I fell in love with the Horrors when they released their brilliant debut ‘Strange Houses’ album in 2007. I must’ve played that sucker to the point of totally and utterly destroying every digital fibre on that disc. Just an amazing album that still gets regular spins today.

What can I tell ya? They are one of my fave bands even if their latest album, ‘Skying’, I just haven’t been able to get into – to the point of freaking hating the thing.

I was fortunate enough to shoot the band in early 2010 and all I mainly remember from that show was the massive race against time to get a photo-pass for the show. If it wasn’t for the band’s manager getting me access, there’s no way I could have shot that gig.

And here we were a couple of years down the track and the quest for a photo-pass for this show was on in earnest from early last week. Realising I had left it pretty late to get access, I wasn’t too keen on my chances of getting a pass. Getting to shoot the band again tonight proved to be a massive game of cat-and-mouse and digital to-and-fro. Again, if it wasn’t for the intervention of the band’s management who seriously have to be some of the best people I have ever had to deal with – there would be no shoot!

Again, it went down to the wire. After being in touch with the promoter who told me they knew nothing about the management granting me access, I resigned myself to the fact that I had missed out. A quick email to the manager fixed things up pronto and with a couple of hours till showtime, I was on the list. Talk about down to the wire!

I really wanted this shoot. I love the band and there is absolutely no better place in Melbourne to shoot than at the gorgeous Forum.

So with all the preliminary administration out-of-the-way – I made my way to the Forum.

The Horrors took to the stage and for most of the early set, played material off the aforementioned ‘Skying’ album. And you know what, live, those songs sounded amazing. The band sounded like a fine-tuned machine ambling with their newly acquired Alternative street-cred to an adoring crowd. I miss the early version of the band. I miss them greatly, but they have evolved into something sublime. They oozed soothing tranquility as they took to a dimly lit stage with ambience and colour.

Photographically I was concerned the over-saturated lighting pointing directly into the photo-pit would cause havoc and I must admit, it was a challenge but I think it allowed for some atmospheric shots tonight so I wasn’t too displeased.

I sat in the photo-pit about 20 minutes before Cavalera Conspiracy were due to hit the stage. I always find this to be a calm time before hell is unleashed. It gives me a chance to get a feel for things, check out the lights and prematurely plan my camera settings. Of course, those plans get thrown out of the window pretty damn quickly but you do need to keep your wits about you because your three song limit comes and goes in the blink of an eye.

Regardless, I always find myself listening to the punters behind me. Some of the shit I have heard blows me away every time. But I sit there. Quietly. Observing. Listening and so often wanting to correct a bit of misinformation my ear has caught.

And the routine of getting the stage ready for the band has almost become a cliché. The drum check. The guitars. The mics. All in regular monotony. Once the roadie flashes his torch to the sound and lighting guys… that’s your cue. It’s showtime.

I now know full well why Cavalera Conspiracy called their last album ‘Blunt Force Trauma’. The minute the band hit the stage and Igor Cavalera’s drums kicked into full throttle, it literally felt like I had been kicked in the guts and pummelled to hell and back. I honestly felt my heart rattle in my rib-cage as the band took it to a whole new level of pure, pounding Metal. Fuck me, they sounded so good!

I caught myself getting totally sucked into the music last night in between taking photos. I was loving every single second of this gig and it is just so damn good seeing Max and Igor in a band together.

Tonight the band blitzed through the first three songs before one could fully settle into the zone. But you do the best you possibly can because you do have an extremely limited time in that pit before being escorted out.

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.

Arriving at the venue a little before showtime, I got my camera ready and went to the front to scope the lighting out and to get some preparation with the opening band. Upon getting ready to shoot, I realised I had dropped my lens hood somewhere in the crowd so I had to backtrack and scurry in the dark looking for the lost hood! Not fun I can assure you. I had resigned myself to thinking I had lost it and just as I was about to give up, I spotted it and all was right in the world again.

With that bit of clumsiness out-of-the-way, the Damned’s crew were making final adjustments to the gear so it was my cue to get into the pit and shoot tonight’s show.

Fortunately, the photographers given the right to shoot the entire show – which is an incredibly rare occurrence these days but one which had all the photogs present in extremely happy spirits.

Tonight I would be shooting with the new lens which I just purchased, the Canon 24-70mm f/2.8. This is a lens I have wanted for such a long time and it certainly would be put through its paces tonight. To be perfectly honest, I was a little disappointed with most of the shots… (this seems like a regular happening of late) as I blew-out a lot of the shots which were extremely vibrant and somewhat overexposed. I couldn’t blame the lighting tonight as I usually do – but I just felt an overwhelming sense that when it comes to live music photography, I’ve still got so much to learn and am still a long way away from where I want to be.

Onto the gig itself, the band were incredibly fun and were genuinely in good form and fine spirits. It was great to be allowed to stick around for the complete set and I left the gig with a smile on my face knowing full well I had just witnessed a great rock n roll show.

And with every passing song, it all reminded me of the years my sis was a teen and that godawful musical racket that would seep from under her bedroom door as she continually played the Damned over and over at all hours of the night…

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!

But I digress and have already gone to the end of this review before I have even had a chance to begin.

Let me compose myself somewhat and shake this ringing in my ears off a little. Ok. Deep breaths. I think I am ready.

You know it is going to be an insane night of pure, unadulterated Thrash Metal when every studded and denim jacketed punter in Melbourne had found their way into the depths of Melbourne’s Hifi Bar. You know it is going to be a raucous, in-your-face eve when there is no designated photo-pit whatsoever so you’re gonna have to do whatever it takes to get your shot without being caught in the whirlwind of a circle-pit that refused to cease and desist!

It was loud and insane and the floorboards were rattling to pounding kick drums and maniacal punters long before headliners Toxic Holocaust had even set foot on that wretched stage.

Openers Kromosom held their own and in their punk-thrash best, set the tone for the classic evening.

By the time Toxic Holocaust took the stage, the crowd was primed and wired and they latched onto every fucking note, screech and blast-beat like sharks feeding on menstruating carcass’. The gnashing of teeth gave way to killer riffs and a relentless barrage of stage divers and a crazy circle pit that threatened to break the seal to the ninth gate of hell! Fuck me! Can we bottle this fucking energy here boys and girls?

The security quickly gave up dealing with the divers and I heard a collective groan when one punter crashed into the back of the bouncer sending him flying 6 feet into the air and then face-down onto the floor. Within seconds he was drowning in a sea of bodies and for a split second or two… I thought we had a serious incident on our hands.

At the end of the gig, I felt so bad for the bouncer who had been pummelled from pillar to post. So I approached him and said “surely there’s a better way to make a living?” I asked him how he was and he laughed it all off. “It’s all part of the job!”, he said.

It really does not get any wilder than this and I came away from the show blown away and eager to see what I had captured with the camera.

Big cheers to Robert MacManus for the pass and to the amazing Anwar for the loan of the lens tonight!

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.

Arriving at the Hifi Bar relatively early I was immediately plagued with thoughts of how much I hate shooting here. You’ve probably read countless of rants here on this blog about my disdain for the place as it is almost always woefully lit so I hoped with all my might that tonight might have been an exception.

After a couple of hours(!) of having one’s head mashed by DJ’s A+D+A+M and then a set by Angelspit – it was now time for Combichrist to take the stage.

As if on cue, the lighting became non-existent. No front lights to speak of and with a maniacal lead singer taking ownership of every part of the stage – it was proving to be so hard to get a decent shot. I was working the camera over-time but shooting tonight with a woeful f/4.0 proved to be a huge, huge mistake. Of course my killer prime f/1.2 was in the other bag. Sometimes, one just does not prepare enough hey? Shoulda been packing my gear instead of looking over YouTube clips methinks!

Industrial/Electronica bands always sound so amazing live. Yes there are a lot of keys and samples and the like, but without fail, live, these bands sound fucking pristine! Combichrist were phenomenally good! Thoroughly enjoyed their performance tonight… I wish I could say the same for the shoot.

Read HEAVY Magazine’s review of the show here which also features one of my photos from the night.

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.

Around the corner from the Hifi Bar I noticed one of the regular local roadies I see at nearly every gig escorting a couple of young-looking dolled up goth/punk girls to the alley behind the venue. It was as if he was leading two victims to the sacrificial pyre of lead Misfit Jerry Only and I overheard him saying to them “Oh Jerry is one of the nicest guys in the biz…” Like lambs to the fucking slaughter!

So I found myself at the venue about 30 minutes before the band were to hit the stage and proceeded to spend a nervous five minutes or so as the door gal couldn’t find my name on the guest-list. Great! Just my luck I thought to myself. It’s gonna pan out to be one of those nights, the tingle in my bones said so from the outset! Fuck it! I wasn’t gonna let negative energy get the better of me. I was here to shoot the Misfits and just that thought soon brought a smile to my face.

The photo-pit was packed to the brim with a bunch of shooters I hadn’t rubbed shoulders with before. A couple of familiar faces who I did have a brief chinwag with, were in attendance and we patiently waited for the show to kick into gear.

The three song limit we had to shoot in came and went in the blink of an eye but mercifully, we were allowed to stick around for one more song. Those first few songs felt like only five minutes had gone by! That’s usually the case with Punk bands. I mean, the Ramones could probably do an entire album in about 10 minutes or so!

The band sounded amazing stomping through some classic Misfits tunes but the majority of the first three songs were incredibly dimly lit and I could hear the frustration and groans from my fellow photogs above the music.

The band kicked things off with a couple of new tunes from the latest album and man, they sounded so much better live. ‘The Devil’s Rain’ grooved along at such bombastic pace even if it was barely lit. You could hardly see the band at all such was the ‘moody’ lighting and it was half-way through the song before you could even attempt to take any photos. Quickly followed by ‘Vivid Red’ – the stage turned a sickly red as every gell in the place was red and red alone. I let out a frustrating *sigh* as I quickly realised there were gonna be a ton of black & white post-processing later on.

It was a tough, tough shoot and of course, as if on cue, the minute we were escorted out of the pit… on came the lights. I looked down onto the stage after I had climbed the stairs to the first level and there before me, the stage was lit and looking fantastic. I felt like punching the wall. Why the fuck can’t it be like this when we’re all down in the front, there to take photos?

A frustrating night. An awesome band. But a photo opportunity wasted.

Can’t say I have ever been to a gig at Melbourne’s Palace that I haven’t enjoyed. Whether there as a punter or a photographer, each and every show has been nothing short of kick ass. Totally! The vibe is always blistering, the lighting is just perfect and more often than not – every band that plays there seems to regularly deliver the goods!

It was a veritable who’s who in the photo pit with plenty of familiar faces tho for some inexplicable reason, there was a dude amongst us shooting the gig in the pit with an iPhone. Ummm, yeah ok dude. ‘Scuse me whilst I try to get a decent shot or two!

I felt a little more like a seasoned veteran of the gig circuit tonight when I saw a couple of rookie ‘togs get a little shell-shocked by the flying slam dancing bodies that came over the barricades! I drew a sly smile as it brought back memories of when I was first in the pit. S’funny how now I just ignore it as one develops a sixth sense for when an onslaught is about to hit. With only three songs to shoot, every second is crucial so who’s gonna let flying Doc Martins ruin a good night hey?

I still get an incredible rush when standing in the pit waiting for the band to hit the stage… the atmosphere in any room those 5 minutes before showtime is something money just cannot buy. The air is purely electrified and you can just feel your heart thumping ever-so-loudly in your chest. The crowd begins their chanting, the lights go black and BOOM its showtime!

Tonight was my first time seeing Finland’s Children Of Bodom and simply put, I thought they were great. They commanded the stage with ease and a sure-fire cock rock attitude. The crowd loved them, I thoroughly enjoyed shooting them and at the end of a long day, I cam away satisfied and delighted to have finally see them.

I first shot the Dropkick Murphys back in 2009. It ranked as one of the first gigs I had ever shot and the photos were pretty much stamped with all sorts of newbieness! So much so, the gig that night was shot with my 450D as I didn’t have the more fanciful gear at my disposal. You do what ya gotta do! Cut your teeth and learn from each and every experience! Well, that’s what I keep telling myself!

I was a rookie. A total newbie – but I have fond memories of that night as it was a predictably crazy gig by both band and the rabid fans the Murphys seem to have accumulated over their career. Having said that, the gear might have improved since that night and a veritable feast of gigs since then has elevated me away from total novice, but I still feel there is along way to go as a photographer.

Tonight’s gig was at the gorgeous Forum Theatre. I always enjoy this venue and it is almost always more enjoyable when you are there with your camera and photo pass slung over your neck.

Opening proceedings tonight were Memphis, TN band Lucero. Looking like your average service station attendants the band married their American Punk cum Texas Country infused stylings and put in a worthy set. I shot them for a few songs and then headed back out to grab a bite to eat at is was nearing 9pm and yours truly found himself in starvation mode.

“This is gonna work out cool!”, I thought to myself, as there was ample time between bands to get oneself nourished and sorted.

The time slowly creeped forward to 9.45 as the intro music kicked in. Boston’s bad boys hit the stage with their usual cheeky punk rock swagger and as if on cue, the bodies came flying over in time to the band’s raucous, kick ass tunes.

I can’t help but smile every time I have seen these guys. They certainly are an incredibly fun band and always deliver the goods. As this was the band’s final show for 2011, there was a sense or urgency in the air. The band commanded the stage with their usual aplomb and energy.

Fanfare for the common man? It’s here! Right here on that stage, this is as blue-collar as it gets and any band that can rock out with the best of them with a banjo, accordion, tin whistle and the like, sure as hell knows its craft.

Superb fun.

I only found out that I was shooting this ‘secret gig’ a few hours before the legendary New York Dolls were to stomp out onto the Cherry Bar stage in Melbourne’s hallowed ACDC Lane. When an opportunity such as this arises, one doesn’t sit back and pontificate if they’re ready… you just say ‘yes’ and get your ass over to the Cherry post-haste!

The New York Dolls are currently in Australia as part of the Buroughs NYC Culture Festival. The Buroughs is a boutique New York City inspired arts and culture festival and no one screams NYC more than the seminal and influential punk rock gods, the New York Dolls.

Arriving at ACDC Lane a little after 9.30, I was escorted to the guest list door where the ritualistic credentials swapping took place. Once inside, I had a mighty task at hand having to navigate through this sardine can. The place was packed. To the fucking rafters! People were hanging from the roof and the ole Cherry Bar was packed with Bohemian Rock Gods, suicidegirls, leather faced punk punters and a veritable feast of Melbourne’s who’s who.

And so the ‘excuse me’ shuffle began in earnest as I tried to make my way to the front of the stage. I’ve had to do this many, many times before but in a venue so small and full to the point of breakage, it proved to be a monumental task. I apologise well in advance if anyone in attendance was left feeling felt up or violated in any way.

I made it to the front and felt blessed to be in a situation such as this, armed with camera and a naive sense of privilege to be able to photograph such an iconic band in such an intimate setting.

And it doesn’t get any more intimate than having David Johansen’s crotch centimetres from your camera lens or when Sylvain Sylvain is torturing his guitar and his aftershave scented sweat is hitting your face like some sort of weird indoor acid rain! Up close and personal? I’ll give you up close and personal right there… in your fucking face!

The band looked amazing and granted, they have lost a member or two throughout the years – this incarnation of the dolls features the blisteringly sublime Earl Slick on guitar, Kenny Aaronson on bass and Jason Sutter on drums. Original Dolls David Johansen and Sylvain Sylvain rounded up the line up and everyone looked to be having a killer time on the Cherry Bar stage last night.

Photographically, I wanted to shoot exclusively with the 50mm tonight but being so close to the action it proved to be a little difficult. I went for the 24-105mm for the first half of the set (yeah, got to shoot the entire band’s set tonight!) and then switched it up a bit in the latter half with the 50mm 1.4.

All in all, just an amazing experience tonight and one I’ll be storing in the memory banks for a while. The New York Fuckn Dolls baby! Wow!

With Rose Tattoo tunes blasting through the PA, and a packed house at the Palace chanting ‘Airbourne! Airbourne! Airbourne!’ long before the band was scheduled to hit the stage… you just knew then and there you were about to witness something special! You can feel it in the pit of your stomach as the rowdy crowd ascends to a blistering fever-pitch and your adrenaline kicks in to overdrive.

You’re there just as the photographer for crying out loud, but one can’t help but to get immersed in the electric vibe and Rock And Roll passion that is dripping from the walls. Within minutes, all thoughts of a shitful week at work had all but evaporated. I was pumped for this one – and so was the enclosed throng as well!

I don’t know why, but I haven’t really taken Airbourne too seriously. Never given them a second-look let alone a listen so it was safe to say, I really didn’t know too much about them.

Having said that, how utterly stupid of me – because when these guys hit the stage with vengeance and rock and roll fury, they quickly won me over in an instant just as they hit the third chord in the set opener. Holy fuck! Pure! Fucking! Rock! Simple as that really.

Standing in the photo-pit, I think I was momentarily stunned and forgot I was there as a photographer there to shoot the show. I was blown away by the energy and witnessing a band that was as tight and as high-energy as I have ever, ever seen or heard.

I’ve lost track of the amount of gigs I’ve been to in the past few years. Hundreds of them but these guys could blow away any band you’d care to put before them. This was probably one of the loudest gigs I have been to and I was enjoying watching them command the stage with power and more moves than Paul Stanley in his prime!

I was drenched in VB and sweat from both the crowd and band onstage and stank of pure rock and roll sweat that seemed to be spraying over me from both directions!

It was a busy photo-pit tonight. Things kicked off nicely when we were allowed to shoot the first four songs. Nice change. I hadn’t shot at the Palace since the Ace Frehley tour and geez it is a great venue to shoot at! The lights were great and it was an absolute pleasure to shoot in favourable conditions for a change.

What can I say? I had a total blast tonight and left the venue with a camera full of pics, the stench of VB all over me and a smile on my face that you could not pry off even if you tried.

Rock And Roll boys and girls! Rock and roll!

Visit the Official Airbourne Site