Dark Daze photography blog

Its taken me ages to get these done….too many new shoots, the new studio, meetings etc…but its all good, would hate it too be quiet, its just I’d like to get to bed before 3am one night, and I really think I am going blind from too many hours at the computer.

Just a few shots from Beachdown, I was only really there for two days, and most of what I shot was hampered by over zealous security crew (and whisky). If you have AAA, and VIP bands and a photo pass, and are actually working for the festival itself and still cant get backstage then you know your dealing with some kinda unsolveable issue- this happened far too many times to mention. So no DeLa Soul Backstage shots- lets just hope the other official photographer fared better. Maybe its my obnoxiously ugly face, or whining voice, but I was real friendly and polite, I know waiting in the dark, by a security fence near the backstage area, in the rain, with only a misguided sense of authority and a maglite for company, whilst your hoop earringed girlfriend is smoking all your tabs in your fully modded bodykit fiesta in the staff car park, isnt much fun but jeez dude next time let me in…..please.

and the best part of it is that you finally get through or get to the pit and find that the bands egos have been camping backstage for several festering hours, snorting coke and drinking any free beers, (or any that were left after your mates havent already swiped them with the passes that just wiped clean of permenant marker to allow you to wander thru to steal riders backstage). So then not only do you only get “sorry mate 3 songs, no flash” shouted by the pit managers (who were really efficient and nice tho) but then the manic singer with dust induced camera paranoia moves right to the front edge of the stage, so he is in front of any stagelighting that might posssibly give you a good shot and then stays there. When the pit clears, 3 songs later he roars, rips of his shirt, brings on dancing girls and then stage lights glow brighter than a midlands hydroponics basement…. and a thousand camera phones get a far better shot than you just jostled for….

(see i told you i wasnt getting much sleep)….. But having said that I had a blast, apart from the rain, and the site was dope, and it was good to see Brighton bands not only get decent billing but also to get paid…. and it was incredibly clean, even the toilets…. so I kinda cant wait till next year, when I’ll make sure I have my own tent and my own bottle of whiskey, so that when my mate disappears hollering into the crowd, I have something left to swig….

well done Beachdown, it was shweet….

anyways some pics…..

Jose Gonzalez

Nouvelle Vague

GoGo Bordello

Alabama3

Reverend and the Makers

Terry Callier

Doll and The Kicks

Magic Numbers

Kitty Daisy and Lewis

Gloria Cycles

Reckless Sons

Magic Numbers

Gloria Cycles (aces its Kenny Magic)

Infadels

Drookit Dogs Crowd

The Splendour

Horace Andy brass

ubiquitous Staring at the Lights photo circa ‘96

Jailbait (played to about ten people, closing the Brighton stage on Monday night- but gave a hell of a show, and were a real highlight.

Posted on Tuesday, September 2nd, 2008 at 7:24 am in General opinionated rants that I will later regret..