Samoans at the Beeb

January 12, 2013

Back in December I managed to worm my way into the BBC to photograph a live session for Bethan Elfyn’s show from Samoans, who I also managed to worm my way in to Reading and Leeds festival with back in the Summer. It’s great being able to build a relationship with a band where they feel comfortable with you taking photos at any given time, and my relationship with Samoans is exactly that sort of relationship.

18th December was a long day for the guys at the BBC, recording sessions with The School (another one of those bands I’ve built a great working relationship with) and I think Cut Ribbbons (but don’t quote me on that) before Samoans headed in for their session.

I’d been looking forward to doing this as soon as I found out about it, mainly because I thought it would be a great way to bookend my year, with sessions for Bethan by two of my favourite bands, having photographed Kutosis there earlier in the year, and with Samoans playing a gig the night before everyone was really up for it.

Photographing in this particular studio is a bit awkward- it’s a big room with lots of walls and lots of obstacles of varous colours so it’s not ideal for setting lights up anywhere, plus the drums are recorded in a small room within the room so the photos were a mix of some taken in just available light and (most with) flash.

The band played four songs, Catamaran, Secret Sixth and Brothers/ Blisters as well as an exclusive recording of their forthcoming single, Antlers. You can listen to the session live on Bethan’s show from 8 o’clock tonight on BBC Radio Wales, then go and buy Samoans debut EP, Elevated Reflections from http://samoanstheband.bandcamp.com/ or Spillers Records if you’re in/ around Cardiff.

Checking phones upon arriving in the green room while The School clear out of the studio.