Photo Reports

It’s not a secret that Battle Beast is a force to be reckoned with. By now they played many shows all around the globe. But currently, before touring Europe again, they are playing some sold out shows in their home turf in Finland, and we just had to go see them again. For the show in Tampere they also brought along alternative rockers Merta as support, who gave us a pleasant show as well. As usual, Battle Beast‘s performance was full of power and kinda left me wishing I could make it to another show.

A full house in Munich for the home band Tenside, who organised a couple of shows to present their latest album “Come Alive Dying”. Although lead singer Daniel Kuhlmann had a cold and this affected his vocal performance a little, the atmosphere was very good. A wink here, a hello there, they were welcomed home with great empathy and affection by friends, acquaintances, and fans. This new work by the Bavarian quartet is very mature and presents a very up-to-date sound, well-defined and with good tracks that deserve to be played live and on big stages across Europe.

Helping out at the party were the Dutch band For I Am King, a band I personally didn’t know, but who surprised me very positively. Technically well evolved and powerful, the small and frail vocalist Alma left me open-mouthed and made me wonder how such a grotesque sound could come out of such a person, impressive!

Opening the night was the band from Rostock, The Oklahoma Kid , who gave a good performance and should be taken into account, as they show that the future of German metal is in good hands, with talented young people and the will to win.

Well, what can I say…

With three massive names in the metalcore genre on the bill, a beautifully set up venue and the night’s anticipation ahead, there was not much left to be sought after. On Wednesday the 17th of January, Bury Tomorrow, We Came as Romans and Kingdom of Giants stepped foot into one of Newcastle’s local venues to deliver a show that many had been waiting eagerly for.

First on the bill we had the incredible Kingdom of Giants, a band hailing from the sunny Northern California, these guys blew the roof off the place. Forming in and around 2010 these guys provide a beautifully pieced melodic metalcore sound provided by frontman Dana Willax, guitarists Red Martin and Max Bremer, keyboardist Julian Perez and drummer Truman Berlin. The brotherhood of these giants meld perfectly together to create that raw, powerful sound that we know and love. Personally, it was my first time seeing them live, and my only regret was that the set list wasn’t long enough!

Next up we had the famous We Came as Romans, driving in from Detroit, Michigan. If you don’t know about this band, let me fill you in. Founded in around 2005 these guys have been on the road for nearly 20 years, showing that their love for each other and their experience is second to none. With the tragic loss of Kyle Pavone in 2018 the band decided to continue trying to hold their feet firm on the ground, a decision not taken lightly. Thankfully the bond that they have held strong and with Dave Stephens taking over the vocals role, they haven’t lost that special touch that the people know and love. Lou cotton and Joshua Moore on guitars are a match made in heaven, with perfectly balance tones supported by none other than bassist Andy Glass. Drummer David Puckett also knows how to blow out a rib cage or two with bass-fueled double kicks and timed precision to accompany the rest of the band to a knockout show. If you have not witnessed the awe-inspiring intensity of this band yet, what the hell are you waiting for?!

Finally, we have the much anticipated Bury Tomorrow. With the raging screams from the crowd, you don’t really need an introduction, it was time to get in and get the photos taken. Straight on stage and blasting face melting riffs and deep powerful screams, they leave fans in a state of shock. Shock on how a band can roll up on stage and absolutely obliterate the entire venue with music which they have nailed down with over 15 years of experience! Frontman Daniel Winter-Bates never fails to disappoint with vocals that never seem to waver. Supported by the mighty Kristin Dawson and Ed Hartwell on guitars, brother David Winter-Bates on bass, Adam Jackson on drums and Tom Pendergast supplying beautiful symphonic keyboards and cleans which meld beautifully, this band has blown me away every single time I have seen them play. Usually I enjoy being snap bang in the centre of the pits, so I know the savagery and emotion that the band can bring to every show they play.

Covering shows for GRIMM all the way overseas from their headquarters in the US has been really rewarding and in 2023 some of my favorite captures are of bands like Mudvayne, Nonpoint, Drowning Pool, From Ashes To New, Shinedown, Fozzy, Butcher Babies, Sumy Cyco, Black Stone Cherry and Saliva, check my selection out right here:

Although my busy personal life didn’t allow me to attend many concerts in 2023, the concerts I was fortunate to experience were truly exceptional. It was a year filled with exciting first-time experiences as a photographer, including attending Lokerse Feesten, and some of my country’s biggest venues like Sportpaleis, and Koning Boudewijnstadion. I also had the opportunity to witness some of the most iconic bands in the world: Rammstein, Iron Maiden, Within Temptation, Megadeth, and Volbeat, among others. Additionally, I had the privilege of photographing some of Belgium’s finest bands, such as Brutus, Amenra, and Channel Zero, to name a few. Belgium boasts a rich music scene, and I eagerly anticipate the opportunity to witness more incredible concerts in the future.

I’m not getting to do this as often as I would like, but the handful of shows and festivals (like Tuska and the first edition of Hellsinki Metal) that I managed to cover were simply amazing, and resulted in epic pictures from bands and artists like Butcher Babies, Electric Callboy, Ghost, Glenn Hughes, Gojira, In Flames, Lorna Shore, The Hu, Ville Valo, Chamber of Unlight, Asagraum, Monuments, Sodom, Batushka, Blind Guardian, and Apocalyptica & friends!

Last August, our dear friend and local GRIMM knight Ser Xavier invited his friends Prima Nocta and Trobar de Morte for the first edition of the Medieval Metal Night to celebrate his birthday. This line-up was very promising. Both bands are familiar names on the Castlefest bill and have already played quite a few headline shows. It was no surprise that tickets sold like hot cakes, and the event sold out in the blink of an eye.

Trobar de Morte is a Spanish band founded in 1999 by Lady Morte, a singer and songwriter. The band has played at several festivals and did various tours, among which a big tour with Faun in 2011. They have toured in countries such as Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium, Portugal, Romania, France, UK or Italy. Their live show include dances and ritualistic elements. It was the first time I saw them and man, it was a huge revelation. What a mesmerizing performance it was! Lady Morte‘s enchanting voice, the beautiful harmony of the traditional instruments and the mystical ritualistic dance formed a perfect, almost transcendent symbiosis.The band released their new record in November, so hopefully they will return to Belgium to promote it. I will be there.

The next band and headliner was Prima Nocta. Prima Nocta doesn’t need an introduction, they have already a big fan base in Belgium. They have performed several times on the Korenmarkt during the Gentse Feesten, Castlefest, Elftopia,… Prima Nocta has become one of the best folk metal acts. They pour elements of Celtic folk music, metal, and rock with traditional, medieval influences into a cauldron and brew a delicious magic potion from it. Their raw music is transmitted with an intensity that contains electrified riffs on a bouzouki, pounding drums, and gigantic bagpipes. All the ingredients were there for a terrific show and it was an absolute banger! From the very first notes, the audience went crazy to the pumping rhythm of the drums and bagpipes. Both the band and the audience enjoyed the performance to the fullest. Did I even see a mosh pit there?

The longer I’m doing this, the harder it gets every year to choose my best and/or favorite pictures I took at concerts the past year. Maybe I’m getting more satisfied with what I produce, or I’m simply improving the quality of my pictures every year again, or the shows I get to cover just deliver so much more epic moments to capture. Or maybe a bit of everything… In any case, after a year of catching amazing shows all over Helsinki, and of course amazing festivals like Tuska and Alcatraz, and a grueling process of elimination, I got to this collection of pictures featuring Battle Beast, Gaerea, Trollheim’s Grott, Avslut, Der Weg einer Freiheit, Amenra, Igorrr, Aesthetic Perfection, HIDE, SKYND, Ice Nine Kills, Utuk Xul, Rancid, Sick Of It All, Stratovarius, Testament, Michael Monroe, Volbeat, Hellacopters, Pensées Nocturnes, Amorphis, Biohazard, Killswitch Engage, Converge, Agnostic Front, Taake, Public Image Ltd, A.A. Williams, Butcher Babies, Clutch, Finntroll, Electric Callboy, Ghost, Gojira, Imperial Triumphant, Lorna shore, The Hu and Urne

2023 was a quiet year for me photography wise due to personal commitments, but what bands I did capture were amazing and interesting with the added spatter of being awesome.

This was the first year I covered a gig for GRIMM that I had in the pipeline for a while and was possibly one of the hardest to acquire a photo/review pass for, the artist in question was Self Esteem or now known as Rebecca Taylor who currently is performing in the stage production of Cabaret.

I had the honour of working with and for one of my synth Idols of the 80s, namely Martyn Ware of The Human League (early years) and Heaven 17.

The project with Martyn Ware was titled “Music for Total 3D Sonic Immersion” where the audio literally immersed itself around the room while the acts performed, which included Richard Norris (The Grid), Utopia Strong with the famous world snooker player Steve Davis and not forgetting Martyn Ware performing on a variety of synthesizers with John Wesley Barkers Strings, Tim Wheater and Cherub hitting things hard and delicately.

I also covered the entire gig of Heaven 17 on the opening night of The Luxury Gap UK tour.

Finally, as a birthday present to me from me in October I went to see Gary Numan perform an acoustic gig in a cathedral in Manchester, as a birthday gift from Gary’s tour manager I received a photo pass for the first 3 songs which was fortunate as after exiting the pit I couldn’t see a thing for the rest of the night what with the place being packed out and pillars blocking every conceivable angle!

And that’s 2023 in a nutshell. 2024 already has Foo Fighters booked for Manchester, but chances of getting a pass there are slim to none.

From the big boys selling out venues, to local faves making waves in our community, 2023 was filled with amazing talent and life-changing performances. I went on my first tour, saw my all-time favorite band, Alesana, and traveled to places I never thought music would take me, all with my camera by my side. While choosing favorites seems next to impossible, I’ve managed to narrow down my selection of photos that make me happy to had been the artist behind the lens. Lots of interesting colors, textures, and perspectives. What exactly is in store for 2024, we don’t know, but I’m excited to continue capturing passion and perseverance through music. But for now, have a look at my favorite pictures I took at all the concerts I got to cover from bands like Across the White Water Tower, Alesana, Autopsy Affair, Brand of Sacrifice, Currents, Emmure, Greyhaven, Knuckle Puck, Magg Dylan, Magnolia Parl, Midnight Threat, Norma Jean, Origami Angel, Pink Shift, Saliva, See You Space Cowboy, Silverstein, Sweet Pill, The Contactees, The SoapGirls, Virginia, We Came As Romans…