Neverworld

06 August 14

Posted at 1:31

No sooner had I made yesterday's post than I received a message from a shy and retiring young man, Gary Payne, enquiring if I had taken any photos of the band he plays with, Neverworld, at ROTW 2014. Gary found me through my LeFlic17images facebook page (feel free to pop along and 'like') and his message began Hi Herr Flic! This threw me for a moment as LeFlic17 did not come from 'allo 'allo and I've never considered the connection before. It's a long story when it is derived from and no time for that now. On to Gary and his quest for photos.

Well I did shoot Neverworld  a talented and photogenic bunch - genre they describe as melodic metal - I'll go a long with that. So today's photoblog is dedicated to  Neverworld

Neverworld 3

Neverworld

Neverworld

Jack, Ben and Gary

Neverworld 2

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Flying Dreads

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Jack Foster - Neverworld

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Gary Payne - Neverworld

As I said, shy and retiring - not!

Ben Cotton - Neverworld

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Jack Foster - Neverworld

Neverworld played mid afternoon on Sunday - I would have preferred them to have a later spot (BBC Introducing Gareth Lloyd take note) as they would have reached a bigger audience. However they had a big following most of whom I did not photograph but this hairy bloke who was well into Neverworld did catch my eye...

Head Bang 1

He was not with the main crop of head bangers but ws isolated between two fans somehow oblivious to his presence, well in fact 'sneaky 'tog' to the left of him isn't oblivious :). After a long period of shaking and swirling his mop to the music he suffered a real bad hair moment..

Head Bang 2

I had to be quick to catch this as his head was shaking fast and he rarely came up for air.

Head Bang 3

Normal service resumed.

There you go Gary - apologies I missed you in the first blog - hope this compensates.

Check out Neverworld  here  or ideally catch them live (unless of course you have dandruff).

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ROTW 2014

05 August 14

Posted at 6:40

Rhythms Of The World, Hitchin's splendid two day festival of music and much more, returned at the weekend after an enforced break last year. The festival, which started life as a street festival held in a mutlitude of venues across the town became so popular and big that it had to move to a single location. In 2012 the festival, which was a storming success (excuse the pun) was marred a little by torrential rain preceeding the event and causing a two hour delay on the Saturday. However that did not deter from a fantastic festival, run 100% by volunteers and attracting artists and talent from across the world and particularly a big presence from Beds, Herts and Bucks. The festival on top of the heavy rain caused so much damage to the grounds of the venue, Hichin Priory, that access for 2013 was denied. In a way understandable as the Priory serves as an event and wedding venue throughout the year.

However 2014 saw the return of ROTW to the Priory, no doubt after much arm twisting and praying for good weather. The event boasts six stages in addition to family areas, healing fields, bars, food outlets etc. There is no camping, perhaps a good thing, but the festival, considering it is totally run by a army of volunteers is both a credit to them and the town.

This year the first act on the mainstage was the Sir Walter J Wallis Band.

Charlie and Sir Walter J Wallis

Sir Walter, who doubled as compare on the main stage for much of the weekend, invited a lad name of Charlie to come up on stage and officially open the festival. Reluctant at first Charlie soon got over stage fright to did a good job of opening the show. The organisers aim to make the festival a family event and they do a briliant job of catering for families, children of all ages, old rockers, young rockers, hipsters, clubbers and ravers and even some classical music. Music lovers of every generation and genre are catered for. I flitted between stages but shot mostly at the BBC Introducing Stage hosted by Gareth Lloyd of BBC Three Counties Radio. Below is a flavour of the festival - more to come in future blogs.

Phili 'N' Dotz

Phili 'N' Dotz

Kool Hertz

Kool Hertz

Kill Confirmed

Kill Confirmed

Joe Savage - Kill Confirmed

Joe Savage - Kill Confirmed

Tommy Savage

Tommy Savage - Kill Confirmed

Tommy Savage Head Bang

Tommy Savage head bang

CC Smugglers

CC Smugglers

Indi Forde

Indi Forde

Black Noise

Black Noise

Dancing Boy

Young dancer

Zaheer the Producer

Zaheer the Producer

Rapper

Rapper with Zaheer

Crazy World of Arthur Brown

Crazy World of Arthur Brown

I Am The God of Hellfire

The God of Hellfire

Arthur Brown

Arthur Brown

Zaheer's Crew

Another of Zaheer's Crew

Black Noise

Black Noise

Joe Savage - Kill Confirmed

Joe Savage - guitar face

Untitled

Arthur again.

More pics of more acts in a day or two

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Lebanese Festival Day 2014

23 June 14

Posted at 5:53

The fourth Lebanese Festival Day was held yesterday (22nd June) at Paddington Green, London. I went there to capture some images for my ongoing Edgware Road Project.

Balloon Flag

Lebanese Ballon Flag

No sooner had I arrived there and was taking this photograph (at the main entrance) than a couple of burly security men advised me "you are not coming in here with 'that' (pointing to my camera), you can't use that to take photographs here". I was irked by that statement for many reasons but I bit my lip and chose not to recite my rights. Instead I expressed my concern as I had travelled a long way in order to photograph the vent as it was part of a major project blah, blah, blah. I was advised a I needed a press pass. Within ten minutes and much flashing of my University student pass I was the proud wearer of a press pass wristband and I was in. The organisers were to be fair really helpful and the job's worth security blokes were only doing their jobs after all.

The Fight

This game proved popular with boys and girls all day long.

Also popular from start to finish was the food stalls. Very nice the offerings were too.

Chicken Kebab

Chicken Kebab

At two o clock the event was formally opened. Special guest was Audrey Lewis the Lady Lord Mayor of Westminster

Audrey Lewis - Lord Mayor of Westminster

Audrey Lewis

I have to say after such a wonderful introduction and an informative speech by the organisers explaining how for so many Lebanese London was their place of birth but Lebanon their cultural home. This festival an effort to both retain the Lebanese Culture and to share it with other Londoners in what is now their adopted and much loved home. (We even had a rendition of God Save the Queen to kick events off). Well, Aud, the Lady Lord Mayor I'm afraid let the side down somewhat, she could have said so many positive things about thefamily atmosphere, the dancing, the food, the backgammon tournament even the hookah pipes but no,  she said she had 'noticed some interesting smells around the place'! Her intent was fine it's just that she couldn't find the words to articulate her sentiment. Anyway I think that was the case although she was directly above a group of young men who had been energetically dancing for the last hour so who knows. Anyway she was brief and that meant the party could commence.

Smoking the Hookah on Paddington Green

Well after a little smoke of course.

Lebanese Dancing Men

The men were soon back into it with some gusto.

I Am Lebanese

While the ladies enjoyed a calmer shuffle.

Backgammon Man

And upon the hill the serious matter of the backgammon tournament.

Lebanese Dancing

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Lodestar Festival 2012

12 September 12

Posted at 8:14

At the beginning of the month I shot two days of Lodestar Festival 2012, unfortuantely I was double booked on the third day. Lodestar Festival  is held in Lode, just north west of Cambridge. It's a wonderful festival of music. Doug Durrant runs it on his farm. I went there last year for the first time primarily to shoot The Travelling Band so I only spent one day there. I was bowled over by the quality of artists at what is a small and I guess local to Cambridge festival. Lodestar is extraordinary in many ways. First of all it takes place on what is described as a 200 acre lawn. To my amazement that description is accurate - a perfectly flat area of grass extending virtually as far as you can see in every direction. The other extraordinary thing is the quality of the artists who come from far and wide. An eclectic mix with a common theme of talent.

This year the first day was headlined by 

The Go Team

The Go Team

and what a headline act they were! Check them out here.

Ninja - The Go Team

Ninja - The Go! Team

I heard Lodestar was to be their last perfomance - I certainly hope that is not the case.

At the other end of the day the first band up was

Violet Bones

Violet Bones

Violet Bones

Violet Bones

Often the first band on is perhaps somewhat lacking, maybe inexperienced etc. but Lodestar kicks off with real talent and that flows through the whole event. There is only one negative about Lodetsar and that is the fact that the campers, who are on a part of the 'lawn' outside of the main arena and festival gates, appear to spend most of the day chillin and drinking around their tents as opposed to in the stage area. They then arrive en masse for the final two or three sets. I'm unclear why but it's frustrating for talented artists playing to often very small crowds when festival goers are only a few hundred yards away. But don't let that small negative give a wrong impression, if you like live music you'll love Lodestar.

Last year my 'find' of the festival was Kill It Kid who I have followed ever since. This year it was..

Luminites

Luminites

Luminites played on the Saturday and were about halfway through the day. They had been mingling with the festival crowd for a few hours before they went on stage and I soon got the impression they were lovely people.

Corey and Steph - Luminites

Then when they were on stage - what a joy. They are a mix of hip hop, beatbox and bouncy rap. They absolutely wowed the younger members of the audience and as their set went on everyone else began to take notice. These kids are really talented. They are also NICE - it may not always be cool to be nice but Luminites really pull it off. Their interaction with the crowd was a joy to behold.

Luminites from the Stage

Corey from Luminites

Corey - Luminites

Ben - Luminites

Ben - Luminites

Luminites - click here

Untitled

 

Now a few pics of other artists at Lodsetar this year

Big Kids

Big Kids

Ryan Keen - who really impressed me

Ryan Keen 2

Ryan was brilliant and after a long set he actually went into the crowd and did an accoustic set while the next band was set up. Nice one Ryan!

Ryan Keen

Ryan Keen

 

The Rocket Dolls also strutted their stuff early on the first day..

Nikki Smash - Rocket Dolls

Nikki Smash - The Rocket Dolls

and then the penultimate set on the Saturday night was Katzenjammer. This, can I call them a girlband?, from Oslo were something else. they were different that's for sure and I'm sure they will be a massive success

Katzenjammer

Katzenjammer - Lodestar 2012

They took it in turns on this weird bass guitar. The girls are versatile, talented and break some boundaries. Get to see them. click here


Solveig Heilo - Katzenjammer

Well that just leaves the headline - Sir Bob Geldof. I'll be honest, I wasn't fussed and nearly shot off to process what I'd shot that day. OK I quite liked the Rats many years ago, I definately still don't like Mondays and I have great respect for what the 'gobby one' has done for the suffereing, world peace and single parent males but come on - Sir Bob Geldolf on stage - I really wasn't sure. Anyway I decided to hang a round for 'first three no flash'. Wow! what a surprise.

Geldof and band

 

Here he was with his aging cronies and they could play. Bob had a presence I guess I should have expected but he was brilliant..

Sir Bob Geldof 

I take it back Sir Bob, I enjoyed your set just as much as your (surprisingly young) females fans. Apologies for doubting you. 

Bob Geldof

Bob Geldof at Lodestsar 2012

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Bob Geldof

Oh yeah and you make a great subject to photograph

Geldof portrait

Geldof

Well I hope that's given you a taste for Lodestar. A testament to the festival is that it took place at all this year - a year when so many festivals have failed financially or been cancelled altogether. I can only believe that Doug loves music and puts a real effort into his line up and that his supporters, you who went again this year, are happy to buy a ticket and spend most of the day chillin in the sunshine before having a boogie in front of stage. (try and leave your tent parties a bit earlier next year e? Oh that's another thing, Doug provides brilliant weather alongside his awesome artists. It would be worth your while to head for Lode next September.

 

 

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