Remember August?

September 7, 2011

Well, so far the start of September has been wet and cold. What a lousy week! What a great time to remind ourselves what a great month August turned out to be! There was a lot I was looking forward to, but I didn’t expect to get so much out of it. Best things about this month? Definitely FESTIVALS and WEDDINGS. Well, I say music festivals, I didn’t really go to any “proper” ones this year for the first time since 1995, but there was enough to keep me going.

Starting at the Admiral Big Weekend- the finale of the Cardiff Festival- introduced by local promoter/ swn chap and general good egg John Rostron with music provided by USVThem DJs…

John Rostron LIVE ON STAGE!

… and the bands!

Funeral For a Friend

Vintage Trouble

Gabrielle

Nerina Pallot

The Feeling

Then there were a few days totally taken up by watching the coverage of the riots across London and other parts of the country. It’s hard watching a place you have fond memories of being ripped apart and set ablaze, but that’s exactly what they were, memories. I’m fortunate that I didn’t have to live through it. Having said that, the sense of community seen through various people on Twitter was an amazing thing to watch as it grew so big, so fast, not to mention the groups of people defending their shops and homes and local communities. It’s been a while since I’ve been back to Tottenham or Enfield, but maybe soon I’ll get back up there.

So anyway, while this was going on and there were rumours of trouble happening in Cardiff, DIVORCE played a show at Undertone supported by Drains and Run, WALK! Wow. My ears. As I left the venue to miss my bus I walked past the local O’Neill’s pub where an Irish folk band were playing. I couldn’t hear them, despite the fact they were playing about 30feet away, because I could still hear DIVORCE over them. DIVORCE who were playing in a pub around the corner. UNDERGROUND! Behind two closed doors. I’ve got some photos on my flickr page if you want to see http://www.flickr.com/photos/simonayre/sets/72157627400795288/

After this I had a couple of weeks off from gigs- visiting friends in Reading in between two weddings. I’ve shot four weddings so far this year, three with the brilliant Eleanor Jane (who can be found at http://www.eleanorjane.co.uk) and one of my own, with 3 of my own left. Exciting times. I hope she lets me work with her again next year!

Anyway, last weekend (not strictly August I know) I had the pleasure of visiting my old flatmate from uni and his wife-in-twelve-weeks Katie. I’ve only met her twice and I’m shooting their wedding in December so I thought it’d be a good idea to go there and say hello. Oh, and take photos at the Ultrasound Music Festival in Tamworth.

Anyone who knows me will know I’m often at indie and rock gigs around Cardiff, that’s how I’ve met a lot of my friends in fact- and this weekend saw the arrival of the Merthyr Rocks festival. Ordinarily I’d be there, but this was no ordinary weekend. I couldn’t pass up the chance to shoot acts such as the Saturdays, Tinie Tempah and NDubz. I’ve been trying to take the next step in my gig photography and this month was another big step. Festivals and big gigs are so different to shoot than the small club gigs that I’m used to, it’s almost like learning it all again.

Ultrasound was a great experience- a mixture of music photographers and press photographers- there was quite a big difference in the attitudes of the two groups but essentially we all got along. I think!
I’m getting to a point now where I’m starting to feel more relaxed in the pit at bigger shows so I can start shooting more in a style that fits with my smaller gig photos. In the first few big gigs I did I had problems relaxing enough to take the sort of photos I like to take. I don’t like to just take a photo of a singer, there’s so much more to look at when you’re shooting a gig that other people don’t notice and the things that stood out for me (apart from being a few feet away from the saturdays, obviously) at Ultrasound were without a doubt, Tinie Tempah’s trainers! Luckily I maganed to take a photo of them with my last shot before we all got kicked out of the pit. Good timing.

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