I’m a party photographer, and it’s good to be back. Here’s some recent highlights. Smile, you fucks.
Category: Gigs, Festivals, & Events
Hogmanay 2018
Heading out for the Blythe Hogmanay Bash is a tradition I’m ok with, and this year I wasn’t tied into working in a club for the countdown so I got to spend the entire night with friends rather than doing it in two parts.
I didn’t take as many photos as I normally would which is unusual, but then again Stephen didn’t take a single photo despite having his camera round his neck most of the night…
Vennart: King Tut’s, Glasgow
I’d been planning on catching Vennart on tour since it was announced, though was never in a position to bag myself a ticket. As it happened, I moved back to Glasgow the week before the Tut’s show but was still broke and couldn’t afford it.
I was ready to accept that I wasn’t going to make it this time round, but on the morning threw out a tweet basically saying that if anyone had a spare ticket I’d be eternally grateful. Vennart RT’d it, and within a few minutes a guy called Kenny got in touch to say his friend could no longer make it and that it’d be a shame for the ticket to go to waste.
Sorted.
It’s no stretch to say that this year has been a difficult one for me, but one constant aid to me coping was/is the music from this man. I took my camera along, and managed to grab a few photos of one of my heroes. A truly incredible show.
Here’s a selection.
Sarah & Katie’s Wedding, York
I’ve been to few weddings, and aren’t mad keen on the idea of them in general which is less to do with the folk getting married, and more just the that I’m not a fan of the whole faff of it all.
This wasn’t a faff though, and when Sarah casually invited me over Messenger and pitched it as a big party, it sounded fun and I said I’d be there.
I stayed in York with Jeffels & Laura and we arrived early to help set up. Sarah & Katie assembled a band so they could play their own party. I got to fill in on bass during the soundcheck which I think is the first time I’d played music with Sarah since we were back in School.
A free bar, & fairy lights everywhere.
JP leaves Westwood!
I can’t believe it’s 16 years ago since I started college.
6th Form college wasn’t something a place I took to, I couldn’t lock in to the tutors teaching methods and while I was likely capable of doing what was asked of me, it wasn’t freeing or interesting enough, and when I’m not interested in something I become impossible. I think that explains my Media & Photography U grades (results so poor they apparently couldn’t be marked).
I moved to Yorkshire Coast College (Westwood) after being told I couldn’t progress at 6th Form. That’s when I took up Photography & Graphic Design. That went mostly well, and my predicted final grades were Distinctions but after the first year, the day before 2nd year started, I decided it wasn’t enough for me and dropped the course and asked to switch to a Music course instead.
That’s where I first met tutors JP, Paul, and Jim. Tutors who got where we were coming from, understood what we wanted to do and kept as much of the typical class bullshit to a minimum, encouraging to get out there and create opportunities for ourselves and giving us a kick up the arse when we needed it. It’s things like this that clicked with us, and I’m sure is why a lot of us considered them to be friends.
Detailed memory of my time at Westwood is relatively hazy. At one point I was in so many bands I burned out, I drank a lot, and I went through a breakup of a pretty long term relationship.
I eventually completed a course and I think I got a distinction… well, that’s what I put on my CV anyway. I thought that would be me done with Westwood, except by the time I was leaving a band I was in was getting pretty serious and the guitarist & drummer were just starting the course. This ensured I hung out behind the scenes for the next 2 or 3 years.
Staff came and went, but JP and Paul were there through it all and for the years after I properly left. I heard of JP leaving on social media, and went along with Nick for a quick catch up. There was a whole mixup online involving a petition to have JP stay at the college, but he seems perfectly going on to do his Beach Hut Theatre Company, writing and directing full time!
There were a few of us there from back when we were students, and some newer faces that I didn’t recognise, but it was great to all be together for a couple of hours in Indigo Alley, chatting, performing songs and getting to hear JP continue to be the keyboard wizard that he always has been.
The crowd slowly died down and after a few ciders, I headed back with Nick to his to record some sounds.
Here’s a few photos!
Scarborough: Antikz
Saturday night marked my last social night out in Scarborough before heading out on the road hitching with JAZZebell_ on Monday.
A few of my pals were involved in the Antikz UV Party and I’d managed to bag photo duties.
I drank water all night, which I’m kinda impressed with given my anxiety earlier on in the evening.
Jazz, Beth, and Dan got involved, and was good to see some other familiar faces before I got gone.
I think this will be my last night out until I’m back in Glasgow in a few weeks.
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Back to Cathouse
I was staying with my friend Emily during my visit to Glasgow last week, and I managed to sort a shift in Catty so we headed there for a night of it.
When I moved back to Scarborough in January I had a stab at trying to get back into shooting party photos and aside from Por Favor / Rebel Radics, it just ain’t the same. That said, I’m actually heading into town this evening to shoot Antikz so I’m hoping that’s gonna be a good one and I’m gonna do it sober again.
Anyway, here’s some Catty party photos.
