Great show!

Thanks to Quip Magazine.

Visit Quip Magazine for the review of the show here.

All of my photos can be viewed here.

Love these guys!  What an awesome show!

All of my photos can be viewed here.

Thanks to Quip Magazine.

Visit Quip Magazine for the review of the show here.

My first show of CMW was Stu Larson at the Rivoli. Great stuff with a cool and chilled vibe. People were actually telling other people to shush so that they could get into the soft folky songs of Stu Larson and the best harmonica player ever, Natsuki Kurai. This before the crazy scene at the Horseshoe shooting FIDLAR, where I found myself in a tight wave of people pushing towards the stage in what then became the tightest mosh pit ever. Once the first chord of the first song was struck, I got crushed against the stage by the force of what felt like a thousand people. Almost immediately beer started to be thrown around and I knew I’d leave after the first song. Not worth my camera getting wrecked. Next thing I know a guy flies over the top of me towards the stage smashing my camera with his foot (I think?). Probably the hardest blow my camera has ever taken. Whilst being banged around ferociously, trying to capture some images, someone stepped on my shoe and as I got shoved, it fell off my foot. So no shoe, absolutely squished to the point of being crushed, and beer drenched, I decided I had enough. Now the hard part of trying to get out of the insanely tight mosh pit. No lie, it took at least one song (although it felt like an eternity) to muscle my way out from the front of the stage. My camera took some serious beatings on the way and I finally made it to the sidelines thinking ‘what the fuck?!’. With only one shoe left and no obligation to cover any other bands for the night, it was straight into a cab and home. After cleaning my camera for about an hour and checking to make sure nothing was wrong with it, I checked the images quickly and to no surprise found the majority of my FIDLAR shots out of focus. Surprisingly, considering I was only shooting for half a three minute song, I got the images needed. Oh yeah and the worst part, my iPhone got bent from the force of being crushed as it was in the front pocket of my jeans. Yup, the iPhone 6 Plus does bend.

Anyway, I missed several shows during the week but did cover one of my faves, The Franklin Electric at the Great Hall. Love those guys. Also shot Milk & Bone and K.I.D which were a couple of nice surprises as well and enjoyed their sets. At least I didn’t lose my shoes this time…

Thanks to Quip Magazine.

Visit Quip Magazine for the review of the shows here and here.

My images from the shows can be viewed here.

*Shot on May 2nd and May 8th*

Great show from one of my faves at the Phoenix in Toronto. I love his new album and was thrilled to see some of his band mates from Junip play on stage with him. After the first three songs I stayed for the complete set, front centre, taking it all in. Awesome show! Here are a few shots from the night.

Thanks to Quip Magazine.

Visit Quip Magazine for the review of the show here.

All of my images can be viewed here.

*shot on April 13th, 2015*

It was great to get out and shoot a concert as I’d had an extended Xmas holidays and then started the new year with some product shots in the studio. I love shooting at the Sound Academy for the great lighting and sound, not to mention a more than adequate pit for us photographers. On this night I covered London Grammar for Quip Magazine and although I’ve heard some of their stuff, Hannah Reid’s voice in a live setting was awesome. I was hoping to stick around for the rest of the show after the obligatory first three songs but didn’t want to leave my gear at the check in area at the front doors. Apparently that’s the rules for shooting at this venue. Media are not allowed to carry their cameras in the venue if they want to stay and watch the show, regardless of the fact that they’re put away in their bags. Shitty, but at least I witnessed the first three songs. Here are some of my favs from the evening.

Thanks to Quip Magazine.

All of my images can be viewed here.

*Shot on January 21, 2015*

Covered Until The Ribbon Breaks for Quip Magazine at the Sound Academy. Great band that opened for London Grammar and here are some of my favs from the evening.

Thanks to Quip Magazine.

Visit Quip Magazine for the review of the show here.

All of my images can be viewed here.

*Shot on January 21, 2015*

Covered the Glitch Mob at the Danforth Music Hall for Quip Magazine. I hadn’t heard much about these guys but I did hear some peeps that they put on a great concert with an amazing light show. And that they did, at the always awesome Danforth Music Hall, as the three piece electronic genre bending band rocked the house with some serious energy. Great show except for the fact that I forgot my ear plugs and absolutely destroyed my ears while shooting the first three songs.

Thanks to Quip Magazine.

Visit Quip Magazine for the review of the show here.

All of my images can be viewed here.

*shot on October 24 2014*

Covered Fink at the Mod Club for Quip Magazine. I have all of his albums and have played them hundreds of times so I was super anxious to see him live. What a great show! There is fantastic lighting at the Mod Club but Fink had their set lit up with basically 100 lamps around the back and sides of the stage. Cool, I guess, to view and help with the mood of the music but so so for photos. The first photo is Douglas Dare who opened for Fink. Never heard of him before but totally dug his set. BTW, I’ve never had anyone say this to me while photographing but two different people said that my shutter was too loud and asked if I could stop shooting. Yup, a big F U to those peeps as I continued to shoot the obligatory first three songs.

Thanks to Quip Magazine.

Visit Quip Magazine for a review of the show here.

All of my photos from the show can be viewed here.

*shot on September 30, 2014*

One of the best shows so far this year was Chet Faker at the Danforth Music Hall. I was fortunate enough to cover the show for Quip Magazine and after listening to his album several hundred times over the last few months I was stoked to not only shoot the show but stay to enjoy the concert as well. Amazing that he was all on his own on stage (I was hoping for a live drummer at least) as he kept the crowd absolutely entertained and captivated for his set. What a great show!

Thanks to Quip Magazine.

Visit Quip Magazine for a review of the show here.

Images from Chet Faker’s show can be viewed here.

*shot on September 13, 2014*

A few of my faves were playing today and this made me forget about the crusty, muddied shoes I was wearing. Seeing Death Cab For Cutie and The National back to back is my highlight thus far this summer. I love these guys and their shows were awesome. Craziest show was Die Antwoord. Not only was the show frenetic but that electricity travelled through the photographers and the crowd. I found myself being crushed in the pit and lots of people had cameras up in the air at arms lengths in order to capture the action. As much as I hate to do this, I ended up shooting a few frames in the same way since I had no choice. And this show was LOUD! The three song limit seem to go by in about a minute and I left the pit wondering wtf just happened and if I got any decent shots. Cameras got banged around a fair bit and besides losing my lens cap (found buried in mud) all was fine. Wow, crazy!

Thanks to Quip Magazine.

Visit Quip Magazine for  a review of the festival here.

Images from Bob Mould can be viewed here.

Images from Tokyo Police Club can be viewed here.

Images from Die Antwoord can be viewed here.

Images from Stars can be viewed here.

Images from Death Cab For Cutie can be viewed here.

Images from The National can be viewed here.

Images from Metric can be viewed here.

Images from City And Colour can be viewed here.

*shot on September 7, 2013*

Covered Riot Fest for Quip Magazine at Downsview Park. Last time I was there (Edgefest 2013) I got absolutely soaked from one of the heaviest rainfalls of the season. This year there was no rain but it did rain heavily the day before which left many parts of Downsview Park in total mud. After the first 15 minutes, having accepted that you were going to be grotesquely filthy with ruined shoes, it wasn’t so bad. At least my gear didn’t get filthy. It did get ridiculously cold though into the evening but the beers and the tight photo pits kept me warm. Speaking of photo pits, this year it seemed like they were larger…or maybe there were less media (still too much). Anyway I seemed to have more freedom shooting the bands. Best show for me on the first day was Rise Against and The Flaming Lips. I’ve shot Rise Against a few times and just love the energy of these guys. Plus I love the crowd surfing. The Flaming Lips had one hell of a light show but it was the outrageous costumes and stage set that really made you feel like you were some kind of psychedelic acid trip. Great way to end the evening.

Images from Taking Back Sunday can be viewed here.

Images from Awolnation can be viewed here.

Images from Broncho can be viewed here.

Images from Rise Against can be viewed here.

Images from Death From Above 1979 can be viewed here.

Images from The Flaming Lips can be viewed here.

*shot on September 6, 2013*

Covered TURF for Quip Magazine at Garrison Commons. I love this music festival primarily because the line up of bands is amazing and I love the chilled out vibe of the venue. Oh and yes it’s so close to my house which is a bonus. This year my favs were Beirut, Gary Clark Jr. and Gaslight Anthem. Craziest, most energetic show goes to Gogol Bordello. Wow, great band! New this year was the addition of a third stage (south stage). I get the more intimate setting of having a smaller stage but I only shot one show at this stage mainly because I found the sound to be inferior to the other stages. Besides the show closers Hollerado, I really was only interested in Deer Tick (whom I shot) at the south stage. Also this year there seemed to be more photographers who were not only completely inexperienced but in many instances were totally bereft of any pit etiquette. I won’t go into the details but I really hate the photogs who lift their camera above their heads for that perspective, not because they do it but because of the amount of times they do it, not giving a crap about the many photographers behind them. Or the photogs who slowly enter your frame while you are being as still as can be shooting. Or the photogs who push their way following the lead singer from one side of the pit to the other. Or etc etc. You’ll get the images you need and if you can’t get them in three songs, wtf are you doing with a camera and wtf are you doing in the pit! Maybe I’m getting too old for this shit. Nope, I’m not, just a bunch of newbie wankers that pissed me off. Anyway, great to see the usual suspects and great to meet some great new photographers as well. Until next time…enjoy the images.

Thanks to Quip Magazine.

Visit Quip Magazine for the review of the festival here.

Images from Gary Clark Jr.’s show can be viewed here.

Images from Local Natives’ show can be viewed here.

Images from Deer Tick’s show can be viewed here.

Images from Beirut’s show can be viewed here.

Images from  Violent Femmes’ show can be viewed here.

Images from Gaslight Anthem’s show can be viewed here.

Images from Hey Rosetta!’s show can be viewed here.

Images from Sam Roberts Band’s show can be viewed here.

Images from Gogol Bordello’s show can be viewed here.

Images from Jeff Tweedy’s show can be viewed here.

Amazing performance from the legendary singer Dianne Reeves at the Toronto Star stage at Nathan Phillips Square as part of Toronto Jazz Festival. Opening for Dianne was the Brandi Disterheft Quartet. Two stellar shows to begin my coverage for this years Toronto Jazz Festival.

Thanks to Anna from Toronto Downtown Jazz and to Craig Pady from CIUT 89.5FM.

Images from Dianne Reeves show can be viewed here.

Images from Brandi Disterheft Quartet can be viewed here.

Covered Angel Olsen at Lee’s Palace for Quip Magazine. It was a packed house for this folk rock singer from St Louis Missouri and Promised Land Sound opened with their country rock. I stayed to enjoy the music after the 3 song shoot limit and witnessed a couple of great shows.

Thanks to Quip Magazine.

Visit Quip Magazine for the review of the show here.

All of my images of Angel Olsen can be viewed here.

All of my images of Promised Land Sound can be viewed here.

*Shot on May 7, 2014*

Covered Pet Shop Boys at the Sony Centre of Performing Arts for Quip Magazine. I had never shot at this venue and with a note from the promoters that we would be shooting from the soundboard, I picked up a 300mm 2.8 just to make sure I would get the reach. Fifteen minutes before getting escorted to the soundboard area we were informed that we would not be shooting from the soundboard but from the side of the stage. From prime centre spot to a crap side angle and to make matters worse, I had forgotten my monopod. Anyway, I was able to hand hold the 300mm 2.8 and got the shots needed.

Thanks to Quip Magazine.

All of my images can be viewed here.

*Shot on September 25, 2013*

Covered Grand Analog at the Wrong Bar for Quip Magazine. First up was an interview with the band before their set at a pizza joint across the street. We had 15 minutes with a couple of members from the band and the image above was shot during the interview. Although they look pretty serious, they were actually hilarious and really had me laughing. Great guys! This awesome hip hop band finally started their set at around 1:30am and cranked out their usual rock, dub, soul, reggae mix. The only disappointing part of the night was the lighting at the Wrong Bar. I knew I had to worry as the promoters did not have a flash restriction and although there were a couple of other photographers using flash, I maxed out my D3s once again to get these shots.

Thanks to Quip Magazine.

Visit Quip Magazine for the review of the show here.

All of my images can be viewed here.

*shot on November 16, 2013*

Although I have seen many concerts at Lees Palace, this was the first time shooting there. There was a great line up of bands tonight but I was especially looking forward to Cults. By the time they came on the place was jam-packed. They sounded great and their own light show added to their sound and mood. Love this band! I also thought that maybe next time I shoot at this venue I will shoot from the sound board area with a 70-200 2.8 as there was a clear view of the band from the (sunken) area in front of the high stage.

Thanks to Quip Magazine.

Visit Quip Magazine for a review of one of their recent shows here.

All of my images can be viewed here.

*shot on November 25, 2013*

Great band that was part of a triple bill at Lees Palace. Their set of dark groove oriented rock definitely got the crowd buzzing and primed for Cults.

All of my images can be viewed here.

*shot on November 25, 2013*

Opening the night at Lees Palace (with Sacco and Cults) was the dream pop sound of Mood Rings.

All of my images can be viewed here.

*shot on November 25, 2013*

Although I only knew of a couple of songs from JMSN, they played a great set at Wrong Bar opening for Grand Analog. Nothing like watching a great band in a full house with the crowd totally into the show. Hilarious also to watch the groupies in the front row.

All of my images can be viewed here.