mikesaid: Live Music

Showing posts with label Live Music. Show all posts

Sunday, August 24, 2014

Wagons - Caravan Music Club

We had plans of taking Theo to his first proper gig, and what better band than the Wagons and what better venue than the child-friendly Caravan Music Club. The poor wee guy fell ill in the week leading up to the show so he decided that he should stay at home, and mum should too...

As with any gig I usually photograph nowdays - I have to like the band, and like the Wagons I do... and the Wagons like me, so it's all working out pretty well. I have shot these guys too many times to recall. Twice on this tour alone. It's great to see a band (who is usually great live) exceed your expectations. I can put it all down to playing a stack of shows between the gig at the HiFi and tonight. They were fantastic, so well played and it was a pleasure to shoot them again.

Photos!

Amazing video made by Si Philantropist

Sunday, August 3, 2014

Beards!

You will be aware that I have had some photos in the latest Beards album. Part of the deal was that I would be able to photograph them with a AAA pass when they play Melboune on their latest tour promoting The Beard Album.

I managed to have a chat with all the guys, and just as I thought - they were all really cool. We spoke about beards, my step-son who loves them and Louie CK - that's a pretty good conversation right there, if you ask me. By the time they took the stage I wasn't able to get ANY good vantage points for photos from the crowd side so I went back / side stage and shot from there. I had initially thought that I had done myself a great disservice because this is a band that you are better off shooting from the front, as they are fucking brilliant showmen. But by the end of the night I had some cracking shots - most of which were taken in the last half of the show - further proof that this three song rule is utter bollocks (I'm not sure if the Beards had this rule on the night).

So yea. I have shot these guys so many time - and written about them just as much. If you have a beard, like beards, or think that one day you might be manly enough to grow one, or think that it's too late for you (it's never too late) but you may be in a position of responsibility and want to do something just and right with that position - or if you are a bearded lady or if you are anything... you should check these guys out - and more importantly, if they ever play in your city - GO SEE THEM!!!!

Photos!

Videos!!!!!

.....

...

I don't think they have made any videos for this album!

SO HERE IS A FULL CONCERT!!!!

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Hi.

Hello, firstly I'd like to apologise to my loyal reader for my absence... it's been a crazy first half of 2014 - I made a planter box and my partner and I had a beautiful baby boy named Theodore - he's awesome. If you follow me on instagram you may have noticed this.

So I am back in the saddle, on the wagon so they say. Speaking of Wagons, (did you see what I did there?) they have released a new album called Acid Rain and Sugar Cane and my photography features throughout it's pages. I didn't shoot the cover this time - that honor went to Kane Hibberd who also shot the band photo you see on the back of the album.

The new album is fantastic, it fits nicely into the music genre 80's Country, well for me anyway. I seem to recall hearing it on my mums record player in 1986 when I was nine, but that can't be true.

They are currently on tour promoting their new album and rolled through Melbourne recently with Jonny Fritz (USA) and fellow Melbournite Fraser A Gorman as support. I arrived early enough to start on the rider before anyone got there and finally got to see backstage at the HiFi (it's basically a wobbly staircase leading to a room with 2 couches, 1 frudge and a table. And a floor). It's been a long while since Wagons played a full band show in Melbourne, as usual it was fantastic - I really enjoy photographing for a band instead for a publication because you usually get AAA access, this provides two things: I get to capture the show documentary style, I can take time with my shots and I also think that a gig gets more interesting to shoot as the night progresses. With the usual 3 song rule that can be imposed on shooters means you end up with 800 photos quickly fired off hoping that you may get 50 or 60 decent ones, and 5 killer shots. Number two - I'm not going to lie, it's nice to feel important.

So time for pics and videos (I still remember the format!)

Photos included in the new Wagons album artwork:

Videos!

Jonny Fritz:

Fraser A Gorman:

Wagons:

Monday, April 29, 2013

fuKING TUFF

Anyone who is anyone knows that I am a fan of King Tuff, his 2nd album 'King Tuff' is so good - you really have to hear it!

This was their first visit to Australia and we were lucky enough to have them play two shows in Melbourne, one was on a boat (!) the other at The Tote and I saw both, but only photographed one...

I drive in from my new home on Mars so missed a couple of bands, but I got there in time to see ScotDrakula who were great - well worth checking out if you get the chance.

King Tuff were great, and the Tote was nice to be in for a change - it had all the same people, they just wern't as fucked up and annoying!

Photos!

VIDEOS!

Monday, March 19, 2012

Charles Motherfucking Bradley

WWWWWHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY. Is. It. So. Hard.

These were the first words I heard from Charles Bradley when I followed a link from a friends' blog (see below for the video). It's not very often that I hear something and love it straight away, but this was one of those times. Five words sung with an honesty that you don't really hear anymore, no surprises that this is his (proper) debut album and reading a little bit of his story there are also no surprises that he has struggled for a very long time. No one could sing those words like that unless it was true.

Anyway, enough gushing about my new man-crush. I arrived at the Corner pumped up on a V and a short black, ready for a fight, or to photograph.

The support band, The Cactus Channel, was awesome. Ten 19 year olds playing funk/soul - it was quite the sight. Dunno why I didn't get any photos - maybe they were so young and I didn't have a Working With Children certificate?

Charles Bradleys Extraordinaries came on to the stage first and played a couple of instrumental numbers to warm everyone up, it was probably good but we just had 50 minutes of it from the support band. Then the man himself appeared - the Eagle of Soul, or Soul Eagle - whatever it was it was fucking awesome. We were treated to just over a hour and a half of real music, with feeling (and not just skinny jeans) by a real performer.

Photos were easy-peasy, it was the editing and culling that was hard.

Shot for the AU review

See 'em on flickr

Now, a feast for your eyeballs:

And now a feast for your earballs:

AND

Saturday, February 25, 2012

PUTA MADRE BROTHERS FTW!

I have seen these guys a few times now (see here from when they supported the Wagons at the Forum, and also here from Cherry Bar) so there isn't much more I can really say that I haven't said already, they are great - an original live band.

They were supported by another Mexican type band called Mesa Cosa. Punky Mexican, very enjoyable.

What a night.

Where were you?

el sucker.

See the whole set here

Photographed for the AU review, see this and other gigs from me here

Now, for some video, this one from Mesa Cosa:

aaaaaand this one from Puta Madre Brothers which you have seen before:

Monday, June 13, 2011

to [ME] or not to [ME]

Tonight is different... I have photographed [ME] before, so that wasn't different. It was on a Sunday night, which is a little different. I have just started photographing for another online mag called the AU Review and this was my first gig for them!

I have seen [ME] at the Espy, twice at The Workers Club and again (not photographing) at The Northcote Social Club. This was their last gig in Melbourne before heading off to the UK to record their album, they were also shooting a music video. We got there in time to hear the 2nd support - wasn't quite into these guys and can't remember the name - all I have to say is that people who cover over logos on guitars or amps (or cameras for that matter) annoy [ME] .... HA!

um. well, [ME] were great as usual, I am old so am naturally scared of change but the new stuff was great to hear.. not really much else to say - we tried really hard to give away 2 extra tickets we had to no avail.. so.. what the fuck people!?

see the whole set here