2013, MY PHOTO BLOG.

Last year I did a small photo project for Rhubarb Bomb.  The idea was to assemble my favourite photos of 2012 and briefly say why.  So in 2013 I thought I'd follow that up with my own blog, favourite photos of my favourite events that I have photographed.  Here goes then.

 I don't take photos because I like photography, although I do.  I can't simply go for a walk with a camera with some vague idea of maybe taking pretty postcardy shots. I like a clearly defined reason for doing it.  Landscape photos, snow scenes, sunsets, photos of the Eifel Tower.  Not for me, sorry.  What  interests me is humanity at it's best, it's most intelligent and it's most creative.  The challenge of trying to portray a bit of  that in a photograph is what I get off on.  I guess the place I have always found humanity at it's very best is in those that can create new music.  That's what I try to capture in the pictures I make.  I hope some of what I do achieves that.

 This is Jason from Allusondrugs.  16th Feb they were supporting Bleech at The Hop.

Matt Bick, Drums, backing vocals.  BLEECH

Katherine O'Neill, Bass guitar, backing vocals.  BLEECH  

Jennifer O'Neill Lead vocals and guitar.  BLEECH

BLEECH 2013 UK Tour 17th Feb at The Leopard, Doncaster..

A very big set of BLEECH photos lives here. 

Public Service Broadcasting at The Hop, Wakefield, 10th March 2013.

 

31st March, Rob Dee, Boss man at Philophobia Music presents The Spills with an award for sales of

 their single Gretna Green if I remember rightly.  This was at The Hop on the occasion of Philophobia's 5th birthday.

 Mi Mye at The Hop, Philophobia bands playing non stop one after the other from 12 noon till 12 midnight on both floors at it's 5th birthday celebration.  One of the best gigs of the year all the bands on top form in front of a packed Hop, I missed The Runaround Kids I was just exhausted by then.  A long but awesome day.

MBT at The Snooty Fox, Wakefield 12 April 2013, for a zombie themed gig.

Quake at The Snooty Fox, Wakefield, 12 April 2013.

Embarrassed to say 2013 was the first time I ventured out to The Snooty Fox, Wakefield's metal stronghold.  I am not a metal fan, which doesn't mean I dislike it either but 2 gigs at this famous local venue were a real treat.  Not the least because this venue and pub is run by a true live music fan who for the size of the venue has installed some bloody awesome stage lighting and sound system.  As a photographer used to mediocre lighting at best sheer bliss.  Must get back there soon.

 Lyndsey Lupe of Arrows Of Love at Oporto, Leeds. 1st May 2013

Arrows Of Love at Oporto Leeds, 1st May 2013.

Above Arrows Of Love.  This is a band I have been aware of for sometime and was impatient to see.  {Oh I have a very long list of must see bands).  Why do I like them?.  Because their music is chaotic and refuses to conform.  It's hard edged and occasionally falls off the edge.  Wonderful.

Savages at Stylus for Live At Leeds. 4th May 2013.

 Dutch Uncles at Stylus for Live At Leeds, 4th May.

Live at Leeds, great festival.  To get to see 10% of the bands advertised you will need a high powered motor bike, the ability to break the speed limit massive without being done, rude enough to jump to the front of queues that everyone else has to spend ages in to get anywhere near the venues which by the way are miles apart, hence the motor bike.  Oh and it doesn't help if you're carrying a camera bag that weighs as much as a small fridge. In the real world go for one venue where you like the look of the line up and stay there. The 2 photos above are from Leeds Uni, Stylus.  A real no brainer for me coz you only need to say Savages and I'm there.

Full photo set from Live at Leeds here 

 Crooked Ways Festival 2013

Crooked Ways Festival, Pontefract.  1st June 2013

 The Defiled

The Defiled

                                                                         

 Crooked ways Main Stage.

Ominous clouds over the main stage, never actually rained though

Peter Hook at Crooked Ways 2013.

Cry Baby Cry at Crooked Ways 

 Grandmaster Flash at Crooked Ways 2013

 One of the "headliners".  I have to say a man who can make a living from telling a field full of people, "Paaawwwntefract....Make some noise" for over 40 minutes and rap his way through endless cheesy covers must have something good going.  However I failed to get it.  

Pigeon Detectives at Crooked Ways 2013

 Leeds band Pigeon Detectives another of the main stage highlights, however this one more deserving of that status.  I have never seen them before so I was a bit caught out by the stage show they put on.  I did miss some good shot opportunities which had I done a bit of homework on their live performance I would have taken.  We live and learn.

 Headliners The Enemy at Crooked Ways 2013.

 Final act of the day as the sun set The Enemy close Crooked Ways Festival 2013.  As by this time at any full day at a festival I can hardly walk. Highlights for me, Peter Hook, Cry Baby Cry,  Dinosaur Pile Up,  The Defiled, and Handmadehands.  Next stop Long Division, this is home, Can't wait. 

Full set of photos from Crooked Ways 2013 here 

 

 Long Division Festival 2013

 Well if you are the head honcho of a cool festival at least you get to park your executive transport where the hell you want. Friday night opener for Long Division at the recently closed Drury Lane Library.

 

Nici Todd Drummer with Cry Baby Cry at Long Division 2013

 

Greg Jones, The Michael Ainsley Band

The Michael Ainsley Band kicking off Long Division Saturday upstairs at The Hop.

Chelsea, The Coopers

The History Of Apple Pie at Drury Lane Library

                                                                                       

Alice, Post War Glamour Girls at Theatre Royal.

 The Wave Pictures plus..... at The Theatre Royal.

One of my favourite bands The Wave Pictures at The Theatre Royal joined on stage by Elizabeth and Bill from Allo Darlin' who were to hit the upstairs stage upstairs at The Hop a little later.

Middleman at Warehouse 23

Middleman at Warehouse 23 close Long Division 2013 with an epic blistering set.  For me the best of the entire festival.  By halfway through the Fall's set I was totally drained.  Warehouse 23 was like an oven and I'd been wielding the camera across Wakefield's venues since lunch time.  After The Fall I said to myself that's it, no more and wandered back across the car park to The Hop and crashed into one of those big sofas in the Jam Inn, just like last year.  A perceptive friend said you look as if you need a beer and came back with a pint of lager.  Dunno what they put in San Miguel but 10 minutes later I was back in Warehouse 23 for Middleman's epic set.

                                                                                                                                                                     

The legend, Mark E. Smith and The Fall at Warehouse 23 for Long Division 2013

Full set of photos from Long Division 2013 lives here.

This is Chris Helme one time of The Yards and Seahorses now a successful solo performer that I like alot playing a gig at Warehouse23, Wakefield.  Also on tonight's great bill was Mark Morris and John Power.  15th June 2013.

 Upload Festival 2013

19th June 2013 I was attending a Clarence Park Festival team meeting at Wakefield College.  I also knew it was the date for their end of term festival 2 evenings of live music put on by all 3 years of students.  As I have a very keen interest in the future of live music in this city I packed the camera and decided I would cast an eye over the proceedings and see if owt worthwhile happened. What I found was this awesome stage they had erected with a lighting and sound rig that alot of big venues would be proud of.  The above photo is my favourite coz it really captures the vibe of that event.  End of year, some of these guys who'd been together for 3 years moving on to new challenges and careers or further education.  Below is a link to the full set of pictures from Upload 2013, have a look and be a bit amazed and remember these are college students, there are no professional bands here.

Full set of photos from Upload 2013.

Next up CLARENCE

Benjamin Bloom

Benjamin Bloom headlines Clarence Park Music Festival opening party at The Hop.  26th July.  Benjamin played Clarence 2012 and for many was the highlight of the festival.

White Pigeon 

White Pigeon definitely one of the standouts at Clarence 2013.

 The Hop, bringer of beer.

Kingcrows

Dodgy at Clarence.

 Dodgy close Clarence Festival Saturday in the rain but no one seemed to mind the rain.  Great day.

The Michael Ainsley Band

If there was ever a band to wake you up on a Sunday morning The Michael Ainsley Band are it.Formed less than a year ago they have rapidly become a Wakefield favourite.

 Ryan & Chelsea "Cooper" Cairns  The Coopers

 As often happens with a 20 band line up someone pulls out at the last minute.  This happened with our Sunday lineup,  however one of my favourite Leeds bands The Coopers agreed to fill the gap for us and put on an epic show.

Like father like son.  The future looks to be in good hands.

Full set of Clarence Park Music Festival 2013 pics here

On to Beacons.

 Beacons Festival 2013

Arrived with camera, batteries, CF cards, and beer.  Put tent up, near a fence coz we figured that's a good place to be if you need a pee in the middle of the night. 16th August 2013.  Headed off to check out the festival site and on to my first must see band, Esben & The Witch.

 Rachel of Esben & The Witch

Ellie of Wolf Alice

 Wolf Alice at Beacons 2013

Stealing Sheep at Beacons 2013

Gold Panda at Beacons 2013

Dutch Uncles at Beacons 2013

 Jehn of Savages at Beacons 2013.

Sunday evening at Beacons just before Django Django Savages hit the stage.  It was the second stage in a tent intended for around 500 people at a guess.  The rapid success in 2013 of this band since the release of their Silence Yourself album meant there was over 1,000 trying to get into that tent.  I was allotted 1 song only by security to get the shots I needed, it was carnage in there as Jehn whipped up the audience.  This image isn't brilliant but achieved under nigh on impossible circumstances.  Wouldn't have missed it for the world.

Django Django close Beacons Festival for 2013.

Bill Nelson played a special gig at a recently developed exhibition space at The Hepworth Gallery on

20th Sept 2013.  Promoted in conjunction with Rhubarb Bomb This event was a fundraiser for the redevelopment of The Unity Hall in Wakefield.  Bill is of course Wakefield born and bred.  He played played this old venue man many years ago with his then band Be-Bop Deluxe.  I knew Bill way before then when his  band Global Village and the local music scene was very important to my teenage years and still is to this day.  This was a special night.

Bill with Kath Stringer. 

25th Sept this shot is from the Wakefield Lit Fest 2013.  At the box office Theatre Royal, Wakefield.  One of my favourites, because it was an instinctive grab.  I like instinct.

Full set of pics from Wakefield Lit Fest 2013 live here.

Lyndsey, Arrows Of Love at Oporto, Leeds, 16th Oct 2013.

Arrows of Love.  I love this band, their music is very edgy, and occasionally it falls off the edge.  Just wonderful. 

Juju of Candy Says at Trof Fallowfield, Manchester.

Not a great photo.  It's here for the reason.  This is Juju from Candy Says a band that arose from the last note of her previous band Little Fish last Christmas.  Only a few selected live gigs have been played in 2013 and I was there at this tiny venue in Manchester to see them on 24th October.  Why?  Because Candy Says are bristling with talent and definitely one of my favourite bands of 2013.

This video was made at The Lexington the previous night.

Famous Villains

Famous Villains

The above 2 photos are of Doncaster band Famous Villains.  at The Leopard in Donny.  Always guaranteed to be a sell out and a truly wild night when they play there.  One of the best gigs of the year for sure.

 Dr Feelgood

 Dr Feelgood

Dr Feelgood at Warehouse 23 for KT's Wakefield Rhythm & Blues Festival.  A 4 day annual event at venues including Fernandes, The Orangery and The Bull & Fairhouse.

KT's Wakefield Rhythm & Blues Festival, More photos here.

An Evening Of Enlightenment at The Orangery, Wakefield.  Amazing fire performances, circus and music. 15th Nov 2013.

 Middleman at The Orangery for An Evening Of Enlightenment.

Big crowd at The Orangery for "An Evening Of Enlightement " rocking out with Middleman.

A set of photos I took at various events at The Orangery in 2013 lives HERE

Unity Hall, 26 Nov 2013.

The restoration of Unity Hall, probably one of the most exciting projects on Wakefield for years.  Scheduled to be completed by August 2014 at a cost of some £4.5 Million.  As well as a 700 capacity music venue/performing space this great old building will house a varied complex of retail, conference and exhibition spaces.

A full set of photos documenting the restoration of Unity Hall is HERE.

Louisa of The Witch Hunt 30th Nov

I had heard some good things about this band, went to see 'em at Wharf Chambers, Leeds.  What I'd heard was well justified, The Witch Hunt are a great band.  From Leeds too. 30th Nov 2013.

 

Harmony of Vuvuvultures

Nicole of Vuvuvultures

 

                                                                                  

 30th November, a date that had been in my diary for a while.Vuvuvultures are a band I've wanted to see for ages.  Good musicians, (Nicole is one of the best bass players anywhere, signed or unsigned),  great original songs and In Harmony Boucher a lead singer who is just loaded with stage presence and can really sing.  A Vuvuvultures gig is certainly memorable.   

Cribs fans at O2 Academy, Leeds.  19th Dec 2013.

December turned out to be a bit of a disappointment with the camera.  The above was shot at O2 Academy, Leeds.  I Shouldn't have been there as I was pretty ill and spent the next couple of days in bed.  The stage shots I took were pretty ordinary, this is the only one I like. 

Well if you made it so far thanks for your interest.  As far as looking back is concerned this is about as far as I go.  My focus now is to the future, 2013 is gone along with another 63 years I have made it through.  Whether it's music or photography or life the most exciting thing is what's next.  

Here's to 2014, I am just so excited about the new music that some of the above bands and some I haven't yet heard are gonna blow me away with, hopefully I'll be there with a camera when it happens.

See you there.

2014?

Unity Hall, December 2013.

I have an on going project to document the restoration of this iconic building right up to it's opening in August 2014.  The photos I take along the way will be accessable on my flickr site in a set.  HERE

HERE is a link to my flickr photostream, by far the best place to keep up with what I'm doing.

Happy New Year.