The All TIME LOW
The first time I had heard of the The All Time Low was an album called Punk go Crunk, They did cool cover of Umbrella by R&B singer Rihanna. I am big fan of Punked up covers so I kinda thought I would be a fan of band live. Turns out the best thing about this band was how they party after the show. Which is not leave you in any doubt about how good they are live. Amazing, does come close to there stage presence. But the Double Jack that I was bought after.. well .. Thank you.
These photos are from the Birmingham leg of the Kerrang! Relentless Tour 2010 With The Blackout, My Passion and Young Guns.
All Time Low Hail from from Baltimore, Maryland, they formed back in 2003
So far they have 3 releases
- The Party Scene (2005)
- So Wrong, It’s Right (2007)
- Nothing Personal (2009)
These boys are ones to watch for sure. American Pop Rock for the Win. But when a band formed to play Blink songs and named them after a New Found Glory Lyric, It was never going to bad.
The band was eventually selected as Alternative Press Magazine’s Band of the Year for 2008
Posted 1 month, 1 week ago at 3:31 pm. Add a comment
I forgot how much fun this band are, AMAZING LIVE SHOW. Once again, full access to photograph the band. LOVE IT.
The last band I had shot live was a good few weeks ago, since then LABB MAGAZINE has been my 100% focus, but tonight was so much fun. A couple of ciders, a couple of hello’s to old friends and in the pit and a punk rock show. The only downside of the night was the muppet in the crowd who chucked his drink all over me whilst I was working. But hay.. Thats Rock and Roll right. Thank you to the Tour Manager for sorting me out very last moment.
The Line up was Sonic Boom Six, Big D and the Kids Table and Reel Big Fish. Some how I did not expect sure a big crowd, but lots of cool people turned out in the cold.. and.. I was not the only fool in shorts, so that was nice.
Enjoy the photos, the full gallery can be viewed here.
Continue Reading…
Posted 1 month, 3 weeks ago at 5:22 pm. 2 comments
Adobe Lightroom 2 +
Just some workflow insight ,
I have been a HUGE fan of Lightroom for a while. Proof checking, editing, printing, web gallery creation, the list of time saving functions is crazy. If your a Pro photographer and your not using Lightroom, your doing something wrong. If your working with a batch of frames, Photoshop is only really used in a final editing stage. Most of my edit work happens with in Lightroom these days.
There are a few functions that I would still love to see in Lightroom, It would be great to able to run Photoshop actions (using the photoshop engine) inside Lightroom, Add layer styles, create comp layers also, it would be really cool to able to sync your Presets into layer styles in Photoshop. Just some of these little additions would make Cross Platform (cross software) editing much streamlined projects when colour matching is important. Using the correct tool for the correct job. Why use Photoshop for simple things like contrast changes.
Anyway, here is some Lightroom fun , You can put the Web module of Lightroom into “advanced mode” (an “experimental and unsupported” feature – so try this at your own risk) which will expose MANY more customization options in the Lightroom panels.
To go into Advanced Mode you’ll need to use a keyboard combo:
“Control Alt Shift /” on PC
“Cmd Alt Shift /” on Mac
Do the same to Return back to the normal version.
I get asked alot, what the best editing processes are , Its really simple. Do whats best and most logical for you. I use this work-flow as a rule
Adobe Bridge > Lighroom > Photoshop > Lightroom > Bridge
Bridge -
I use Bridge to remove blank frames or frames that are clearly not useable, Rename files and upload into Lightroom a quick selection of photos that are going to be edited.
Lightroom -
Lighroom is used to pull out a final selection of photos, Crop and Colour the photos, Overall pages edits are done. Vignettes, tones, curves, hue, saturation and Camera Calibrations are also done ( I never sharpen at this stage !!- you only ever want to sharpen a Final Product. Its always the last step. If you are not going into Photoshop after, then finish your photo in Lighroom )
Photoshop -
There is no way I could list the steps in here of what can you can do. As a rule though, Skin is touched up and sharpened for which ever media the product is headed towards, Change colour Sets depending on the Products destination ie : RGB or CYMK etc..
After this stage no other editing process should be needed.
Lightroom -
Back into lightroom to make batch size changes, Create Web Galleries, Contact sheets, Slide shows etc..
Bridge -
Bridge is then used as the content management tool, Using the Pre-made Actions you can send photos into other programs such as Photoshop to add watermarks borders, Prep for web, Border or any other Presets that you use.
Each stage is very important, and should leave you with a clear workflow. Pick the Photos, Edit the Photos, Make them PERFECT, Edit them for purpose. Store them in a correct manner.
If you use your noodle, you should not go far wrong. Just do what works for you, but ONLY IF YOU ARE USING LIGHTROOM !!
Posted 3 months, 4 weeks ago at 2:18 pm. Add a comment
Slam Dunk Festival | Vans “off the wall” tour, ft. Funeral For A Friend , Fightstar, Blakfish and Farse.
All 3 stages in the new O2 Academy in Birmingham.
The Mighty FARSE
Farse are a Ska-Core band from Birmingham. They attended St. Thomas Aquinas school in Birmingham, where the band formed in 1996. Through a few lineup changes until they ended up with Ade, Chris, Dan, Ollie and Tomas as the final line up. They played loads of shows around the UK, supporting many UK ska bands like Capdown, Bowling for soup and King Prawn. They released 2 Studio albums, Boxing clever was recorded at DEP studios (the same studio UB40 recorded at).
The record created a buzz throughout the underground punk and ska scene in the UK and attracted the attention of the Moon Ska Europe label. Farse then entered UB40’s DEP International Studios, to record their second album Boxing Clever in late 2002. Following the album’s release the band’s popularity grew, with the video for the song Hopscotch receiving heavy rotation on the now-defunct digital music channel P-Rock. The band then embarked on several headlining tours throughout the UK before unexpectedly announcing their split in early 2004. During their career they performed with similar acts such as King Prawn, Voodoo Glow Skulls, Mad Caddies, Bowling For Soup, Reel Big Fish and Capdown.
The final performance was held on Thursday March 18 2004 at the Carling Academy 2 in Birmingham. The show involved former band members joining the line up to play old material. The set finished with the song ‘Youth On Paper’, a song said to have been previously unheard at live shows.
Bassist Chris Badham now tours with The Mad Caddies . Ade is also the bassist of Beat Union formerly known as Shortcut to Newark.
Farse played three reunion gigs, one at Subside Bar in Birmingham on Monday, 4th May 2009, and one at O2 Academy 2 Birmingham on Saturday, 9 May 2009. Farse also performed at the Slam Dunk Festival in Leeds on Sunday, 24th May 2009 and the 30th In Birmingham. These Photos are from the Birmingham gig.
Posted 4 months, 2 weeks ago at 1:09 pm. 1 comment
Slam Dunk Festival | Vans “off the wall” tour, ft. Funeral For A Friend , Fightstar, Blakfish and Farse.
All 3 stages in the new O2 Academy in Birmingham
Funeral for a Friend is a post-hardcore band from Wales. They formed in 2001 as a sextet called January Thirst. This did not last long, and in 2002 Funeral for a Friend recorded their debut EP Between Order and Model with their original 6-piece line up. After having been together for just a few months, the band changed their line up and subsequently signed a deal with Warner Brothers records for whom they recorded their second EP Four Ways To Scream Your Name.
The band’s debut full-length album Casually Dressed and Deep in Conversation was released in October 2003. Various singles were lifted off this, including Bullet Theory, Juneau (Juno on previous EPs), she drove me to daytime tv and Escape Artists Never Die. After a B-side to Escape Artists Never Die was released as a single, this was called You Want Romance? the video was sequal to Bullet Theory
Link to the full photo gallery
Posted 4 months, 2 weeks ago at 11:29 pm. Add a comment
Slam Dunk Festival | Vans “off the wall” tour, ft. Funeral For A Friend , Fightstar, Blakfish and Farse.
All 3 stages in the new O2 Academy in Birmingham
As you may have noticed 2008 was quite a year for Birmingham’s Blakfish. After playing almost 200 shows in over 10 countries, releasing their mini-album “See You In Another City” on highly respected UK independent label Big Scary Monsters to much critical acclaim, receiving 4th Best British New Comer in Rock Sound readers poll, NME’s ones to watch for 2009 and a 4 K review in Kerrang.
Their debut single, “Jeremy Kyle Is A Marked Man”, garnered a whirlwind amount of press including being featured by four different Radio One presenters, Colin Murray, Huw Stephens, Mike Davies (The Lock Up) & Daniel P Carter.
Building up a steady cult following on the strength of their live shows and hard work ethic there are no signs of them stopping anytime soon.
The start of 2009 has already seen them finish the recording of their debut full-length album, entitled “Champions”, in Seattle USA. Produced by Chris Common at the legendary Redroom studios (Mastodon, Fall Of Troy, Minus The Bear, These Arms Are Snakes, Hey Mercedes), it is set to be released at the end of May on Hassle Records (Cancer Bats, Alexisonfire, Rolo Tomassi, Thursday).
With plans to tour more excessively than 2008 it looks like this year Blakfish are going to be even harder to ignore. – last fm
Bakfish are :
- Thomas Rock
- Richard Hollywod
- Sammy Vile
- Robert Fruit
Link to Blakfish.com
Link to the full photo gallery
Posted 4 months, 2 weeks ago at 10:34 pm. Add a comment
Zebrahead is an Orange County, CA-based punk-pop-rap band which was formed in 1996 by vocalist/guitarist Justin Mauriello (formerly of once there), guitarist Greg Bergdorf (formerly of 409), bassist Ben Osmundson (formerly of 3-Ply), and drummer Ed Udhus (formerly of 409).
Inspired by acts including Fugazi and The Descendents, the group found themselves uninspired by the local trend towards ska punk and instead began incorporating elements of hip-hop into their sound, eventually recruiting rapper Ali Tabatabaee to join their ranks.
After issuing the EP Yellow on the indie label Doctor Dream Records in May 1998, Zebrahead signed to major label Columbia Records to release their full-length debut, Waste of Mind, which appeared later that same year. The band’s follow up album Playmate of the Year was issued in mid-2000 and the Stupid Fat Americans EP followed the next year as an exclusive release for Japan.
Zebrahead headed over to Europe with Green Day to support the records and played various festival dates as well. Throughout the years, they also shared gigs with bands like Less Than Jake, Kottonmouth Kings, 311, Reel Big Fish, and Goldfinger.
Three years after having released a full length album, MFZB (aka Mother Fucking Zebrahead Bitch) appeared in 2003, and shortly afterwards lead singer/guitarist Mauriello exited the group to pursue other interests (namely start a new band I Hate Kate). His departure distressed fans, as the singing/rapping dynamic between him and Tabatabaee was crucial to the band’s sound. However, Zebrahead was soon back in action with the addition of new vocalist/guitarist Matty Lewis (formerly of Jank 1000) to their lineup. — last FM
Full Gallery – Click here
Posted 4 months, 3 weeks ago at 3:13 pm. Add a comment
Party in your Pants Tour, Birminghams O2 Academy,
Originally from Wichita Falls, Texas they formed in 1994 from the ruins of an old metal band. Quoting Jaret Reddick, the lead singer, “we wanted to make happy music”. They’re known for their often humorous lyrics, upbeat guitar riffs, and Jaret’s voice.
They are best known for their singles “Girl All the Bad Guys Want” in 2002 on Drunk Enough to Dance which was nominated for a 2003 Grammy Award for “Best Pop Performance by a Group or Duo” and “1985” (originally written by Mitch Allan of SR-71) in 2004 on A Hangover You Don’t Deserve. The band’s name is derived from comedian Steve Martin’s “Bowling for Sh*t” routine from his 1978 comedy album, Wild and Crazy Guy, itself a reference to Bowling for Dollars. Their single ‘1985’ can be found on the UK and the Norwegian editions of Singstar Rocks for the PS2.
They have also became hits on Radio Disney with edits of “1985”, “Punk Rock 101”, “High School Never Ends”, and the inclusion of their version of “I Melt With You” in the Disney movie “Sky High”. They have also written and recorded “Today Is Gonna Be A Great Day” as the theme song for Disney’s “Phineas and Ferb” – Last FM
Band Lineup:
Jaret Reddick – Lead Vocals/guitar
Chris Burney – Guitar/vocals
Eric Chandler – Bass/vocals
Full Gallery – Click Here.
Posted 4 months, 3 weeks ago at 2:18 pm. Add a comment
Birminghams Brand new 02 Academy play host to Enter Shikari, Devil wears prada supporting.
Enter Shikari are a four-piece post-hardcore band from St Albans, Hertfordshire, England formed in 2003. Inspired by hardcore (in both punk-rock and dance genres), metal and trance.
Despite being offered several major label record deals, their debut album Take To The Skies was released on their own label – Ambush Reality – in March 2007, reaching the dizzy heights of #4 in the UK’s official Album Charts and going on to sell over 100.000 copies in the UK (the album was released in Europe through PIAS, in North America on Ambush Reality / Tiny Evil, and in Japan on Hostess).
In March 2008, after spending 12 months on the road across the globe, Enter Shikari set up camp in their rehearsal room (a large shed in Chris Batten’s back garden which they christened “The ‘Low”) to begin writing tracks for their second album such as Antwerpen which was released as a free digital-download from the band’s website.
In July they played to their largest live audience at the UK date of Linkin Park’s ‘Project Revolution’ travelling festival alongside JayZ, Pendulum and N*E*R*D, as well as playing several shows with Linkin Park in mainland Europe.
Enter Shikari followed a UK / Ireland tour in October 2008 with the release of a one-off single ‘We Can Breathe In Space, They Just Don’t Want Us To Escape’ (a finished version of a track the band demoed in 2005 but never got around to ever finishing properly until the summer 2008). — last fm.
Link to the bands website
Posted 5 months ago at 4:05 pm. Add a comment
