Municipal Waste is gonna f**k you up

Look at him dance :D

Whoooooooooooooooo!

Check out the singer's face

And then a dude in a suit turned up and went nuts!

Feeding the masses (with beer that is, who needs food anyway)

What a crazy gig!! Best show i've ever been to! Wasn't there to take pics of the gig but had my camera anyway. Absolute insanity, dudes walking on ceilings upside down, circle pits, a guy in a suit moshing like there's no tomorrow, just nuts! And all of this in Fibbers. Municipal Waste really did F**k you up at this gig. I lost half the pics I took of the gig which sucks cuz I had some really funny ones of the crowd, don't know where they went to on my hard-drive.

All taken with the 350D and Sigma flash bouncing off the ceiling. The place was so heaving and sweaty my lens kept fogging up and the camera was soaked by the end of it, i'm amazed it's still working now!

Wish I had been at the front for it but the camera and me would have got destroyed and covered in beer and God knows what else. The gig gave me a taste of what it must have been like going to an early Metallica or Slayer gig in the early 80's. There was such an energy and a buzz it was just brilliant!

Apocalyptic Masterpiece

The headlining band the night of the Thrust gig was Apocalyptic Masterpiece, a Black/Death Metal band from Ireland. They certainly looked the part with corpse paint and they also played the part with a very good set. Nik from Thrust introduced me to some of the members before their set and they asked me if I wouldn't mind taking a few pics of them too. I was going to be doing this anyway so it was no bother at all at all. By the time they took to the stage I had intaken a number of beverages so i'm amazed I managed to get any decent shots at all :D

The lads were really happy with the shots, so happy in fact they want me to do a shoot with them, which like the Thrust one, i'm really looking forward to, especially as it'll probably be in a cool abandoned building or similiar location, which I love taking pictures of. So add a black metal band to that already cool subject matter and fun times are they to be had. I've bought a nice Interfit umbrella to use with my flash and I can't wait to use it for shoots.

These guys are a great band and I hope to see them do well in the future and if I can help in any way by taking a few pictures i'm more than happy to.

THRUSTing in your general direction.

Thrust are an up and coming Hard Rock band from Dublin. I could try and explain what they're all about but i'll let their official myspace summary do the talking

Thrüst - All You'll Ever Need

Brainchild of Guitarist A.D. Jetz and Bassist Davii Lixx, Thrüst was born on a night of lightning, whiskey and sex. Songs were written and as soon as legendary vocalist Tommy "Motherfucker" Rockit heard them, he came violently and was on board instantly.

Guitarist Lance D'Amour and Drummer Randy Beetz showed up one day covered and blood and reeking of rum and Chanel No.5 and we knew we had our men!

Now with a full line up we are confident we'll be out there pinning you fuckers to the back wall and taking your little sister home very soon!

And if you're a Scientologist, fuck right off!

Now you know what they're all about, on with the show. This was their first ever gig (awww bless) and it took place where else, but Fibbers. I'm good mates with the band and i've followed their progress from early beginnings to where they are now. Debauchery is used a lot in the music industry and it's a word that fits just right with these guys.

The gig went really well and was warmly received by the crowd, and rightly so as they played really well and sounded toight, toight like a toiger. They were rewared for their efforts by being put on the bill for the Wrecking Ball Tour. Hopefully i'll be able to make it to a few of the shows on the tour as I think these lads are going to do really well.

I used my backup 350D, as my first choice 40D is STILL in Camera Care waiting for a part. Getting really quite annoyed about that now but not to worry. The little 350D performed quite well and although high iso noise means needing to stick with ISO 800 max, the shots came out pretty good. I used my shiny new Sigma 30mm F1.4 for the whole gig, it's a great little lens, although on the 350D it looks huge.

I commited a terrible sin by using flash but it's Fibbers and there's little other option really (Sorry Dave). The red gel is just horrible and the other lights are hardly there so flash is a must. It worked out alright though and i'm happy with the shots. It's always nice to see your pics being used by the bands so I was delighted to see my shots being used by the guys for their various profile pics and for the band's page itself.

Hoping to do a photoshoot with the lads which i'm really looking forward to

The Knights of Leon 16th March 2009 PSLC

I know what you're saying, "That's not the Kings of Leon!!" And yes, you're right, it isn't. It's the Knights of Leon, a fine tribute band from South Africa/Portmarnock. The Portmarnock part is the lead singer, James Smith who nails Caleb Followhill's voice perfectly. The other members of the band which consists of Danny Van Rensburg on guitar, Eugne Theron on bass and Marius Appelgryn on drums are very competent musicians, and together they really do the Kings of Leon justice. If you closed your eyes you'd think it was the real thing, they're that good.

The venue for this show was the Portmarnock Sports and Leisure Centre. I was a little apprehensive heading up as I remember The Martello Room being very dark when I was there for a local boxing event. But I needn't have worried as the band had brought in their own lights. And what great lights they were, the brightness was better than many dedicated music venues in town and meant I could happily shoot at F2.8.

The drummer and bassist proved hardest to shoot as both were in relatively dim areas, especially the drummer who was only lit by the leftovers of the stage lights. The bassist's side of the stage was also a little dim and he kept moving fairly quickly and so freezing him proved difficult. I had my flash with me but as I was the only photographer and the lights were fairly static, I felt it would have been too much of a distraction.

The show was similiar to Summerfest as far as freedom of movement goes, and I could sit down between bouts of shooting to have a nice cold beer. Towards the end of the set people started getting up and dancing, and I didn't want to be getting in their way so I called it a night and sat back down with my friends and reviewed the shots. I got to show the lads some of the pics after the gig and they were very happy with them.

Hopefully the Leisure Centre will host more gigs in the future, and have the same lighting as it was one of, if the not the best lit gigs i've ever shot. Except for those in the day, but nobody's going to beat the ole Sun when it comes to illumination are they?

Summerfest 2008: White Sands Hotel Portmarnock

I first heard about Summerfest when an old school friend handed me a flyer in Tamangoes (The nightclub adjacent to the hotel). He knew I was a photographer and asked if i'd take a few pictures of the event. He was studying event management and this was his first big show.

The stage was just like the ones you'd see at a political rally outside the Dail or when a triumphant sports team returns home. It was inside a truck. Now that sounds very bodge job but it was more than adequate and made for a perfect stage with room for equipment and also connections for hooking up generators and lights.

Summerfest was a free outdoor concert that took place in the car park of the White Sands Hotel in Portmarnock over the course of the August Bank Holiday weekend. It was a fantastic little concert and an absolute pleasure to photograph. There was a big marquee set up in front of the stage with tables and chairs so people could shelter when it rained. I could also keep shooting with a telephoto in inclement weather which thankfully was rare. When the sun came out it was really relaxing especially as loads of my friends and local people turned up to watch. Sitting in the sunshine having a beer and shooting a gig is a damn good feeling.

As for the bands playing the organisers really did a great job of getting local talent out to play. Perhaps the most well known band would be The Kinetiks and they headlined the show on the Saturday evening. As you know they're now doing really well for themselves having played Oxygen and received rave reviews from the music media.

The headline band for the finale on Sunday was Day Jantus, a little known band who started out playing gigs in the Canaries before returning home to Ireland. They played a brilliant set that really got the crowd going and were the perfect choice to bring the festivities to an end.

Shooting the gig couldn't have been easier, no barriers, no security, no passes needed. So I could shoot from wherever I wanted, even inside the truck to the side of the stage. During the day I was able to use my standard lens, the not so great 18-55mm kit lens. It still did a good job but as the light faded I had to switch to the nifty fifty 1.8 to keep the shutter speeds up. I didn't have my flash at the time and seeing as there were no ceilings to bounce off, I probably wouldn't have used it anyway. The organiser was really happy with the shots and all in all it was a very enjoyable experience. I really hope they do it again this year.

Two Tales of Woe Album Launch

"So what did you do Valentine's Day?" "Oh, I went to a metal gig with my girlfriend". Not the usual response you'd expect but that's what I did. Well we did go for a nice meal first so the romance bit did happen don't worry.

Two Tales of Woe, easily my favourite Irish metal band were in Fibber Magees on Valentine's Day to launch their new album "A Conversation with Death". I've shot them before and seen them a handful of times so I made plans to shoot them again for their launch. My 40D was back in hospital, hopefully getting fixed at last!! So I had to bring out his little brother, the 350D. I decided to use my new Sigma 30mm F1.4. Cue groans from all the pros with their fancy L lenses. But it's actually a fantastic lens and surprisingly sharp wide open.

Anyway on with the show.

Fibbers Magees or Fibbers or even Fibs if you want to shorten it even further is Dublin's main metal bar/club and i've been a regular for a good six or seven years now, it's my most visited location after my house and my workplace. Two Tales of Woe are regulars too having played there many times before. It was in Fibbers I first saw them myself and I was an instant fan.

After the Lamb of God gig it was a pleasant surprise to be greeted at the door by the band, handing out promotional flyers for said launch. Lar Bowler (Guitarist) asked me if I was coming along to take a few pics, and after a supportive nod from the missus I heartily accepted.

The gig itself went really well with great support from Dyslucsic and Devil Makes Three getting the crowd in the party spirit. I picked up both the album and a lovely T-shirt before the show and put them away safely (Not like after Judas Priest where I lost a t-shirt 2 minutes after buying it).

Fibbers unfortunately is not like the Academy or the 02, that is to say the lighting is a little....basic. There's some nice green and yellow gels but there's also the dreaded and cursed red gel, the bane of a music photographer's life. I wasn't going to pull out the flashgun but then I saw everyone else was snapping away with their pop-up flashes, so I decided I could bounce mine off the ceiling to brighten things up a bit. And it worked a treat, the extra little blip of light helped freeze the band nicely and capture them in all their detail (Whether that's glorious or not i'll let you decide).

I usually fly through my memory cards at gigs but I managed to use just the one 2GB card and still got plenty of usable shots. As I said the flash really helped brighten up the gloomy and dark interior, and although i'm totally against using flash at gigs, it was a necessary evil. I've seen quite a few shots in the larger publications recently with blatant flash use, in well lit arenas. It seems to be "trendy" at the moment and if done right, can provide great results. I think it's distracting for the band and I'm gonna stick with my available light purist philosophy unless it's absolutely necessary.

So another fun gig in Fibbers, and hopefully Two Tales of Woe are on the road to making it big. They're a really great band and a lovely bunch of lads and I wish them all the best in the future.

Lamb of God

p

My first "proper" show dropped me in right at the deep end, Lamb of God. One of the great modern metal bands played Dublin's Academy venue on Monday, 9th February 2009. I've shot gigs before but this was the big one, a large venue, security, photo passes, and a very pumped up crowd. When I made the phone call to get the photo pass I was nervous as hell, and when I got it, I couldn't stop smiling for hours. Everyone in work was asking why I was so cheery that day.

Monday night quickly came around and my nerves weren't going away. Add to this my main camera was still giving me hassle, weeks after sending it in for repair. The shutter was lagging, i.e. you'd press it and nothing.....and then suddenly "click". Not very useful when you're hoping to capture that moment that's over in the blink of an eye. So i gaffer taped my remote shutter release to the side of the camera. Sure it was awkard and in the way, but it worked.

Going to gigs is great, the buzz, the atmosphere, the music. But going there to do a job is a different experience. As I walked into the pit at the front of stage, the feeling of forboding grew. I seemed to be in the way of the roadies no matter where I stood. People in the crowd prodded my camera, security men stared.

Before I knew it, the lights dimmed, the crowd screamed in anticipation. And on came Lamb of God, bursting straight into their set with Hourglass. I started shooting, the music became a blur and the sound of the pulsing crowd behind me dimmed to a distant drone. I snapped of a few frames and checked how they were. Rubbish is the only way to describe those first few frames.

After what seemed like only a few seconds, we were being ushered out of the pit at the front of stage. People were starting to crowd surf and push forward, so security thought it wise to evacuate us photographers. Sure it was annoying but it was for our own safety and I respect that. I stood at the side and took a few more shots, slightly better this time.

Everything happens so quickly at a live event, you really have to have your wits about you, and be completely comfortable with your gear and settings. So you shoot a few frames, check the results and adjust if needs be. After a while you'll lock down a good setting and then you're free to shoot away and focus on getting good angles and poses, rather than worrying about shutter speeds and apertures.

I had a pass for the balcony so I decided to head up there to get some more shots, the throng of bodies made it too difficult and dangerous to continue shooting near the stage. It was at this point I realised I really need to save up for a 70-200 mm F2.8. My longest lens was a 50mm which is about 80mm on my Canon 40D. Long but not long enough for frame filling shots. So I took a few wider shots of the stage and then moved round to focus on individual action and band members.

Towards the end of the set I noticed a raised platform to the left of stage, and this was probably the best place to shoot from with my limited focal length. I kept shooting for a few more songs and then put the camera away so I could enjoy the last two or three songs of the evening.

I remember thinking throughout the show that Lamb of God sounded great and had the audience's complete attention and adoration. They really pulled out all the stops and are a fantastic live band. I saw them a few years ago when they supported Slayer in The Point Depot as it was then known, and they were great then too. The relatively small size of The Academy made for a more intimate show though as larger venues I find don't give the band the same connection with the crowd.

Overall I was fairly pleased with my photos, of course there's plenty of room for improvement, but for my first proper event I feel it went pretty well. Now I gotta go sell a Kidney so I can get that 70-200.