Par : FrF.Kmeron, 28-12-2009 - 19:13

What a year… I actually officially started concert photography « just » in late March ‘09… so it’s not really a full year.. but well… (I had my 1st photopass at this date actually). Here it’s not that much a « what gigs gave me goose bumps », more « what images i took made me proud of what i’ve learned, experienced, and how i live music on a daily basis ».. watch out, there’s not way too many pics, i’ve always sucked at choosing anyway… but well…

First in January was Arid, and the incredible cover of « life on Mars » and the high pitch note of Jasper while litteraly walking in the soldout AB. Instant goose bumps.

Parts & Labor, the Noise band, a twitter game, won 2 tickets, took some snaps, send them to show my appreciation to the webzine that made the game, and it was the actual beginning of how i did have my passes…

Puppetmastaz.. Got tickets from a friend that actually knows one of the pupetter… and damn, second time i was seeing puppets rapping and slashing each other, but damn fun and good. But so not easy to shoot!

Bloc Party. Didn’t get a ticket, once again an angel sell me a spare ticket (you gotta love Facebook and 2.0 social media web i mean… Come on!), and that was a huge slap in my face. Shouldn’t have been able to take some snaps, get in with my camera without a pass, so shot the whole concert whereas i will have been limited to the first 3 songs with a pass… Happy to  have seen them before their probable split. As they sang « Baby you’ve got to be more discerning, I’ve never known what’s good for me, Baby you’ve got to be more demanding, i will be yours » -Modern Love-

Metronomy, 1st lineup, was a very cool moment, loads of laughter, fun, playing with the lights they had on their chest. Here again, electro can be fun, and put a small venue upside down. Will not be impressed by there more rocky lineup some months later. at all.

This is a nite i litterally won a lot. Wasn’t sure about going or not. In the end, just one of the highlight of my year. Support Act I’ve never heard before.. « Gary Go ». And some weeks later, this same artists that is asking if he can use my pictures, and some months later, will ask if i’m interested to come to another gig, in Manchester, as a support act of take that in front of 60 000 people. Incredible story, blessed to have someone like that having faith in what i’m doing as a pure hobby, and really more than a business exchange. I’m glad i went out there that nite, i’m glad i was able to take snaps, i’m glad someone showed him the pics, i’m glad he contacted me, i’m glad i’m able to speak a little bit of english so that when i’m on the phone, i’m able to say not that silly things. This picture is barely ok, but damn it, make him have other gigs in 2010!

Main act that nite : The script : pretty much the same story, a nice gig, loads of energy (true that i probably love them as well just for being irish), surrounded by screaming teen girlz, but overall very nice anyway, was glad and happy that they invited me to shoot them again in luxembourg some weeks later, and that i litterally crossed them in the hall in manchester backstage of take that, and they did remember me, and got some wise words that probably changed the way i see what i’m now shooting

Discovered another venue, the « witloof  bar » at the botanique of brussels. Cute with the stones and all, but with a loud band like that ouch… went to buy some good ear plugs for the following concerts the next day ahah

The Eagles of Death Metal litteraly rocked my world, 2000 People screaming, shouting, moving, singing, loving having such a blast, pure rock n roll, didnt care anymore about my arthtritis and the daily pain, i just had a bowl of energy filling me up for a long time. This is why i love music, concerts, this venue, and being able to keep those moments on a screen is just priceless. Because after all, we all leave for moments that will be remembered, i’m quite happy this year was filled with so many for me

2 weeks later, scotland, alex, Franz Ferdinand was going to do the exact same effect on me. Incredible moments, from Take Me Out to This Fire, it was intensed, strong, many good pictures came out of it, but just having the such charismatic lead singer just on top of me while he went close to the crowd is worth a thousant words… « this fire is out of control, I’m going to burn this city »

The tiny tiny Kaki King (more or less 1m50) showed me that a guitar can also give you goose bumps, no lyrics, pure notes and instrumental moments. Very nice

Nico Muhly get me back to loving jazz, i was lying on the floor of the mythical AB venue, eyes closed. Happy to be where i was standing, in such a short notice to being a nobody photographicaly wise.

The Whitest Boy Alive was a bowl of energy, a way that i couldn’t imagine, seeing those smiles on stage, seeing those incredible moments where they stop between two songs to give to a guy a letter from her girlfriend that saw them some weeks before in Danemark. Romantic, cute as hell, and artists happy to share such moments ^^

Razorlight was probably the first real Live Nation gig i had a photo pass for, a concert ok, but i do have issues with the god complex johnny seems to have, but picture wise it was fun, and the « all my life, watchin’ america » was worth going, definitely.

Second Sex was pure bad, ugly, deceiving moment of concert. I really lost 7 euros that nite. How the hell did they end up opening for muse.. did someone lost a stupid bet or something? but this shot is worth being seen so well… but overall.. i laughed more than i moved, wich is never good in a gig for me, well, when it’s not supposed to make us laugh anyways.

Miss Kittin & The hacker. My teen years, electro, « life on Mtv » and all. First row in the AB, fun.

Les Cowboys Fringants are a canadian folk band. That soldout two times the AB (2x 2200 people). And it was almost 2h45 of pure energy, smiles, unexpected moments (flying paper planes on a song, them starting 11minutes earlier « we figured out that if we wanted to play more songs, we had to start earlier, so here we are), love is in the air, the violin girl is cute as hell, they’ve got this typical accent when they are speaking french. A band i have to see again live. « Comme des étoiles filantes… »

Peaches was awesome that nite. Crowd surfing, nice stage and all. Didn’t expect a direct contact with her via mail for those shots, but totally worth saying « sure youc an use the pics » when i will be later in the summer on stage. Earning everything, just by being ourselves, some doesn’t like this way of thinking, but i’m pretty ok with that, as long as i’m ok with my shots being used under those conditions. « I don’t wanna loose you » made a lot of sense that nite.

Lily Allen was cute as hell. Also a hell to shoot. Just 2 songs, got to wait outside of the room itself before the 2 songs, then just the time to try to take a snap and thank you good bye. But that allowed me to realise that no, this can’t be my job, i’m here because i love going out to see those artists, the whole gig, and not trying to just take a good (technically speaking) snap, and goind away to work on them, nope. Main idea being that in the photo pit in front, i was the only one moving my ass, singing (or screaming/shouting… up to you…), and that even gave a smile to lady Lily because i’m pretty sure she’s not used to have one of the photographer singing with her the cover of the Kaiser Chiefs. That smile made me think that yup, i’m different in my way to see concert photography. So what. I have a blast. i’m loving it this way. everyone deals with it his own way.

Charlie Winston is an English Man just known in France, some folk english pop songs, a nice smile, and a crowd happy to move as well. fun.

Metronomy, 2nd lineup. Uncool gig, did prefer the 1st time, but happy about this picture, and him preparing is pipe

Daan is a Belgian Singer. Didn’t like the 1st time i saw him @Bruksel live back in summer ‘08, this time on the other hand, more bluesy jazzy soul, cool. And a straight look to the lens, not often, always working as hell tho

Sharko is another Belgian Band, with a charismatic singer, having fun, leaving the gig rushing into the audience until the door at the end of the venue ahah

Lenny Kravitz was a show. First row, some songs where just unbelievable. Fly away and the strobes, american woman, the piano moment. Overall shot with a compact, but glad i’ve seen this showrunner live.

Les Wampas are a french punk band. And the singer is just nuts sometimes, climbing on the speakers, puting a chair in the crowd to be lifted, cool to see people loving having fun that much

Danny from the Script, a smile, happy even if he’s in Luxembourg, a country he probably never thought he would visit. Happy to share this concert with the people i went in. « just like grafton street on a rainy nite, you were vodka and coke i was guinness all nite ».

Phoenix was really a blast, awesome concert, some tracks were just amazing live, and one an artist tells you « thank you, we didn’t know such a small venue could make that much noise ». You just need more. « if i ever feel better… »

Chester French was the end of the year in the venues. American, a nice end to this 08-09 Concerts year you know… Then there will be some festivals…. But we’ll talk about that tomorrow « she loves everybody… »

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