CANCER BATS:
BRING ME THE HORIZON:
PIERCE THE VEIL:
FOUR YEAR STRONG:
CONDITIONS:
The Taste of Chaos show at Ram's Head was great. The highlights for me were seeing Thursday (a band I've loved for a long time) and discovering the amazingness of Cancer Bats.
I also quite enjoyed Bring Me The Horizon... after I wasted about 2 minutes of my valuable "1st 3 songs" shooting time drying 1/2 a bottle of water off of my camera and making sure my equipment was still working. I'd like to make a statement/request to you water-slinging singers (yes, you, Bring Me The Horizon guy):
Rock Photographers are not the enemy. We get your images out to the press, your managers, your labels, and your sponsors. We help to promote your band. Most of us don't even make enough money shooting your bands to cover our photography expenses. We do this because we enjoy it. Sure, every career path has its risks. Our equipment is ridiculously expensive and we are well aware of the risk of getting kicked in the head by the crowd surfing kids, but you will never see ME making some dick move and risk ruining $3000 worth of YOUR stuff.
I know that sometimes outdoor shows are unbearably hot, and the kids love it when you throw water on them. I completely back this and know that there is a risk that I may get a drop or 2 on me in that situation, but last night I was soaked by a significant amount of water at 10pm in an climate-controlled, indoor venue. The audience was not dying of heat. I wasn't the only soaked photographer in that pit. The girl next to me was looking at me like "WHAT THE HELL?!"
At the very least, work on your aim. You're a good band and you have a LOT of fans. Remember this simple fact: when photographers like you they'll do whatever they can to help promote you.
