vis·cer·al adjective /ˈvis(ə)rəl/ intuitive, instinctive, emotional, rather than intellectual: instinctive, not rational, not logical, intuitive
The Damned (photo by John Raptis) The Damned Live @ Billboard, Melbourne, Australia

Phantasmagoria

I have fond memories of the Damned’s heyday back in the day. They were clearly my sister’s fave band at the time and I distinctly remember her room plastered full of posters and pinups of Dave Vanian and crew. I also remember driving her to (the now long gone) Venue in St.Kilda to see the Damned on their first Australian tour many, many years ago. A veritable plethora of nostalgia when it comes to the Damned so that made for high anticipation before tonight’s shoot on the band’s return trip to Australia.

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Toxic Holocaust (photo by John Raptis) Toxic Holocaust Live @ The Hifi Bar, Melbourne, Australia

Conjure And Command

You know, you lose track of the amount of gigs one has photographed over the past few years. You lose track real fast. One gig bleeds into the next and for the most part, you can get a little complacent and find yourself in photographic auto-pilot. But… every so often, a classic falls your way and you’re left on such a high and infected with a restless, sleep interrupting buzz – well into the cool, dark confines of the AM digits on your clock!

Toxic Holocaust fucking blew me away tonight. I’m talking smithereens here! Kaboom!

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Combichrist (photo by John Raptis) Combichrist Live @ The Hifi Bar, Melbourne, Australia

Making Monsters

Honestly, I hadn’t heard too much of Combichrist’s catalogue but what I had heard, I did like. Add to the fact that they were a highly visual act, which would hopefully make for some cool shots, that left me in high anticipatory mode for the show! Oh yeah, I’m easily excitable!

A few days before the gig I prepared somewhat, looking over some YouTube videos of the band just to see exactly where they all stood and what sort of choreography I could expect. As far at YouTube clips go – yeah, they looked totally cool so I got a feel for what I would expect tonight.

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Three Songs No Flash Book by John Raptis Three Songs, No Flash

Third Printing

There are still a limited amount of copies of my book left. Based on my forthcoming photography exhibition, the book features over 50 of my personal favourite live music photos. It is beautifully bound in hardback form, features a dust cover and is of the highest quality possible. I would not be putting my name on it if it wasn’t.

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The Misfits (photo by John Raptis) The Misfits Live @ The Hifi Bar, Melbourne, Australia

The Devil’s Rain

It was with great excitement and anticipation that I got the call up to shoot The Misfits. Whoa dude! The Misfits! The band hasn’t toured these shores for the better part of 5 years and they were always a band whose name I had hastily scribbled onto a natty piece of paper and ceremoniously dumped into the old bucket list of bands I’d love to shoot!

With or without the mighty Evil Elvis Glenn Danzig, the Misfits still are a classic legendary punk band and I for one, was super excited about the opportunity to be in their photo-pit tonight.

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© 2012 Visceral Industry Photography - John Raptis