I have shot live bands before, but never from the pit - the small space between the front barrier at a venue and the stage itself. However, I wasn't going to pass off the opportunity to shoot a big act like Twin Atlantic, and so I headed down to Riverside to see what it was all about.
During the two support bands, I was able to adapt to the cramped pit that myself and 5 other photographers were hunched over while still trying to nail the shots. The bands, Bellevue Days and local lads The Pale White were great and really had a great presence on stage. Both were pretty unique but they complemented Twin Atlantic well. By the time Twin Atlantic came on stage, Riverside was packed out like I have never seen. As they came on stage, the crowd lit up and the band commanded their energy and attention for the full set. The more songs they played, the more animated the crowd seemed to get, and before long, there were people sat on their mates' shoulders and crowd surfing - in which lead singer and frontman Sam McTrusty certainly got involved.
While the colourful light show looked fantastic, I really enjoyed getting some classic looking black and white images of the bands. In particular, I really enjoyed getting some up close shots of the guys doing their thing and having a great time putting on a show. I also managed to fire off a wide shot of the band in action with the crowd in the foreground, really giving a sense of the excited atmosphere that they created.
All in all, the bands were great, and I had a great time shooting them from the pit for the first time. Looking forward to getting to work in there again!
