It's that time of year again – the week when El Monstero takes over the Pageant in their week-long residency. This annual tradition is always a treat for Pink Floyd fans, but for photographers as well. The band spares no expense in their production – there are plenty of lights, lasers, and flames to make that fact evident.
Photographer's Notes:
Cameras Used:
- Nikon D3
- Nikon D700
Lenses Used:
El Monster's show is always a spectacle, and 2012's treatment was no exception. Despite being essentially a “local band,” El Monstero put on a production that rivals what many touring bands pack into arenas.
Enough stage lights to fill a semi. Lasers. Projection. A million cubic tons of haze. Pyro. El Monstero comes with all this and more.
The secret of course is that with the run spread out over a week, El Monstero has the luxury of installing a production that even many touring acts cannot handle, and which is rare even for much larger acts playing this club size.
I shot this gig with the Nikon D3 and D700 as my main cameras. Even though I have a Nikon D800, for events I still prefer the D3 and D700. They're faster and the image quality is just as good. The only thing sacrificed is the insane resolution of the new Nikon D800, which is arguably not necessary unless you plan on making massive prints.
It's pretty amazing, but even 5 years later, these old cameras are still pretty dominating for live music photography.
