When you spend as much time shooting gigs as I do, it would be quite easy to start getting bored or just a bit jaded and feeling like ‘I’ve seen it all’. Luckily I still feel just as excited about it all as I did when I first got involved with music photography. Saying that, there’s a small group of bands and artists that are special to me for various reasons and Twenty One Pilots is one of those bands. It’s been lovely to follow their journey from a tiny 250 capacity pub gig in Birmingham where I first saw them live to last night when they played at absolutely rammed Resorts World Arena in Birmingham in front of 15,000 fans.
Parkway Drive @ O2 Apollo Manchester
Parkway Drive put on a cracking performance on their first night in the UK in Manchester last night.
Bloodstock 2018
Another year and another four wonderful days spent with my amazing Bloodstock family.
Home of Metal
2017 is almost over and rather than posting a blog with 'best of' images I decided to write a little post about Home of Metal project. Back in 2011 I was invited to photograph three fans with their extensive collections of Black Sabbath (Chris), Judas Priest (Bill) and Napalm Death (Duncan). All three portraits were later featured in a big Home of Metal exhibition at Birmingham Musem and Art Gallery.
In 2016 I was invited to take part in the second stage of the project photographing Black Sabbath fans in several locations around the UK. We started at Download Festival in June 2016 when Black Sabbath was the final headliner and in January/February 2017 we followed Black Sabbath on their final tour in the UK in Manchester, Glasgow, Leeds, London and Birmingham. The team also attended this years Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards in June in London and backstage we caught up with few musicians who are also fans of Black Sabbath.
More than 2500 fans were photographed in the UK alone and below is just a very small selection of my favourite portraits. The project is still ongoing, several photoshoots have taken place internationally and more are being scheduled in the future.
Golden Gods Awards - June 2017 - London
Download Festival - June 2016 - Donington
Black Sabbath Tour - January 2017 - Manchester
Black Sabbath Tour - January 2017 - Glasgow
Black Sabbath Tour - January 2017 - Leeds
Black Sabbath Tour - January 2017 - London
Black Sabbath Tour - February 2017 - Birmingham
Bloodstock Open Air 2017
It's difficult for me to write anything about Bloodstock and not sound soppy because I absolutely adore everything about it. It's my festival highlight every year and I don't feel more at home anywhere else. I love spending the weekend with my fellow photographers, Cosa Nostra ladies, Showsec team, Vicky, her family and everyone else that works really hard to make Bloodstock such fun and enjoyable experience. And last but by no means least, thanks to each and every music fan I met, spoke to or photographed over the weekend, you all absolutely rock and without you there would be no Bloodstock.
Leeds Festival 2016
My eighth year covering Leeds festival was probably the wettest and muddiest to date but I'm still looking forward to be back next year.
