Taste of Chaos (Thursday, Bring Me The Horizon, Pierce The Veil, Four Year Strong, Cancer Bats, and Conditions) at Ram's Head in Baltimore

THURSDAY:





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.

Thursday's Common Existence (attempted) Review

(This photo is NOT by me. This is the album artwork)

I was given the opportunity to review the latest release from Thursday, Common Existence. While struggling with how to review an album I stumbled across a 'guest review' in Rolling Stone by Patrick Stump of Fall out Boy where he says he sees a strong connection between songwriting and rock criticism and stated that "Any songwriter should be able to review a record... and all reviewers should be able to write a song." Agreed.

Although I've played many instruments, I've never known how to read music. I have this crazy ability to hear something once and mimic it and essentially faked my way through band - and keeping my first chair status. I've never written a song in my adult life. I have always loved music and got into band photography because of this love and my background in photography.

But I do know this...

I have always loved Thursday. They're amazing live and do the best cover I've ever heard - The Buzzcocks' Ever Fallen in Love - on the Tony Hawk's American Wasteland Soundtrack.

This latest Epitaph release, Common Existence, is amazing and is everything I expected from this compassionate, talented bunch of musicians.

Thank you, Epitaph, for this opportunity. I should probably stick to photography and leave the album reviews to musicians. : )

Look for my photos of Thursday from the upcoming Taste of Chaos show on this blog site soon!