Touring with Phil Labonte of All That Remains, Killswitch Engage rocked the Pageant in a spectacle of calculated chaos. With the stage free of monitors, mic stands, and any other distractions, the expansive stage became a playground a little metal mayhem. At any given time, most of the members of the band seemed to be jogging around the stage while at least one was rocking a powerstance in a twisted game of musical metal chairs.
Photographer's Notes:
With nothing on stage to get in their way, Killswitch Engage basically run around like chickens with their heads cut off. Luckily, there is a system to all this madness, as the band members do make stops at the front of the stage at intervals to rock out. These moments of pause are the best opportunities to catch the guys, so keep your eyes peeled.
Out of all the band members, Adam Dutkiewicz is easily the most fun to photograph since he's mugging for the crowd the majority of the time. That, and the fact that he's probably likely to be wearing a cape any given time he's on stage.
Overall, lighting was spastic, but generally pretty bright, and largely flooding in from the back and sides of the stage. The kind of big, bombastic treatment that looks great from the crowd, but which may give photographers a little headache at times.
Due to the stage setup previously mentioned, this show was made for wide-angle photography. The 14-24mm f/2.8 and 24-70mm f/2.8 dominated this concert.
End Notes:
Great show – plenty of challenge and the time went by in a flash, but also really fun to photograph. Want more Killswitch? You can see the guys from their 2008 tour here:
