The Abney Park concert was a wonderful way to celebrate!

[fullcontactmuse]

What was I celebrating? Why I was celebrating my birthday three days early by seeing a group of musicians whose music I love and who put on a—dare I say—kick ass show. As an aside, I used the concert to illustrate the difference between acting and performing. Acting is the skill of feigning emotions and bringing a character to life. Performing is what you do for and with the audience. The performers in Abney Park sure know how to perform.



I received permission from Robert to shoot the show again and so I did. One of the things that I found about shooting a concert in a tight venue, such as Club Heaven, is twofold. The first aspect that makes like difficult is that in order to have an "innocent-bystander-head-free" shot, I have to be near the stage. Sadly, this limits some of my options, but other options arise. The second issue is around the lighting. Rarely do the performers much control and, more than likely, much say in the matter. In any case, the lighting that evening was using a harsh, yellow gel (a gel, for those unfamiliar with the theater term, plastic sheet for tinting the light) that washed the band members. In some instances, it did give an awesome looking sepia tone.

It was funny seeing how the different band members reacted to the having the camera on them. When nathan_fhtagn realized I had the camera on him, he would like right into the camera. Incidentally, this made for some wondrously creepy photos of the kind that follow you around room. Finn, on the other hand, had a much classically trained approach to the wandering camera lens. That was to keep on doing what she was doing. She was looking mighty fabulous doing it too, might I add. daniel_ap seemed to become more involved in his work, taking from one great level to next. Any time I would train my lens on the lovely abneyangel and her work on the keyboards, robert_from_ap would step in the way. Okay, it wasn't every time, but it certainly felt like it. ;)
The crowd was diverse and finely dressed to the nines. The venue was well laid out of the show. I ran into many friends, both old and new. The worst part of the evening was having to wait thirteen months for an Abney Park show in Seattle. ;)

More photos can be viewed in the Print Shop gallery on my web site. Of course, I'm still working on more of the photos, but I should have them done by the end of the week.

Comments

[strixluna.livejournal.com]

Hey you! Happy Birthday :)

[fullcontactmuse.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[doctorcaligari.livejournal.com]

And for your birthday, you give ME presents in the form of pretty steampunky pretties! *oosopretty, must click gallery*

But you won't see me arguing. :-D

Happy Birthday!!!

[fullcontactmuse.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I enjoyed the doing the photos. Tell me what you think of them. :)

[meclamta-eda.livejournal.com]

Hey! Happy Birthday!

I'm so glad you did something so awesome for your birthday! I've been wanting to see that band for a while now.

I loved their website with the whole steam punk mythos. It is so neat.

~ D ~

[fullcontactmuse.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I like their stuff a lot! They will be down at SteamCon, in the bay area, in the later half of October for a $22 all ages show... :)

[meclamta-eda.livejournal.com]

Email info, or send link please?

[fullcontactmuse.livejournal.com]

Here's the link for more information.

[meclamta-eda.livejournal.com]

Oh! I just had an interesting thought.

We are considering traveling north for a bit, and coming back to SF later.

You're in Oregon, right? Would you be up for hosting a couple of tranny shaman travelers sometime in November-ish?

[fullcontactmuse.livejournal.com]

I'm up in Seattle, actually. I don't know if I can commit to that or not, I'd have to speak with the other members of the house first. You know the whole thing: Wife and husband have to agree with it. :)

[meclamta-eda.livejournal.com]

It might be cool if you checked in. You're someone on my "I'd like to meet them someday" list.

I'm also getting the wanderlust something fierce right now.

Thanks for the info!

[fullcontactmuse.livejournal.com]

Yea! I'm on a list! ;)

I'll chat with folks. The biggest issue at hand is space. The house consists of the five adults, two children, three cats, and two fish. Just to give you an idea.

[ergi-fae-woman.livejournal.com]

Camping in your backyard is a totally pleasant solution to us.

What's your yardage like?

[dragonstixx.livejournal.com]

Absolutely gorgeous sir. beautiful , lucid Photos. Im artistically envious.

[cyclpath.livejournal.com]

These are really nice! I think we met at the show; I was the guy with the huge Canon with the white lenses. I think you were the gentlemen with the Nikon and we shot Alison under the red lighting and fog.. Correct?

My photos are here if you would like to see them and frovide some CC..

http://yellowgriffinimages.smugmug.com/gallery/6080190_L35qA

[fullcontactmuse.livejournal.com]

Thank you. :) Yes, sir, that would be me.

Those are some amazing photos, really intimate in their framing. I really do like them.