Avalanche Concert: Bucket List Updated
If you're into concerts the way I am you understand the rush that you feel when one of your favorite bands/singers come onto stage. Imagine how much bigger that rush is when you are given the opportunity to be within a foot of your favorite band/singer with a camera strapped around your neck.
That's exactly what I got to experience a few weeks ago when I got to shoot the Avalanche Tour concert at McElroy Auditorium in Waterloo, IA.
The show featured a stellar line up of bands--some that I had seen before (Stone Sour, Halestorm, Skillet and Theory of a Deadman) along with a band that I hadn't seen before (Art of Dying).
As a fan of hard music I'd be lying if I didn't admit how excited I was to get to shoot this concert, especially getting to shoot Stone Sour, one of my all-time favorite bands(I'll refer to them as S.S. the remainder of the post). I had seen them twice before but had never had the opportunity to shoot pictures of them.
I was not let down.
As soon as the lights turned off and the stage took on an evil red glow you had the feeling you were in for one hell of a show. As soon as Corey Taylor took the stage, with a mic in his hand, he showed off exactly why he has taken his place as a living rock God. He sang. He screamed. He interacted with the crowd. It was vintage Corey Taylor at its finest. I'm yet to witness a frontman with as much control over a crowd as he has.
My mission on this specific night was not only capture the bands as they took their turn on stage but to capture the essence of what this show was all about. In case you weren't aware most concert photographers are allowed three songs, using no flash, so I had to work quickly and efficiently.
Corey is controlled chaos on stage. He's in the front center one second and then over by the speakers on either side a second later. So I had to maneuver around other photographers to keep up with him. I know that the songs were probably 3-4 minutes long but it felt like mere seconds to me. I had to nail "the shot". It was awesome!
Looking back, I really had to balance the side of me that wanted to throw my camera down and mosh to all of the songs that I know and love, with the other side of me that wanted to take advantage of this great opportunity to shoot photos of a band in S.S. that I love and a singer, Taylor, that I am in awe of.
So, getting to shoot S.S. and Corey Taylor meant that I got to check off one of the things on my photography "bucket list". Yes, there are probably more important, more noteworthy experiences out there to shoot but to me, this was the opportunity of a lifetime.
As usual Halestorm, the most fan friendly band out there, put on an amazing show! I still don't get how lead singer Lzzy Hale is able to rock that hard night after night without losing her voice. It's nothing shy of incredible.
I had seen Skillet last year at Lazerfest in Des Moines last year but hadn't gotten all that close up and they weren't anywhere near as popular last year as they are this year so I was pleasantly surprised with their performance.
Skillet really gained my respect, along with many others I assume, for dedicating their performance of their song "Hero" to Iowa Army National Guard Spc. Donny Nichols, who lost his life serving our country in Afghanistan. "Hero" was one of his favorite songs from what I understand about the story. Here's a link to the video of this performance:
I could really go on and on but I'll let my photography do the rest of the talking for me...
That's exactly what I got to experience a few weeks ago when I got to shoot the Avalanche Tour concert at McElroy Auditorium in Waterloo, IA.
McElroy (©http://www.pickmcelroy.com/images/mcelroy_ext.jpg)
The show featured a stellar line up of bands--some that I had seen before (Stone Sour, Halestorm, Skillet and Theory of a Deadman) along with a band that I hadn't seen before (Art of Dying).
As a fan of hard music I'd be lying if I didn't admit how excited I was to get to shoot this concert, especially getting to shoot Stone Sour, one of my all-time favorite bands(I'll refer to them as S.S. the remainder of the post). I had seen them twice before but had never had the opportunity to shoot pictures of them.
I was not let down.
As soon as the lights turned off and the stage took on an evil red glow you had the feeling you were in for one hell of a show. As soon as Corey Taylor took the stage, with a mic in his hand, he showed off exactly why he has taken his place as a living rock God. He sang. He screamed. He interacted with the crowd. It was vintage Corey Taylor at its finest. I'm yet to witness a frontman with as much control over a crowd as he has.
Ready to rock!
That's me, in the lower left, doing my thing. Thanks to Melanie Fox for providing this image!
Corey is controlled chaos on stage. He's in the front center one second and then over by the speakers on either side a second later. So I had to maneuver around other photographers to keep up with him. I know that the songs were probably 3-4 minutes long but it felt like mere seconds to me. I had to nail "the shot". It was awesome!
Looking back, I really had to balance the side of me that wanted to throw my camera down and mosh to all of the songs that I know and love, with the other side of me that wanted to take advantage of this great opportunity to shoot photos of a band in S.S. that I love and a singer, Taylor, that I am in awe of.
Doing what he does best: rocking the crowd.
So, getting to shoot S.S. and Corey Taylor meant that I got to check off one of the things on my photography "bucket list". Yes, there are probably more important, more noteworthy experiences out there to shoot but to me, this was the opportunity of a lifetime.
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As usual Halestorm, the most fan friendly band out there, put on an amazing show! I still don't get how lead singer Lzzy Hale is able to rock that hard night after night without losing her voice. It's nothing shy of incredible.
I had seen Skillet last year at Lazerfest in Des Moines last year but hadn't gotten all that close up and they weren't anywhere near as popular last year as they are this year so I was pleasantly surprised with their performance.
Skillet really gained my respect, along with many others I assume, for dedicating their performance of their song "Hero" to Iowa Army National Guard Spc. Donny Nichols, who lost his life serving our country in Afghanistan. "Hero" was one of his favorite songs from what I understand about the story. Here's a link to the video of this performance:
I could really go on and on but I'll let my photography do the rest of the talking for me...
The fans enjoying one hell of a good rock show!
Art of Dying doing their thing.
Lzzy Hale of Halestorm rocking hard!
To many Skillet stole the show!
Theory of a Deadman brought their typical strong show!
Live music IS all about the fans!
And who else?
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