Soundwave Festival. I love this fest. If you ask any band or any crew person, they will say this is their favorite festival tour. I did it last year with Of Mice & Men, and this year I was with A Day To Remember. It was a totally different experience this year which I enjoyed all the same. The way Soundwave works is you basically travel, live, and play with a group of bands. In each city, there are maybe…. errrr 5 different hotels everyone stays at, and the bands are tiered off and split between them.
Last year I was with maybe 10 different bands I knew, and we partied every night and hung out everyday. This year, we were with one other band I knew. A Day To Remember was billed pretty high up, so we were with the other bands of similar, or larger size. Korn, AFI, Rob Zombie, Avenged Sevenfold, Alice in Chains, Alter Bridge, Jimmy Eat World and Green Day. I didn’t know this the first day, but it because apparently when I ended up working out next to Davey Havok for an hour. One day I went to the gym and Rob Zombie and his wife were working out there as well. I thought it was cool, couldn’t have predicted I would ever have been in those situations, my 13-year-old self would have flipped shit.
Anyway, this year I stuck with A Day To Remember 100% of the time. I did the same with Of Mice & Men, but the difference was – Of Mice & Men hung out with a lot of different bands. A Day To Remember didn’t really keep to themselves by choice, but when they weren’t playing shows, doing press, or traveling in-between them, they were getting lunch of working out. Basically all time off was devoted to bettering themselves as people so that they could do their occupation best they could. Respect the band a lot for staying on top of their shit. Some people get to their point and start to relax/ let go- they just take it as a time to push harder.
2/21/2014 – Brisbane, QLD – Off Day with A Day To Remember 2/22/2014 – Brisbane, QLD – Soundwave Festival With A Day To Remember – RNA Showgrounds 2/23/2014 – Sydney, NSW – Soundwave Festival With A Day To Remember – Olympic Park 2/24/2014 – Sydney, NSW – Press Day with A Day To Remember 2/25/2014 – Sydney, NSW – Sidewave with A Day To Remember – UNSW Roundhouse 2/26/2014 – Melbourne, VIC – Photo Shoot with A Day To Remember 2/27/2014 – Melbourne, VIC – Sidewave with A Day To Remember – The Forum 2/28/2014 – Melbourne, VIC – Soundwave Festival With A Day To Remember – Flemington Racecourse 3/1/2014 – Adelaide, SA – Soundwave Festival With A Day To Remember – Bonython Park 3/2/2014 – Perth, WA – Off Day with A Day To Remember 3/3/2014 – Perth, WA – Soundwave Festival With A Day To Remember – Claremount Showgrounds 3/4/2014 – Perth, WA – Off Day 3/5/2014 – Perth, WA – Off Day 3/6/2014 – Perth, WA => London, United Kingdom – Travel Day
Never put my camera away on flightsBeautiful sunrise in Australia
2/21/2014 – Brisbane, QLD – Off Day
I love Australia. The natural light it offers is irreplaceable and I feel like it really shows in my images. My candids really improve when the guys do more candid activities in daylight. We might do things on regular tours, but its usually after the sun goes down and at a bar close by. In Australia, we actually did things!
This is what we get when we arrive at the hotel
Syncing all my clocks on my cameras
Full desk view
Kevin Skaff of A Day To Remember outside the hotel in BrisbaneBreakfast battles!
Phil, guitar tech, at breakfast
Cowboy, lighting master
Josh Woodard finishing up his workout on hotel balcony
Walking through streets of Brisbane
Ran into a bunch of fans!Late night hangs by the waterMidnight shots with Neil and Dan of Suicide SilenceAY who they?
2/22/2014 – Brisbane, QLD – RNA Showgrounds
First day of Soundwave was great. Another change this year was that we had our own driver everywhere we went. So if we wanted to do anything, ever- we just had to ask. When I say we, I really mean the band. I was never the one making requests (obviously) but if they did, I tagged along. The only time I would go shoot another band was if ADTR was watching them, or if ADTR was doing some kind of press where I wasn’t needed.
Ryan Torf of The Story So Far Asking Alexandria and A Day To Remember – Brisbane 2014Kevin of The Story So Far at – Brisbane 2014Jeremy McKinnon of A Day To Remember – Brisbane 2014They are all looking at the festival photographer… only Kellen is looking at me hahaha. OOPSJeremy McKinnon and Fieldy from Korn at BrisbaneNeil Westfall of A Day To Remember at Soundwave Festival Brisbane 2014Neil Westfall of A Day To Remember at – Brisbane 2014Jeremy McKinnon of A Day To Remember at – Brisbane 2014
THIS WAS MY FAVORITE THING EVER. A Day To Remember, well, Jeremy, requested that people surf on top of a crowd surfer every day for one song. It was so fun to put on telephoto lens and play snipe the surfer. I got some of my absolute favorite images I have ever gotten and some of the people in them found the shot online and they were so stoked.
Crowd surfing at Soundwave Festival Brisbane 2014Crowd surfingCrowd surfingCrowd surfing Crowd surfingCrowd surfingCrowd surfingCrowd surfingCrowd surfing Crowd surfingCrowd surfingCrowd surfingA Day To RememberA Day To RememberI love ADTR fans, they always do everything badassJosh Woodard of A Day To RememberA Day To RememberA Day To RememberAlex Shelnutt backstageJoel of The Amity Affliction and Jason of Letlive, watching Korn.Panorama of Korn’s crowdLots of flights on Soundwave
2/23/2014 – Sydney, NSW – Olympic Park
One thing I really try to focus on when shooting a live show is getting good light. I feel as though quite a few photographers either a) don’t know or b) don’t care about good light when shooting a live show. I get it (I think I get it) you captured a moment- you can’t pass it up. So the light is shitty, BUT, the moment is still there. Sure I understand that sometimes you can’t pass images up. But most of the time I think that there is just no excuse. I love these outdoor festivals because almost all of my images have nice lighting :), especially for the time slot that ADTR was playing everyday *heehee*
NICE FENCE!Van ride to festival with A Day To RememberHanging by the dressing room with Neil WestfallAlex getting in the zone before going on stageA Day To RememberGear on my body
Credentials for each day of the festival
Dual camera setup, super telephoto for crowd surfer snipingThe remote camera fires whenever I fire camera with Pocket Wizard on itdifferent view of remote cameraJeremy McKinnon taking a look of a crowdCrowd surfers
Crowd surfers
Jeremy McKinnon taking to the crowd in his giant ball A Day To Remember
Shooting from the spotlight tower!
Crowd shooting from above location, I spy Kane Hibbered in a cerry picker!ending ritualsCrowd during A Day To Remember set – shot with a GoProWill of The Story So Far – THE EYES, he love his weedAlleyway homies in SydneyFavorite burrito place late at nightPray to the burrito Kings
2/24/2014 – Sydney, NSW – Press Day
Breakfast with Jeremy
Bowling with fans!Josh at the bowling alleywinner!
Was out for breakfast with Jeremy, ran into Ben Clement!SURF READY ADTRBand had a shoot with Blunt magazine where they went surfing, I got to go with!Surf lessons on BondiOut for lunch!BIG DICK BACK IN TOWNJeff had a long nightCowboy doing computer workMet up with Dan Boud!Dan BoudBackstage bored with A Day To RememberBackstage bored with Neil WestfallThis is my gearTaking a sleep with Kevin SkaffSidewave was a success at The Roundhouse in SydneyJosh Woodard stomp at Sydney SidewaveNeil Westfall at Sydney Sidewave
Josh Woodard I like these colors
2/26/2014 – Melbourne, VIC – Photo Shoot with A Day To Remember
That day I had a shoot with ADTR for an Alternative Press magazine cover. I’ll do a full blog about it soon.
The crew at the airport in the morningAirplane camera holder
Lord Of The Fries in Melbourne with Kevin and JoshLord Of The Fries in MelbourneJeremy McKinnon outside his hotel room in SydneyPracticing their acoustic songs for their in-store showSo many people at in-store acoustic in MelbourneJeremy’s face tattooed on a fan’s legSign the babyHappy as ever
Met up with Simon Pollock!
Neil Westfall of A Day To Remember live at The Forum in Melbourne
Alex Shelnutt of A Day To Remember at The Forum in MelbourneA Day To Remember at their Sidewave show at The Forum in MelbourneA Day To Remember at their Sidewave show at The Forum in MelbourneJeremy McKinnon of A Day To Remember at The Forum in MelbourneHanging out with all my friends at the club, look at the smiles on their faces
Back view of main stage at Soundwave Festival 2014 MelbournePhotographers waiting to shoot ADTRTour Manager means businessJosh stomping at Soundwave Festival Melbourne 2014Jeremy waiting to do the ballHANDS UP
Another thing I love about outdoor festivals is I am able to shoot with very fast shutter speeds. Fast shutter speeds mean really long focal lengths! Which means close up on stage portraits. My favorite thing to do (recently). When I shoot other artists at these festivals I am doing it just for fun. I don’t sell the images, it is just for me. So, because of this, I can spend the whole set trying to get one image, or I can spend 2 minutes, get one image, and be done. I like to think of these photos as ‘Onstage Portraits’.
Ray Luzier of KornOnstage Portrait of Jonathan Davis of KornOnstage Portrait of Fieldy of Korn Onstage Portrait of Jonathan Davis of KornOnstage Portrait of Head of Korn Head of Korn
3/1/2014 – Adelaide, SA – Soundwave Festival – Bonython Park
Met cool people at the airport!
Breathe Carolina having a rough morning at the airportDressing room hangs with A Day To RememberGoodman
You just can’t take our friends away like that
Sniping, didn’t get any useable shots thoughOnstage Portrait of Dallon of Panic! At The DiscoOnstage Portrait of Brendan Urie of Panic! At The DiscoBrendan Urie of Panic! At The DiscoDallon of Panic! At The Disco David and Josh, best friendsGear for the set on the side of the stageGear for the set on the side of the stageOnstage Portrait of Neil Westfall of A Day To Remember at Soundwave Festival 2014 in AdelaideJeremy McKinnon of A Day To Remember at Soundwave Festival 2014 in AdelaideStick throw!Neil Westfall of A Day To Remember at Soundwave Festival 2014 in Adelaide
Beer and a big fuck you to everyone else, this guy gets it
I love this light so much – Neil Westfall of A Day To Remember at Soundwave Festival 2014 in Adelaide
Same light – Neil Westfall of A Day To Remember at Soundwave Festival 2014 in Adelaide
Sorry I just love it – Neil Westfall of A Day To Remember at Soundwave Festival 2014 in AdelaideAlex Shelnutt of A Day To Remember at Soundwave Festival 2014 in Adelaideon the barricade with Jeremy McKinnon of A Day To Remember at Soundwave Festival 2014 in AdelaideWilliam DuVall of Alice In Chains at Soundwave Festival 2014 in Adelaide
STAND UP! I wonder what her shots look like?
William DuVall of Alice In Chains at Soundwave Festival 2014 in AdelaideHanging with Danny of Asking Alexandria and his friend!Kane Hibberd aka Kanye Lens, a very talented photographerOnstage Portrait of Chino of Crosses at Soundwave Festival 2014 in Adelaide
3/2/2014 – Perth, WA – Off Day
Breakfast! It was so good!I love fresh foodPoolside drinkingJeremy McKinnon hanging outside his hotel in PerthJosh hanging inside the hotel
3/3/2014 – Perth, WA – Soundwave Festival – Claremont Showgrounds
Photographers!Simple camera setupMyles Kennedy of Alter Bridge at Soundwave Festival 2014 in PerthI dont remember who took this… or where it was take…. please tell me …Onstage Portrait of Danny Worsnop of Asking Alexandria at Soundwave Festival 2014 in PerthOnstage Portrait of Cameron Liddel of Asking Alexandria at Soundwave Festival 2014 in PerthBen Bruce of Asking Alexandria at Soundwave Festival 2014 in PerthAsking Alexandria at Soundwave Festival 2014 in PerthDanny Worsnop of Asking Alexandria at Soundwave Festival 2014 in PerthJames Cassells of Asking Alexandria at Soundwave Festival 2014 in PerthOnstage Portrait of James Cassells of Asking Alexandria at Soundwave Festival 2014 in PerthOnstage Portrait of Danny Leal of Upon A Burning Body at Soundwave Festival 2014 in PerthLee Spielman of Trashtalk at Soundwave Festival 2014 in PerthSmoking a joint and giving a thumbs up to security – Lee Spielman of Trashtalk at Soundwave Festival 2014 in PerthLee Spielman of Trashtalk at Soundwave Festival 2014 in PerthLee Spielman of Trashtalk at Soundwave Festival 2014 in PerthLee Spielman of Trashtalk at Soundwave Festival 2014 in PerthTrashtalk at Soundwave Festival 2014 in PerthLoniel and Alex, drummers of Letlive and A Day To RememberSidestage camera setupJeremy waiting for band before them to finishJosh Woodard of A Day To Remember at Soundwave Festival 2014 in PerthSelfie on stage with The Ghost InsideJeremy McKinnon of A Day To Remember at Soundwave Festival 2014 in Perth
Shooting Jeremy
The ball thing! It always looks coolAlex Shelnutt of A Day To Remember at Soundwave Festival 2014 in PerthA Day To Remember at Soundwave Festival 2014 in PerthA Day To Remember at Soundwave Festival 2014 in PerthA Day To Remember at Soundwave Festival 2014 in PerthThe Story So Far standing sidestage at Soundwave Festival 2014 in Perth
A Day To Remember at Soundwave Festival 2014 in Perth
Kevin Skaff of A Day To Remember at Soundwave Festival 2014 in PerthA Day To Remember at Soundwave Festival 2014 in PerthJosh Woodard of A Day To Remember Soundwave Festival 2014 in PerthWater all over my cameraCamera setup for shooting Soundwave FestivalSunset on a bridgeJosh excitedA Day To Remember Soundwave FestivalCJ McMahon of Thy Art Is Murder and A Day To Remember
3/4/2014 – Perth, WA – Off Day
I spent a few days hanging out in Perth after the tour was over. I do this as much as I can, when I can. I feel like the whole “been everywhere, seen nothing” motto is much too true for me sometimes, so I try to see when I can. Our Last Night (another band on Soundwave) was nice enough to invite me with them and a band from the area showed us around/ gave us a place to stay.
Jumping into some water! my butt hit the ground. Photo by Matt Vogel
Waterfall hangout locationMet up with Jarrad Seng! So awesome!
3/5/2014 – Perth, WA – Off Day
Beaching hanging by Matt Vogel
Bar hangs with Adam photo by Matt VogelOur Last Night team DJ’ing photo by Matt VogelThanks to these lovely people for showing us a good time in Perth!Matt Vogel! The man!
3/6/2014 – Perth, WA => London, United Kingdom – Travel Day
