event called ‘Seaside Shannagins’ on the ‘Hope and Social Fun Bus’ unfortunatley none of the 3B Media crew were available for this bit if you check out Simon Wiffen’s Facebook you can see loads of images from the day. It looked a stunning day and another experience that you just wouldn’t get with any other band.

All ready there are plans a foot for the next adventure and can’t wait to see what comes of them – I can say that it has been an experience being involved with Hope and Social world over the last year and some thing I won’t forget.