Todays Shoot - K-Rockathon (ADTR, A7X, ATR, Limp Bizkit)

So the K-Rockathon is a radio show that happens in Syracuse, NY.

I had to do a shoot with my good friends (fam) in A Day To Remember - so I had to be there SUPER early - luckily - Mike Martin is the BEST! DUDE! EVER! and left an hour and a half early so I could do this shoot.

We met at the ludlow Mc'd and 90s numetal weekend day 2 - COMMENCE! - the entire ride we listened to Korn, Limp Bizkit, and other 90s metal/numetal.

At one point in the ride, we stopped for breakfast, and when we hit the road again his car was making the loudest, most insane death sound either of us have ever heard - it was like standing inside a church bell while it was being rung by a tank shell. So we were freaking out, I was calling some car places trying to figure it out, it would happen randomly, twice a minute - every five minutes - for about a half hour. After scrambling, checking the engine, the radio, we just gave up and decided to deal with it - HOPING! we would make it in safe...

Every few minutes "DIIIIIINNNNNNNGGGGGGG" so loud! - we were both nervous not sure what the problem was..

So after a while the GPS said "turn right" - and he was like "wait what? the sounds usually off!!" - so he shut the sound off, and we figured out it was the GPS making the DEATHBELL sound. - in hindsight its hillaarrrious.

SO! I started off the day by doing the shoot with A Day To Remember - and directly after they were actually the first band I shot live during the rockathon

The stage was the highest ive ever seen in my entire career, but the barricade area was massive as well so the photogs had a bit of leeway to get back from the stage - which was at least twice the height of me. so id say about 10-12 feet tall - MASSIVE!

I was at ISO400 using the 16-35 2.8 lens shooting at 5.6 at a 1000th at the time because it was a really bright day. - during the set the dudes dedicated "the danger in starting a fire" to me, which means alot... This is a band I got to watch grow from playing to 20 kids... now 20 THOUSAND... to say im proud of them would be a massive understatement. Ive said it a billion times by now, but their music is truly just as awesome as the dudes in the band.

Anyway - check it out! - PICTURES!
























































































































The next band I shot was All That Remains - and I gotta say its weird to watch an a day to remember crowd transform into an ATR crowd, but, hey, it worked!




























































After ATR, Mike and I went to go meet Fred Durst, which was kind of the weekend mission. After talking a bit - he was like "im bored, lets go fuck with people!" which rules!!!! We walked directly into the crowd of 20,000 fans, and at first no one recognized him, we talked about photo stuff, about all that remains, about bizkit, then eventually someone recognized him and it snowballed into a massive amount of people wanting to meet/get a photo with him... and unlike some artists who are 1/8th the size of Fred in terms of fame, Fred took every photo, signed every item, and was all around one of the coolest and most down to earth - REAL! dudes I've met in the music industry - especially for his stature. Its refreshing to know that someone like him is legit. - even when we (all that remains and I) were eating at catering - he walked by and said ALL THAT REMAAAIIINSSS!!! - very cool.
























Anyway - the next band I shot was Avenged Sevenfold (three times in five days i think?) but unfortunately this time around... NO PYRO! - booooo. So I just got what I could at that awkward angle due to the high stage, I wasnt too stressed about it because I knew the shots I got the past few days where the golden ones, So I didnt take as many photos as the past two shows, but still got some solid shots - i was at 5.6 at a 500th




























































Directly after them flyleaf was on and the sun dropped so fast I was at a 180th - but catching alot of the red front lighting and movement - I wasnt really worried about it because they werent part of the spread - but i got a couple solid shots.




































Next up! LIMP BIZKIT! - this time around their light up lettering was a bit hidden, and it was super super dark so i was at ISO1000 and i was at 3.5 at a 125th - the lighting was a bit weak - but when they had the spot light on i jumped to 500 and it wasnt too bad... but the angle didnt help anyones cause. - I wasnt too worried - again - the night before - the photos were SO epic - that this was just supplemental - but i still got some AWESOME shots of them this time around as well












































































































After a few songs, Mike and I went to head back to western mass, and in turn... returning from 1996, back to 2010... so sad. music in the 90s was SO much better than the crap factory of cookie cutter riff scream sing mosh crap there is now - only few bands break that mold now.... anyway... what an amazing adventure it was.

Todays Shoot - All That Remains - Avenged Sevenfold - Limp Bizkit (live)

So today began my amazing trip back in time to 1996 with Mike Martin.












EDIT: Mike Martin now has his own middle finger calendar - check it out here: http://www.lulu.com/product/calendar/the-official-2011-mike-martin-middle-finger-calendar/12304028

We hit five guys on the way down (as martin has become my brother in fatness)

We set the flux capacitor, got up to 88 miles an hour, and landed at the Oakdale Theater in CT.

Luckily when with All That Remains, I am always treated as family, which rules, and which is why I would always go above and beyond and do pretty much anything needed for these dudes.

So I'm used to shooting ATR as headliners (at least the past few years or so), so seeing them play before two bands was kinda weird, but kind of cool.

The lighting for them was dark and a little over saturated with LOTS of reds - I was shooting at ISO800 - I didnt want to go above that - so I was shooting at 2.8 and between a 90th - 160th for ATR - as the lighting was super dark, but between a stable hand, and a watchful eye on the lighting sequences - I got some solid shots. I also got some stage shots for the rest of their set. - check it!




















































































Avenged was up next, I wasnt sure if they were doing pyro again - or what the lighting would be like - but YES! they were doing the same pyro show from mayhem fest - but indoors with more controlled lighting. I like how these shots dont look anything like the mayhem shots due to the front lighting being actual lights rather than the sun - I was shooting 2.8 at a 200th-500th (when pyro hit)
















































































































































Then it was time for the BIZKIT! I hadnt shot them since their tour with Korn back in 2002 or 2003, so its been a while.

They had an awesome giant Limp Bizkit sign behind them full of lights, fred was spot lit, so it was super easy getting incredible shots of him/the stage set up. Wes was painted black wearing a witch hat, so exposing for the black paint, i just dropped my speed down a bit because I was at 2.8 the entire time for really selective focus - but I did drop my ISO down to 400 - and shot around a 160th-200th




























































































































































Now, you may not believe me when I say this, but of all the bands I've seen in the past few weeks, Limp Bizkit put on the best shows. It was a trip back to the 90s - and holy shit can LB still bring it with more energy and vitality then most young bands out there today. I was seriously blown away - as after shooting, myself and Martin watched the show with jaws on the floor. More bands need to take note of how to put on a REAL show.

Another note - tickets to this show were 60 bucks, which is unheard of for a 4 band show... so Fred - mid show - commented and said "FUCK LIVE NATION" while live nation crew and staff were all around... you gotta respect someone who has the balls to say that over a mic. So amazing! - anyway - the next day - I get to do this all over again! so home I went for a few hours of sleep.