16 September 2009 – Tonight I shot one of my favourite shows ever. I know I keep saying this as the year progresses but Steel Panther was incredible. I have never been that close to the 80’s before tonight.
I was asked to shoot these guys and actually need to be honest that I didn’t know much about them so I quickly checked out their MySpace to get an idea of what they were about and immediately I was excited. It’s like the personalities of Will Farrell, Seth Rogen, Johan Hill, Jon Heder and Ben Stiller have joined to make a “mock” 80’s glam-metal band that is actually really good. They go ALL OUT with the entire project and they are super crude and funny and again really amazing.
The photographers pit was a bit chaotic and they grouped us for some weird reason so that we only shot in sets of 2 songs which seemed really weird and there was a DEFINITE NO flash policy from the start so I just made my way to the side of the stage to where Lexxi Foxx was rocking out his bass in between sorting out his “beautiful” hair and I basically stood there while the rest of the photographers walked over each other. The light was quite weird tonight because there was so much of it but it was scattered so there was quite a few times where the members fell into complete darkness but this made for exciting challenges.
Anyway, I shot the photos that I could and then decided that I would make my way to the back to just enjoy the rest of the show filled with plenty head-banging and laughs from EVERYONE in the audience. I am making sure to get my hands on a copy of their album tomorrow so that I can learn all the words for when they next play in London.
Check these guys out if you have a chance but MAKE sure to see them live if you can. It will be one of your best live experiences.
Currently listening to : ADEPT – Sound the Alarm.
Nice one, I almost saw them at Download 2009. Can’t believe that I missed them in the end. On the other hand I saw Motley Crue there
Aaah man, Motley would be amazing to see but they were a nightmare to photograph because they didn’t want anyone to be close to the stage so all the photographers had to shoot from the Sound Desk. Lame. These guys were amazing. They opening for ZZ Top next month at Wembley Arena and that should be a killer.
Hey marcus, photo’s are as always amazing, this was such a good show, the laughs were just non stop
http://clinkmusicmagazine.com/2009/09/16/steel-panther-at-shepherds-bush-empire/
What a photoset, WOW. Pissed I couldn’t make it.
[...] Steel Panther, Jack’s Mannequin, Starseed, The Get Up Kids, Protest the Hero, Taking Back Sunday, White [...]