Music
It's becoming a tradition that I post my favorite albums of the year... a tradition as well as a reminder that music is the driving force behind me that keeps me moving when I have no more motivation. The last couple of years (2011, 2010) I only posted around ten or so albums each but this year I want to make sure you didn't miss out on something stellar.
Now in no particular order I present you the very best of 2012.
And again its time for me to gather my favorite albums of the year... these albums kept me awake on the road and creative on the trails. I owe a lot to these artists for their contributions that helped push me further. :)
The Wombats - Proudly Present... This Modern Glitch
The Roots - Undun
The Kills - Blood Pressures
The Black Keys - El Camino
Radiohead - King of Limbs
Florence + the Machine - Ceremonials
Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
Feist - Metals
Death Cab for Cutie - Codes and Keys
Kanye West & Jay-Z - Watch the Throne
Cold War Kids - Whats Mine is Yours
Bon Iver - Bon Iver
Foo Fighers - Wasting Light
I am obsessed with music and without it I wouldn't be how I am today. Music inspires my work and its mood.
I would like to round up my favorite artists and albums of 2010.
The Black Keys - Brothers
Tokyo Police Club - Champ
Sufjan Stevens - The Age Of Adz and All the Delighted People EP
Drake - Thanks Me Later
Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
The Roots - How I Got Over
Two Door Cinema Club - Tourist History
The Dead Weather - Sea Of Cowards
Broken Bells - Broken Bells
Freelance Whales - Weathervan
The Head and the Heart - The Head and the Heart
Ellie Goulding - Lights
Shows, the most challenging of all. This is of course is one of the main reasons I shoot them. I have a crazy thirst for energy and loud music and shooting in this environment puts a smile on my face. This shows music and artists were hopped up on some mountain dew for sure. All the artists wouldn't stay still for more than a second. Tonight was my first show in quite some time and it felt so good. It also reminded me how hard shows really are, especially hardcore ones.
I shot Architects Oh, Sleeper, Bring Me the Horizon and Every Time I Die. The circle pit was possibly the largest I have ever seen at Soma. I am not really a fan of the kids who go to these shows, if I did enjoy the music I would rock out in my own little bubble. I definitely would not punch a poor photographer in the head while recording the circle pit, the photographer was me... I gave the guy a solid kick in the back.
The Video has no audio because, lets face it, its all screaming and none of it is understandable. Video is brought to you by the Nikon D5000.
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6gk9fXcQZg
Images from the show:
Photo Notes:
I am starting to dislike Soma and their lighting more and more every time I shoot there. Far too much backlight and with a sold out show it deserved a better light show. Bad lights along with bands that hardly stood still I had a hard time with my camera to get the captures, I feel bad for all the Rebels in the pit ;)
When you hear Alison Mosshart scream 60 feet tall and standing high on the front of the stage you know what you are witnessing. Your eyes are now locked on the music masterpiece of The Dead Weather. They had so much energy on stage I could barely stand still and almost moshing with the herd of photographers in the pit. I cannot express enough how I feel they should have headlined. They had a packed crowd and sounded so amazing. No offense to those who like MIA but they should have switched in the lineup.
Photo Notes:
Jack White only made an appearance at the mic during the 4th song. Which we all know I shoot for the first 3 songs then have to leave. I snapped a few shots of him as I was being pushed out. I cant get over how much I love this band / set of images :) more to be seen on flickr!
