Bombay Bicycle Club – Club Academy, April 09
Bombay Bicycle Club on tour and playing Manchester’s Club Academy
Image shot for GMG.
NOW ON TWITTER – 02 May 09
If you are Twittering then you can find me and my updates here: http://twitter.com/SteveNative
Lemar – Manchester Apollo 17 April 09
Lemar plays Manchester Apollo on Friday 17 April.
The Saturdays play Real Radio launch party – 02 April 2009
The Saturdays photographed before playing the launch party for Real Radio at Granada Television studios.
Promo shots for Real Radio
View more images from this shoot on Flickr by clicking here
The Rifles – Manchester Ritz 31 March 09
First time I have seen The Rifles and seemed a decent enough set.
Somewhat tired and resting the camera on my shoulder with the lens pointing skyward, I was caught off guard when a pint of lager, thrown from the crowd, landed on me and the camera. I guess this is one of the reasons why I never leave the lens pointing upwards when in the pit.
I spent most of The Rifles first song attempting to dry the booze off the lens and camera before deciding to unscrew the UV filter (which serves only to protect the lens glass) and then returning to take position for what was left of the remaining two songs.
A couple of weeks ago I was pelted with a Converse trainer at the Academy (cheers Converse chucker.) This left me wondering just how wrecked someone would have to be to take off their own shoe to throw at the stage.
The Enemy play Mrs Boon’s Tea Party – 21 March 09
Tom Clarke and Andy Hopkins of The Enemy join XFM DJ and Inspiral Carpets keyboard player Clint Boon at Mrs Boon’s Saturday Tea Party. Image shot for NME.com
Lily Allen – Manchester Academy 15 March
Photographing Lily Allen tonight at the Manchester Academy was no easy ride – limited lighting and seventeen photographers in a very tight press lane making the going difficult.
Chuck Billy from Testament – Manchester Apollo Feb 2009
Chuck Billy from San Francisco Thrash Metal band Testament taking a break backstage in the dressing room after their recent Manchester Apollo show opening for Megadeath and Judas Priest
Shot for Metal Hammer magazine.
Rise Against – Manchester Academy 27 February 2009
Rise Against – American ‘punk rock’ from Chicago Illinois. Formed in 1999 and currently on tour in the UK. Shot of frontman Tim McIlrath during Friday’s gig at the Manchester Academy. Shot for GMG.
B of the Bang? D of the End? 16 February 2009
With a greater leaning rake than the Tower of Pisa and standing at 184ft tall, B of The Bang takes its name from a quotation by British sprinter Linford Christie in which he said that he started his races not merely at the ‘bang’ of the starting pistol, but at the B of the Bang…
Commissioned as part of the Commonwealth Games in 2002, the sculpture’s home is in Beswick on the east side of Manchester – where locals have aptly nicknamed the work Kerplunk.
Built by Thomas Hetherwick, the sculpture suffered bad press recently as spikes started to fall off and the fate of this piece of public art is now sealed with a date soon to be confirmed when the sculpture will be pulled down and dismantled. Kerplunk or not – I think it makes a great TV aerial.
Seasick Steve – Manchester Apollo 23 January 2009
Christmas over and I’m pleased to be back out with the camera.
Tonight’s shoot took me to the Apollo to capture American Bluesman Seasick Steve who rolled into town performing on the Manchester leg of his fourth UK tour.
See the full set as a double page feature in the March edition of Clash Music
The Subways – XFM Winter Wonderland – Manchester, 12 December
The Subways play XFM’s Winter Wonderland Manchester Academy on Monday 8 December
New Found Glory – Manchester Academy – 21 Nov
Three songs no flash, a tsunami of moshers and crowd surfers entering the press lane, hazers, strobes, flying plastic glasses of liquid and approx eight minutes to gather my pictures – then home to a nice cup of tea. There’s no better way to round the week off!
Dan Black – Hoxton Bar and Grill – 18 November
Dan Black – former singer of London indie-rockers The Servant, now solo and whipping up a storm on both sides of the Atlantic with a brilliant cover of Notorious BIG’s rap classic Hypnotize.
Image shot 18 November at London’s Hoxton Bar and Grill for Clash Music Magazine and a review that will run in January’s edition along with Frightened Rabbit and Baddies. See this and more images previewed on the Clash site.
Clash Music Magazine | Dan Black | Baddies | Frightened Rabbit
Santogold – Manchester Evening News Arena 17 November 2008
Santi White’s style has been compared often to that of M.I.A and Missing Persons. Listen beyond the rap and R&B underpinning and you will hear the spiked pop of Yeah Yeah Yeahs mixed with the darker melodies of The Pixies for an all together sublime musical experience (the latter she even cites as a big influence – good on ya Santi!)
I first saw her play to a packed and intimate Roadhouse back in May 2008. This evening Santogold was occupying the support slot for Kanye West at the M.E.N Arena.
Can’t Buy Me Love – 3 November
Eros, once the Greek god of love – looking more at home silhouetted by global brands as the god of consumerism on a rainy November Saturday in Piccadilly Circus.
Shot on a snappy Olympus whilst passing through a part of London that I rarely find myself in
Baddies – Promotional shoot, 19 October
Baddies, promo shoot for the band – taken Sunday 19 October, Liverpool Barfly
Check out what The Times has to say:
Baddies’ debut single Battleships is like the Beastie Boys have challenged the Pixies to a sing off while Klaxons woo woo the fight along from the sidelines. And they’re all loving it.
It’s a confusing assault of the senses that gatecrashes its way into your ears, blasts out a maelstrom of influences and then just as quickly is gone again, leaving you wondering what the hell just happened. But in a good way. Growly raps, scuzzy, punky guitars and sweet harmonies might not sound like elements that should work together in a song, but they do.
This is fresh, exciting and short and sweet – Battleships is little over two minutes long, but it manages to fit umpteen party-packed choruses in. Who said good things don’t come in small packages?
Find out more: Click here for Baddies
Kevin Cummins talks shop – In The City 2008
Seen here at In The City 2008, Photographer Kevin Cummins gives a retrospective talk about his career. Wry and with a calm composure, Kevin talked through his portfolio with factual interest and anecdotal intrigue.
With poor lighting cast on the speaker’s podium and no chance of using flash, I shot the photo on a long lens with low depth of field, using my camera bag to stabilise against slow shutter and shake.
Given the lack of control over the lighting situation, I’m quite pleased with the sincerity and personality that was captured on Kevin’s face as he laughs and jokes informally with the audience during questions from the floor.
Shot for ITC 2008