Photos 2013

December already.  Think I'll put together a small collection of photos that I really like.  This is what I did in 2013 sort of thing.  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 need a clearly defined reason for doing it.  Landscape photos are rather dull, snow scenes, sunsets, photos of the Eifel Tower.  God no.  What really inspires 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 those that create original music.  That's what I try to portray in the pictures I make.  Whether I achieve that is for others to judge I just do it.

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

Matt Bick, drums and backing vocals.  BLEECH

            

Jennifer O'Neill Lead vocals and guitar.  BLEECH

Katherine O'Neill Bass guitar and backing vocals.  BLEECH 

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

A very big set of BLEECH photos live 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 playing out of their skins 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 crap lighting at best sheer bliss.  Must get back there soon.

Lyndsey Lupe of Arrows Of Love singing "The Knife" at Oporto, Leeds. 1st May 2013.

photo 1-1

photo 1-1

Nuha Ruby Razik  (Bass Guitar) Arrows Of Love

                                   

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

The above 3 photos are of a band called 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 them.  As with all bands I like they not only push the known musical envelope they tear it wide open.  I'm not a fan of mainstream anything, especially music. 

 

 Jehn fronting 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, (one of my all time heroes).  Cry Baby Cry,  Dinosaur Pile Up,  The Defiled, and Handmadehands.  Next stop Long Division, this is home, this is personal.  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

heClsea of The Coopers

                                                                                     

Above, Thhael Ainsley Band kicking off Long Division Saturday with a bang, upstairs at The Hop, and Chelsea fronting wonderful band The Coopers downstairs at The Mice Hop.

 ce of Post War GlamAliour Girls at  Theatre Royal.

The History Of Apple Pie at Drury Lane Library

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 himself, 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 just about stole the show.

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.

The future looks to be in good hands.

Full set of Clarence Park Music Festival 2013 pics here


 

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.

Ellie of Wolf Alice

Rachel of Esben & The Witch  

                                              

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.

Full set of photos from Beacons Festival 2013 here

Bill Nelson at The Hepworth

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 local 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.

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

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

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 literally arose from the last note of Juju's 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.  Why?  Because Candy Says are my favourite band of 2013.

60 mins, Candy Says live at St Barnabas Church, Oxford.

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.

An Evening Of Enlightenment at The Orangery, Wakefield.
Hosts for the evening are the wild and wacky Lord & Lady Layton, plenty of banter and some amazing fire performances. 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 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 am not someone who dwells in the pas especially where music is concerned.  I like bands that have the ability to  blow me away with something a bit different.  I've heard the same old rock riffs that have been done to death for the past 40 years.  Let's move on.  

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.

Harmony of Vuvuvultures

Nicole Of Vuvuvultures

                                                                                           

 Above, 30th Nov at Wharf Chambers.  Like The Witch Hunt Vuvuvultures are a good example of what excites me about live music.  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.  A Vuvuvultures gig is certainly memorable.