So last week I was out walking the streets with a camera, shooting without an agenda watching Adelaide start to build atmosphere before the Fringe. Rundle street was filled with Fringe acts practicing and getting a feel for what was to come. Those of you who know me personally will know that more often than not I love my music, raw and dirty with a blue undertone. Having been a fan of people like Newton Faulkner and John Butler for many years, when I hear the sound of someone (excuse the description, I only mean this semi literally) bashing the crap out of a guitar… Im going to stop and listen!
With a large crowd surrounding him, captivated by the sounds and honest rapport, Oisin & Malachy sits among an impressive street setup, filling the street with bluesy drum guitar tones. I took a few snaps and stayed until the end of the set and made sure I bought a cd (even though the only cd player with quality sound I have is in the Kombi which is still off road).
Hearing Malachy was playing the Jade Monkey the following Friday, I cruised by after a friend and fellow studio cohabitants Art exhibition opening at BMG. (which you should also go check out)
The support act was just finishing at this point and during the 15 minutes interval Malachy was on the side chatting to the crowd prepping to go make some music. We had a bit of a chat and was introduced to a couple of photographers who were there to shoot the performance.
I got a beer and the show started. I wasn’t there to shoot, but to just check out some tunes… However, I know myself too well and cannot resist temptation and always have some kind of camera on me, I was carrying my Fuji with a fixed 50mm prime lens. I love this camera for its small size, silent operation and super fast 1.4 aperture, sweet for low light shooting like this. I hear many people say that if you are too busy trying to take a picture, you are missing the moment and are not present. Where this is the case sometimes, for me music and picture making comes hand in hand and making photographs is as much part of the moment as anything else. To make great pictures, you have to feel the music which personally brings me closer, you listen to every beat and tone, and watch every gesture with so much more detail. If you are not in the music, how can you photograph it?
The night of music was awesome! Malachy has a great sense of honesty and passion in his delivery, he has an ability to bring his crowd in close and build a relationship with them with stories about his journey via music and speech. You come away with a feeling that you have met someone new and I think this is so important for any artist and he nails it!
So I really hope the pictures express how the evening was for you, if you were not there I hope they make you want to go to another time, you really should, if you love great music with a personable down to earth guy, get yourself along! Music is always best when the artist plays from one place only, not a show, just an expression of self. I caught up with Malachy after the gig for a few beers and can guarantee that what you see and hear on stage, is what you get in person and thats the key!
Cheers, Lee
https://www.facebook.com/oisinandmalachy/
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