Tag Archives: Gig

Jan 12 2012
Leave a comment
Gig Photography

“Oh, take me to your best friend’s house.. Marmalade we’re making out.. Oh yeah! Take me to your best friend’s house.. I loved you then and I love you now”

GROUPLOVE have ruined me. For the rest of the year I am going to find it very, very hard to find another band that has rocked my socks off as much as they did last Wednesday at The Gov. They are so great that even my severely mainstream younger brother who has the likes of LMFAO on his Ipod and never goes to any gig with less than 2000 people in the audience was head banging, jumping, screaming and singing at the top of his lungs. It. Was. Awesome. I will look back fondly on this day, as a great moment of brotherly-sister bonding and a moment unlike no other. Kind-of like when I took him clubbing illegally for the first time at the tender age of 17, it was a friends 21st and we were all going out after and I wanted him to come. With his poorly styled haircut, baby face and no facial hair it was not going to be easy but one borrowed American street-cap later, club promoters & MC’s as friends and a large group of over 21′s with expired licenses and no ID’s, destiny met fate and he was in, hands in the air, to the window to the wall and booty, booty, booty, booty rocking everywhere. That was the last great memory (before last week) of being with my brother, both of us letting loose, having a great time and most importantly opening his eyes to a new exciting world. This time the world was the; seeing-a-band-before-they-hit-complete-mainstream, in a fantastic intimate setting, the smell of sweat, moshing, both the audience and the band feeding off each others energy and transcending spiritually, mentally and musically…

The Head and the Heart kicked off the night…

…GROUPLOVE came on the stage like a boxer to a ring to the sound of Kanye & Jay-Z’s ‘Monster’..

…A flurry of golden hair, fluffy cardigans, ripped blazer and inside out black flag tee, flaming hair, pearly whites, florals, crowd surfing, fairy lights, glowing drumsticks, wolf howling, screaming, singing, dancing, jumping and a mind-blowing performance. I came away even more in love with the band then before, I now know what it is like to be a cliché groupie/bandaid/fan of the 60′s and 70′s if I had the holiday time from work I would have definitely travelled round Australia going to every gig of this ‘Never Trust A Happy Song’ tour. Like I said I’m ruined now, it’s going to be very, very hard to beat for the rest of the year. =D

Tagged , , , , , , ,
Dec 21 2011
Leave a comment
Social

“Then I look at you, and the world’s alriggghhht with me. Just one look at you.. and I know it’s gonna be.. a lovely daaayyyy”

A collection of moments throughout the weeks.. including; driving home past Belair National Park and thinking my area was in flames as I got further up the hill the sunny day was replaced with thick smoke. When I got a suburb away they had a teeny tiny sign on the side of the road explaining it was a burn-off. Even though it doesn’t look it in the pictures you couldn’t see more than 50 metres in front, it was quite beautiful even if I did smell like a  barbecue when I got home…

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Someone thinks highly of themselves…

…. These next pictures are from this guy who just randomly plays the guitar in Rundle Mall, he just jams and sometimes plays recognised songs who sporadically shouted out ‘Peace!’, ‘Love!’, ‘Unity’.. he wasn’t asking for money, you could take a CD, leave cash if you want to or not but what caught my eye was this amazing ‘Local Revolution’ book that I looked through and was filled with messages of love, peace, proverbs, sayings, quotes in English and in other languages.. It was awesome… bummer that I only had my mobile on me…

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Of course I had to write something.. my all-time favourite quote I wrote on the left with blue pen by Marianne Williamson (No not Nelson Mandela like that movie Coach Carter bloopered) “What is our greatest fear? Our greatest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure…” There’s more to it but I was late for the bus and had to run….

A day at the beach…

Foo Fighters at the Adelaide Oval…

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Funny enough the first thing I noticed wasn’t the tree sprouting out the top.. my first comment was ‘Surely they would be pulled over with the windows painted over like that’… in my defense I approached it from the back, there are similar trees aligning the street and I didn’t see the front window had been painted also

Tagged , , , , , , ,
Nov 30 2011
Leave a comment
Gig Photography

“Just like the white winged dove, sings a song, sounds like she’s singing.. woo woo woooooo”

There’s nothing more embarrassing then going to a gig saying “I’m on the guest list” and them not finding your name. Let alone at a big venue like the Entertainment centre and the gig in question is the Stevie Nick’s concert. I never like to get my hopes up especially when someone like Dave Stewart says casually during an interview that he’ll put my name on the guest list you kind-of take it with a pinch of salt but with two follow-up phone calls from his PR people double checking how to spell my name I guessed it was a sure thing. Then comes the night in question and I’ve invited my mum along because she deserves a night out and because she’ll appreciate it the most (plus I’ve given her hell for most of my teenage years and god knows I owe her). So there we are “sorry you’ll have to come back later maybe they’ll be here in half an hour”.. cue concerned look on my face and the walk of shame back to the pub for half an hour. But his PR team just have poor time management because on my return a white envelope with my name written on the front was handed to me.. I slipped my finger into the little crevice and sliced it open revealing my golden ticket!! Actually it was two yellow venue tickets and two purple GUEST PASSES BACKSTAGE! Yes it was amazing.. like Charlie Bucket on his way to see Willy Wonka but I wasn’t as humble, grinning like a Cheshire cat and telling myself to calm down wondering if I was going to have a groupie moment when the time came…

She was amazing all blood-red suede and sequined scarves, platform boots, voice breathtakingly incredible I was completely blown away.. fantastic, inspiring, strong, ethereal, wicked, humble, story-teller.. ..

.. .. the last song (before the encore) was my personal favourite ‘Edge of Seventeen’ Stevie disappeared out the back for a while and guitarist Waddy Wachtel had an extended guitar solo and intro that was spine-tingling. AMAZING and boy was I excited to meet her and Dave.. I had everything planned out all I wanted was a handshake and to take a photo with them both mimicking the hear the evil, see no evil, speak no evil pose.. .. because how cool would that be and a lot more fun for them than your average fan photo..

So waited around with a few other people who were chatting to Dave’s main back-up singer Amy (lady in the fro who has an amazing voice filling in for Annie Lennox’s parts) and by the way she is really nice.. and then I hear “Is anybody here to see Dave Stewart?” and I spin around and see the PR girl and some guy and I come over to them all excited with saved battery life on my camera awaiting this amazing moment to have her say.. .. “oh I’m sorry they’ve packed up, they didn’t set up a green room here so there was no space, I’m so sorry” with this pitying smile on her face and the tone of someone who obviously doesn’t realise how much this opportunity meant to me, who see’s these people everyday and doesn’t realise the impact this has on normal people like me. Then comes the final blow… “You should’ve come before the show“.. you know that information would have been a lot more useful to me yesterday when she called me personally to double-check the spelling of my name.. just thrown in a “by the way come before the gig Dave will be able to spare you a few minutes before the show”.. =(  Just a HEADS UP! I didn’t need red carpet treatment and I’ve never heard of people seeing stars before their show, never had this happen before with a big star so I’m not at all down with the protocol so SHE SHOULD”VE TOLD ME.. least to say I was pretty upset during that cold walk to the car. Not everyday that you get backstage passes to see Stevie & Dave.. .. would’ve like a photo with Dave it was such a good interview I imagine it would of looked something like this..

Hey not bad for fifteen minutes with Photoshop.. but anyway I was happy enough after the initial shock I got a great interview and a free gig that was amazing BUT BUT BUT.. got a message from my editor telling me to look on Dave’s twitter.. ..

A shout out to moi.. that’s consolation prize enough =D

P.S. Miss PR lady I’m still waiting for the new Stevie Nicks album you promised me if you want to throw in a signed picture of Stevie with Dave.. you’d make my year =P

Tagged , , , , , ,
Nov 25 2011
Leave a comment
Gig Photography

“Well I was born an original sinner, I was born from original sin and if I had a dollar bill… for all the things I’ve done, there’d be a mountain of money, piled up to my chin…”

Neglected much?? Well a lesser man would be in bed right now instead of Photoshop-ing 3 week old photos but man, what an awesome week. Monday I cut my hour lunch break to two half hours so I could interview Grouplove & Dave Stewart, Tuesday busy with the lover, Wednesday went to see Dave Stewart & Stevie Nicks perform courtesy of being on Dave’s guestlist with a couple of backstage passes, last night was a night out with the Sass girls and tonight I’m buggered and updating my blog.. =D

So the story behind these late pictures.. I interviewed bassist Glenn Esmond from band The Butterfly Effect and it was a really good chat. So good I offered to take him out when they came down and he offered to put me and a plus one on the guestlist to their Adelaide gig… so the time came and I went to see them perform. They were awesome.. the crowd very intense they have a really dedicated fan-base which is pretty obvious considering they were celebrating their tenth birthday together and they gave back a lot of love. Didn’t get to see much considering two giants were in front of me but on my tippy-toes I caught glimpses of the madness…

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

My photographs did not come out well at all, balance was off the giants in front where permanently waving their Iphones in front of my view… but here’s lemonade

So after the gig waited for the boys to finishing shaking hands with people and signing merch, which is totally cool that they took the time to do that. Introduced myself to Glenn and we arranged to meet up at Zhivago’s later after they had freshened up.. no this isn’t turning into a groupie tale, the lover was with me as my plus one.. Was pretty cool meeting up with some more friends and then Glenn came by himself and had a few drinks, had tequila shots together but he left pretty early.. early flight the next day he said. Nice of him to come out for a drink after the gig by himself not many musicians would do that when it was obviously just to be nice.. =P

Have to admit was a little awkward our little threesome; Glenn, the Lover and me.. the Lover said he (Glenn) probably didn’t expect me to have a boyfriend.. flattering thought, typical boyfriend comment but I’m not convinced. Next post I’ll update on Dave Stewart, my backstage dramas and the biggest let down of my life =(

Tagged , , ,
Nov 06 2011
Leave a comment
Gig Photography

“Well if you don’t like it Go ahead, find yourself a saint go ahead now, Try to find a boy who’s gonna be what I ain’t”

Went to review The New York Dolls and it was the best gig I have been to in a long time… not very packed but loved it for that! Like your own intimate gig with one if the greats of the pre-punk-post-glam rock legends. Was in awe and very star-struck for the first time in my life, to be in the presence of Earl Slick who’s played with Bowie was just awesome…

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

David was über cool yet super funny he had a note stand set up with all the lyrics to the songs in case he forgot them and while a few of the guys had water and alcohol he was drinking tea.. which he spilled over the speakers and laughed =D

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

A little sad when the most rebellious thing you can do these days is smoke on-stage but awesome that they’re still sticking it to the man in their sixties…

Was Amazing.. Earl Slick winked at me and Sylvain Sylvain shoved his guitar in my face, handed me his pick and motioned me to play.. which I did frantically with my inferior left hand.. too cool

Tagged , , , , ,
Oct 20 2011
Leave a comment
Gig Photography

“….And there’d be sand in your pockets and nothing on your mind”

Had my first gig review a couple of weeks ago and it was the pretty cool Josh Pyke with The Paper kites and Emma Louise… Here’s my happy snaps!!

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Rock n Roll style; awesome boots with skinny jeans..

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Emma Louise – second support act, beautiful voice and really tried to connect with the audience telling them meanings behind her songs before she sung them even though nobody really knew who she was. A big cheer came up though when she sung ‘Jungle’.. if you’re a triple J listener like probably 4/5′s of the audience you’d of heard it..

… the only song anyone knew of hers but she’s brilliant

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

This girls backup vocals and harmonies were amazing, very, very talented she had such a seventies look about her and I had to shoot her black and white with that simple black dress with arms full of bracelets and she played barefoot the whole time…

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Great accessories.. love that knotted bracelet and those bronze and metal rings

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Awesome moment when he invited the crowd to come up and sing one of his first major songs ‘middle of the hill’ and it was a great scene as you can see everybody singing along in harmony the girls and guys in the back there with their eyes closed really getting into the song. But then that guy at the front the Led Zeppelin shirt was funny trying to share the microphone, clicking his fingers with Josh Pyke and getting most of the words wrong.. absolute hilarity…

Great show… felt like a nerd there alone with my notepad, scribbling notes in the flashing lights, juggling my camera at the same time.. still do it all again!!

My Mix CD

  • Middle of the Hill – Josh Pyke
  • Featherstone – The Paper Kites
  • Bloom – The Paper Kites
  • Summer – Josh Pyke
  • Hits me like a rock – CSS
  • Awkward – San Cisco
  • Got it all (this can’t be living now) – Portugal. The Man
  • Mr Polite – The Jungle Giants
  • Girls – Deep Sea Arcade
  • Like Water – Ladi6 – you have to listen to this
Tagged , , , , , , , , ,
Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 32 other followers