Bassnectar. Think about it – it's like an ambrosia of sweet, thick bass for your ears. And to this end, Lorin Ashton and his stagename deliver in spades, with a huge array of bass stacks lining the stage and slamming waves of the low stuff.
Oh, and you have to love any performing artist that lets photographers on stage to boot.
Photographer's Notes:
Cameras Used:
- Nikon D3
- Nikon D700
Lenses Used:
This was an experience. I'd seen Bassnectar on the calendar at the Pageant over the last couple years, but it wasn't until this assignment that I finally got to check out the buzz. And for this sold-out show, the Pageant was absolutely packed with crazed bassheads.
First off, this post deserves a big shout out to Lorin and his team for very generous access to the stage, which really was a huge boon for bringing home great shots of this event. Prior to the show, press met up with a member of the tour, who laid the ground rules for shooting. After 15 minutes of pit access, photographers were allowed stage access in groups of two. We were allowed to shoot for about 5-10 minutes; after that, press were allowed to shoot the rest of the show without pit or stage access.
Musicians – this is how you do it.
I wish more artists had this approach to photography. This kind of access truly does make for the very best coverage.
To that end, one aspect of shooting a concert like Bassnectar's is that it's so hugely atmospheric and environmental that Lorin Ashton is only one component. With his relatively huge deck setup on stage, nailing a clean shot of Lorin is a pretty hefty challenge, and especially with the already high stage of the Pageant. Add to that his mane and endless hairwhips, and you may as well kiss a headshot of him goodbye.
This situation may really be a blessing in disguise, because it frees one up to focus on the scene as a whole, including the fans loosing their minds (and perhaps their hearing) and the fantastic lightshow of this tour.
Overall, this is just a great tour – looking forward to shooting Bassnectar again sometime soon.
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