mogwai @ paradiso, 15 mar 2011

now this was a gig i really wasn't going to take photos at but then again, i was at the front with camera in hand, so why not? and it gave me something to do too whilst i wasn't being blown away by the performance (and the one time i was almost blown over by the wall of sound, was later on when i'd put the camera away).






i've only seen mogwai once before (at oya festival in oslo a few summers ago with dave and ingunn; dave mentions the gig in his report for artrocker in fact) and i seem to remember not being overly thrilled at watching them live (but it was raining at the time, so that might have dampened my memory a bit). although i'd heard lots of good reports of their recent gig in newcastle, so i was kinda looking forward to it.







in the end, i think i was a little bit underwhelmed - was it because i didn't seem to know any of the tunes they played? i dunno. was it cos i was on my own? although that never usually affects my enjoyment of a gig (and i did know someone else who was there, just that i didn't spot daniel during the gig). maybe i was too close to the stage to appreciate the accompanying visuals overhead? i did enjoy one film (whilst getting a creak in my neck) that featured a cyclist, and i liked the soundtrack to go with it. and i did also like two other tracks - both of which had quiet bits then loud bits (ha, not that i'm giving anyone much to go on there if i was trying to work out which ones they were!). anyway, that's enough babbling for now.

a few more shots here

x

blues brother castro + surfer blood

blues brother castro @ melkweg, 11 mar 2011



at the weekend i discovered my new favourite dutch band, quite on the off chance. i wasn't sure about going to the gig but the fact i could check out a band at (the?) melkveg in amsterdam, another new venue for me, swayed it. and the fact it would be the first time i could cycle to a gig now i have been reunited with a new(to me) bike. so off i peddled.

glad i got there to see the support band (which in itself was nice addition, cos most times in the little room upstairs at paradiso - where i've seen most of my amsterdam gigs thus far - you don't get a support band). and now i'm hooked. i need to find out a bit more about blues brother castro - was this their first gig for a while? dunno. i did discover they have a new album out at the start of next month and i hope to check them out again soon, when i hopefully will get some better shots. i like some of the photos in the set, but most of them could have been better* (not that i'm blaming the lights but... ahem... the lights weren't that great...).

[*see earlier comment (in the band of horses blog entry) about not shooting great of late. am i out of practice or am i just adjusting to new venues? i am pretty much used to one venue in recent years...the oh so brilliantly lovely brudenell social club in leeds (my favourite gig venue for many a year), and of course the reason i hung out at the brud so much was down to the fantastic nathan for getting so many brilliant gigs. hmm.. anyway, i digress. but i do wonder which will become my favourite venue in amsterdam, i've not discovered them all yet though, so it's too early to say.]

right, anyway, here are a couple more shots:







full set on flickr here

surfer blood @ melkweg, 11 mar 2011



i think i've tried to see the main band - surfer blood - once before in leeds once but i couldn't get in cos it was too busy. so i'm glad i checked them out this time, but now i've seen them once, i probably won't be seeking them out to see again. not that i didn't enjoy the gig... i actually knew more songs than i thought i would (which after never really listening to them much online, i'm not sure how), and i thought they did a great job. loved the little walkabout in the audience too... but they just sounded a little too much like weezer for me.






full set here 

x

the week of horses and bunnies

band of horses @ paradiso, 23 feb 2011



busy gig week this one. first i got to see a band i have been wanting to see for years. ever since i heard the funeral back in 2006, i've been waiting to see them live. not sure why it took so long - did they never come to leeds? they did play leeds festival the first year i didn't go i think (2007?) and i remember watching them at home on the tv and being utterly disappointed by their performance (and i seem to remember discussing this fact with whiskas at the time). then, on this tour i had read a few reports from other photographers (by nick in particular) who didn't sound so thrilled at their gigs and so i wasn't really expecting much. having secured a photo pass for dis though, i certainly was intrigued to see what they'd be like. and it turned out to be my favourite gig in amsterdam to date!

it was my first gig proper in the big room at paradiso... sold out gig, tall stage, tall punters and other photographers (no pit)... i was a bit apprehensive to start with. but that all dissipated when they came on stage. not sure the photos are that great really (not sure any of mine have been that great recently), but i loved snapping away whilst singing along. and then came the song i had been waiting for, the last one before the encore. and boy what a rendition! (maybe i was swept along with it all too much and it wasn't that great... but the atmosphere was quite something.) didn't think they could top it, although the encore was not to be sniffed at. anyway, some photos from the night.









my band of horses galleries: on flickr, on dis 

suuns + sleep party people @ occii, 25 feb 2011
a couple of nights later, it was the turn of suuns. this gig had been on my agenda since last november when my work pal mentioned it to me and asked me if i wanted to go along. a chance to check out a new venue in amsterdam too (occii). and to use my subbacultcha membership card for the first time. and also my first gig with bunnies. so, lots of firsts!

first up, sleep party people (with the bunnie masks). still don't know why they wear bunnie masks, but they do. and on the way home from the gig, i chatted to the only two people in the audience who were wearing home-made masks. apparently, the girl didn't know the band beforehand but wore the mask because the boy asked her to. cute.





full set on flickr here

and next up was suuns. and it was loud. i didn't mean to take any photos really, but i find it hard not to if i'm near the front. lights were red, and shots aren't up to much, but i thought i'd share a couple anyway... my fave of the set is this one featuring the drummer:







couple more here

x