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The Living Canvas

I was very keen to attend this year’s Rites Of Passage Tattoo Convention as the event is shaping up to be the definitive tattoo expo on the Australian calendar. I was fortunate enough to photograph last year’s event and the organisers where more than forthcoming to allow me to cover this year’s event as well.

Pursuit of Vikings

I’ve extolled the virtues of shooting gigs at Billboard many, many times over but lately, there have been some very poorly lit shows for us photogs. Tonight’s Amon Amarth gig was probably the worst I have seen Billboard lit for many a show. Which is a shame, because for the most part, Billboard is always a pleasure to shoot at.

Deathwish!

I grew up in the era where Melbourne had a diverse, vibrant and thriving local Metal scene. Heck, I was part of it. If I wasn’t writing articles for Melbourne Uni’s ‘Heavy Duty’ magazine, I was part of my own band that I drummed for and regularly gigged with each week. The mecca for all things Metal was the ‘Metal For Melbourne’ record store which humbly began in a tiny little shop pretty much where Federation Square stands now.

Anguish Of Youth

After the plethora of gigs that hit these shores last month due to the Soundwave Festival and all the off-shoots, it was kinda cool to have some downtime between shows. So much so, I didn’t even feel in the mood to go and shoot tonight’s Iced Earth gig.

The Heretic Anthem

I started shooting live music in 2009. You start off small in dimly lit venues with bands no one has ever heard of – or is likely to ever hear of. But you need to learn and refine your skills and you need to push yourself and your camera to the extreme to get a hang of this beast. It isn’t easy but if there is a burning passion and drive, you’ll learn and you will continue to learn with each and every single shoot you do.

Ziltoidia Attaxx!!!

Half way through a crazy week of shooting the cream of the crop when it comes to the Metal genre! Seriously, the Soundwave series of gigs – both the festivals and the ‘Sidewave’ shows manage to bring out some of the finest bands from all over the world! Big Day Out? Forget about it! This is where it’s at and on a Wednesday night you could have taken your pick and seen a slew of gigs at nearly every major venue in Melbourne. You soon come to the realisation that the Metal genre is in an incredibly healthy state right now yet our radio airwaves are polluted with all sorts of mindless dribble and mastobatory schlock designed to sell soap suds!

Blasteroid

I always find shooting multiple acts on a bill to be quite a challenge as by the time the main headliner hits the stage, your energy levels are nearly non-existent and concentration levels begin to wane.

This probably explains why I haven’t dared shoot a festival yet. But soon… soon I will tackle that beast!

Tonight’s bill featured three superb acts as part of the Soundwave Sidewave gigs. Mastodon, Gojira and Kvelertak proved to be a veritable feast of the finest international Metal representing the USA, France and Norway.

Where The Serpents Ever Dwell

Miss & Mr Alternative bills itself as ‘Australia’s Most Exciting Alternative Model Competition’ and this is certainly a title it clearly lives up to.

I was honoured to be asked to be one of the official photographers for the event so I was keenly anticipating the night for a few weeks even if I have had an incredibly busy past few days shooting a slab of gigs. Still, when an opportunity presents itself, one should jump at the chance without a moment’s hesitation!

Little Victories

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.

Blunt Force Trauma

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.

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.

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!