Blog posts of all the latest work
Two Door Cinema Club // My Two Door Two Day Tour and a bit more.
11 years ago, I had just started a new job as a youth worker. About 3 days into the job, one of the guys I was working with came up to me and invited me to come with him in Belfast as he was going to see his little brothers band play a gig. I asked their name, Life Without Rory.
11 years ago, I had just started a new job as a youth worker. About 3 days into the job, one of the guys I was working with came up to me and invited me to come with him in Belfast as he was going to see his little brothers band play a gig. I asked their name, Life Without Rory.
I went along and was really impressed, the small crowd seemed impressed too.
Not long after this gig, Life Without Rory, made up of 4 best friends, amicably split as a band but remained good friends. Patrick, the drummer, left and joined another local band. Sam, Kev and Alex decided to start a band from the ashes of Life Without Rory. The band? Two Door Cinema Club. Who started making a name for themselves as the band with no drummer, deciding early on to use a drum machine in place of a drummer. The boys from the band, I would see a couple times a week as they would help me run our local youth club. Listening to their conversations about how their new sound was forming, it was fun to watch. Any spare time they had, they would spend practice and jamming in Alex's mums house.
Life Without Rory - Pavilion Bar, Belfast - 1st August 2006
As it got towards their sixth form year in school and people started asking what university they would be going to, the boys with a chilling calm would tell you, that whilst they had places at Uni, the band was going to be their next big step. I can remember being amazed by their certainty, and it was only when I asked them to play a gig at our youth club I started to be less amazed at their confidence, it started to make sense. I announced that they would be playing and 300 people turned up and I got to experience their live set for the first time. [Check out a video below taken that night on someones mobile]. It was electric. That night people got to get their hands on their first EP - Four Words To Stand On. Think I still have some copies of this lying around.
As it approached the summer of 2009, with the massive success of their EP, the boys told me they where moving to London to see if the band was going to go anywhere. First thing that came to my mind was milking them for all their worth before they go. I was leading a team to Uganda that summer, a team that the boys had shown an interest in going on but clearly had different plans. So as part of a our fundraising for that trip I asked the boys to play a gig in the local town. I had no money to pay them, so demanded they did it and only paid them in beer and pizza. The only date that would work was the weekend before the flew off to London which meant we had a small window to promote the gig. On the night only a few people showed up, but I can remember thinking in a years time if people heard they had the chance to see Two Door Cinema Club in Bangor up close and personal, and they didn't take that chance, they would be raging. Low and behold, a couple of summers after this [2011], the boys did return to bangor, but to play a sold out Tennent's Vital in support of The Script, playing 400 yards from the small building our gig was in.
Two Door Cinema Club - Hamilton House, Bangor - 9th June 2009
Fast foward 8 years, and after announcing what would be their sold out UK tour for their third and latest album Gameshow, I had a text conversation with Kev and we thought it would be fun for me to come out on tour with them. So after syncing diaries, the gigs that made the most sense to be at was Liverpool and Glasgow. Over those two dates, amidst getting to see how normal touring life was for them, I also got to document life on the road and the faces of the fans that came along to both gigs. I stood in the pit or back stage and watched as they brought pure entertainment to the crowds that had come to see them.
As I post this blog, the boys will be preparing to go on stage on the last two dates of this UK tour in Alexander Palace, playing to over 10,000 people each night. It was an honour to hang out and capture their tour and some of the people that make it happen.
Two Door Cinema Club // UK Tour 2017 // Liverpool Guild of Students // Thursday 2nd February
Two Door Cinema Club // UK Tour 2017 // Glasgow Barralands // Friday 3rd February
Two Door Two Day Tour - Faces In The Crowd - Liverpool & Glasgow
I can remember the excitement. The energy would build. From the moment that I would walk into Virgin Megastores in Belfast to purchase the ticket. The nervous wait whilst the cashier would look at the availability of the tickets.
I can remember the excitement. The energy would build. From the moment that I would walk into Virgin Megastores in Belfast to purchase the ticket. The nervous wait whilst the cashier would look at the availability of the tickets.
For about 2 years, I was addicted to this. My friends and I would be into all sorts of music and would be straight on the phone to each other when a band we loved would release their tour dates. From the moment of buying the ticket it was about all that we would talk about. We went to see so many bands, from Ash to Stereophonic, from Manic Street Preachers to Placebo and even a very young Coldplay just after the realise of their first album.
When Two Door Cinema Club released their UK tour dates I arranged to join them for a day or two and see how the shows were going.
One of the things that hit me when I stood in the pit or side of stage apart from how MENTAL the crowds were in Liverpool & Glasgow and how great the boys are, was the excitement in the faces of the crowd. The energy everyone brought to the room was insane and brought me right back to going crazy in the middle of the crowd and getting lost in my favourite songs when I was younger.
If you were there, you might look through the photos and see yourself, if so and you would like a copy of the photo, just get in touch, or you might not have been there but recognise the energy of being at a concert. When the lights go up and all the faces turned towards the stage the only eyes on the faces in the crowd are the bands, these are the faces they saw. Having spoken to them at length about the fans after each gig and showed them these photos, they saw you and really deeply appreciate your support.
Two Door Cinema Club // Liverpool Guild of Students // Thursday 1st February 2017
Two Door Cinema Club // Glasgow Barralands // Friday 3rd February 2017
Nathan Jess // Musician // Belfast
Last year, friend and talented musician Nathan Jess asked if I would hang out with him for an afternoon to get some shots to refresh his website, as he had a new album coming out.
Last year, friend and talented musician Nathan Jess asked if I would hang out with him for an afternoon to get some shots to refresh his website, as he had a new album coming out.
It wasn't planned but one of the shots got used for the new album artwork. The album comes out on the 10th February on Integrity Music and I can't wait to be there at the launch night in the Waterfront Studio Theatre. You can get your tickets HERE. You don't want to miss this!
If being successful was solely based on talent and dedication, Nathan would be a superstar, lets just hope that everything lines up for as many people to hear his music as possible.
Looking forward to everyone getting to hear this.
Foy Vance // Ulster Hall, Belfast // 5th December 2016
My first full time job was a youth worker in a church in Bangor. I remember being there for a week or so whenever I heard a song come on someones iPod that I recognised but had never heard the voice before...
My first full time job was a youth worker in a church in Bangor. I remember being there for a week or so whenever I heard a song come on someones iPod that I recognised but had never heard the voice before.
'She was more like a beauty queen, from a movie scene'
I was mesmerised and kept hitting repeat. When I enquired about who this guy was singing Billie Jean, I felt like I was being let into a Bangor secret.
Don't know if this mans' talent was ever a secret or I was just late to the party but I have been following and loving the music of Foy Vance ever since.
After being in touch with his management I was invited down last Monday night to the Ulster Hall to photograph the whole night from start to finish including getting photos of the band with their final Movember efforts [well done lads]
This was the first of a two show run in the Ulster Hall, the second being tonight of Foy's three studio albums; his latest, The Wild Swan, is the one I have given least attention to. I don't know why. I just wasn't getting it.
When Foy plays live, he creates an energy in the room that few others can. I have experienced this energy many times. One of my favourites was a surprise Christmas gig he did in a brilliant small pub/club in Belfast called The Menagerie. It was once owned by local DJ and producer David Holmes. During the build up to the gig there was music being played over the sound system that really moved me, I remember going up to the sound guy [who I then later realised was David Holmes himself] and asking what the music was and he, full of animation told me it was a small singer songwriter from America he had been introduced to called Bon Iver. He told me to go buy his new album 'For Emma, forever ago'. So the night after I called into HMV in Belfast and picked up the CD and it has been one my most played albums ever.
Both Bon Iver and Foy have moved their music careers forward both in the creation of music and in public recognition.
Monday I was honoured to witness the best Foy show I have ever seen on almost every level. The size of the venue [sold out over two nights], THE BAND, the production, the arrangement, song selection, support acts [Dana Masters & Ryan McMullan], crowd... etc etc.
People who are heading into Belfast tonight to see the final show of a long tour leg are in for an early Christmas gift. A gift FULL of emotion, passion and traditional Foy humour.
The Wild Swan has been an ever present sound in my ears this week, with a feeling that the trick that I missed on its initial release, I have finally caught the heart of it at this show. I now with slight embarrassment say, I get it!
“Let me carry your burden
Get you back on a high when you’re feeling low
When the weight’s too heavy but you won’t let go”
[Make sure you are there for the support, as its been hand picked by Foy due to raw talent]
Credits & thanks to...
Foy Vance - Headline Act
Dana Masters - Support Act
Ryan McMullan - Support Act
Lee Mitchell - Tour Manager
Ulster Hall - Venue
David C. Clements // The Empire Music Hall // Belfast December 2015
The week leading up to Christmas I continued working with David C. Clements in the lead up to his album launch in February at a very memorable gig in The Empire Music Hall...
The week leading up to Christmas I continued working with David C. Clements in the lead up to his album launch in February at a very memorable gig in The Empire Music Hall.
I had the opportunity to document the whole night and a lot of fun doing it.
Massive shoutouts have to go to:
Thomas at Old Fang.
Ian Jordan and everyone who fought against a temperamental in house sound system all night.
Jaime Niesh for his beautiful support performance.
and
DCC and all his team. Incredible night.
This debut album 'Longest Day in History' comes out on the 19 February, you can pre order it by clicking on the album cover below. He will also be playing an album launch show on the 11th March in Belfast click HERE for more details.
David C. Clements // Waterfall Shoot
David C. Clements is one of the finest singer songwriters around. In early 2016 he releases his long awaited debut album, The Longest Day in History...
David C. Clements is one of the finest singer songwriters around. In early 2016 he releases his long awaited debut album, The Longest Day in History.
I feel privileged to be working with him and his team on photos.
I look forward to sharing other photos from this campaign.
On a mild summers day David & I came up with the concept of being submerged in water and put our ideas into action. We managed to come out in one piece, even after I slipped and nearly fell into the water, cameras and all, and then during the underwater shots, David nearly collapsed with the cold but was all good in the end.
Location: Glenariff Forest Park, Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland
My Dear Mother EP has been released on a free download HERE if you want to hear a teaser to the album release.
Bears Den // Belfast
One of my albums of last year was Bear's Den – Islands - incredible work by a great band. However I was a bit late to the party, the first time they played Belfast I was relatively unaware of them. However in March I was doing wedding photos in Texas of all places, and the first dance was about to happen and these lads got up on stage to sing the couple through this normally slightly awkward tradition. It was only after they played I found out who they were. As you can see in the photo below, they fully bought into the Texan look!
After leaving Texas I made sure to look up this 'first dance band' - to my joy, I loved their stuff. They also released one of the best & beautiful music videos I have ever seen - shot & directed by Marcus Haney - Elysium.
So when they were calling through Belfast to play in Voodoo & I was offered the opportunity to take some photos of the band as they hung out before the gig and then some shots of the gig itself, I jumped at the chance. Now the only time I have done music photography was YEARS ago at a Foy Vance gig and then more recently at an Ellie Goulding gig in Madison Square Garden in New York [Will feature this in a future blog]. So I wasn't sure what to expect, but I had met some of the band & their management team before, so knew it would be a good laugh anyway. I love documenting parts of experiences that people dont get to see, the behind the scenes parts. So here are a selection from soundcheck right through to the end of the show. I didn't do photos whilst we where eating dinner at Made In Belfast because we were all enjoying eating too much.
So do me a favour and have a look some of the photos from that night, however do yourself a favour and listen to their stuff and/or catch them on the remainder of their UK/European Tour - Dates HERE
