Well it is the end of another year. 40 shows, 3 festivals, and some thousands of photos later....here are some of my favorite shots from 2017.
mewithoutyou l February 19th, 2017 l Showbox SODO l Seattle, WA
Mewithoutyou is one of the best live bands I will ever see in this lifetime and getting to photograph them is always an honor. The amount of passion and soul each member of the band puts into their performance is something I will never be able to describe, but was able to capture in this series of photos of vocalist Aaron Weiss during a raw and vulnerable moment during their set.
Circa Survive l February 19th, 2017 l Showbox SODO l Seattle, WA
If there is anything you need to know about me, just know that Circa Survive is my favorite band. Each time I have seen them, I have been left in awe of the musicianship each member displays onstage. While most photos I have taken of Circa Survive over the years (whether decent or awful) have been some of my favorites because I love this band so much, I am particular proud of this moment I caught during their set earlier this year.
Set Your Goals l March 26th, 2017 l SO WHAT?! Fest 2017 l Dallas, TX
Set Your Goals is one of the first bands I ever photographed back in 2008 so getting the opportunity to photograph them again during So What?! Fest was something that made me really happy, almost as happy as Matt looks in this photograph. This shot was snapped as the crowd sang the words to "Mutiny!" back to Matt, his expression giving enough explanation as to how much warmth and support Set Your Goals has been given upon their return back to the music scene.
Every Time I Die l March 26th, 2017 l SO WHAT?! Fest 2017 l Dallas, TX
Photographing a band during a lightning storm in the middle of Texas is probably something I will get to say I only did once in my life. This was a shot I didn't know I had gotten until I sat down and uploaded everything to my laptop. With the chaos that ETID brings mixed with the overflowing pit of photographers while lightning struck not far from us, I remember walking away from the pit defeated that I hadn't gotten any good shots only to find out I had captured some of my favorites this year.
Bring Me The Horizon l April 1st, 2017 l WAMU Theater l Seattle, WA
Bring Me The Horizon has been a bucket list band of mine to photograph for years now and they certainly didn't disappoint this spring. I captured this moment early in their set that night at a moment where Oli Sykes dropped to his knees, waiting for his cue to begin singing again. With all of the screaming fans and flashing lights around him, this was a rather quiet moment in the night I was able to catch.
Bring Me The Horizon l April 1st, 2017 l WAMU Theater l Seattle, WA
Here is a complete opposite moment I was able to catch during BMTH's set that night. The production of this tour was something I had never seen before and allowed for the perfect mix of colors, graphics, and emotions to be snapped during the band's performance.
Thursday l April 16th, 2017 l Showbox SODO l Seattle, WA
I didn't know too much about Thursday before their show this spring, but ended up walking away a big fan after capturing this moment of Geoff Rickly. He ended up being a big fan of the photo and it's one of my favorites from the night.
The 1975 l April 30th, 2017 l WAMU Theater l Seattle, WA
The 1975 is another bucket list band of mine for the past few years. This, in my opinion, is kind of the quintessential 1975 moment you hope to capture during their show - their rectangular logo hanging in the air with the I Like It When You Sleep... pink color illuminating vocalist Matt Healy. It's simple in a lot of ways, but still holds true to the band's image we have all become familiar with.
Blessthefall l June 16th, 2017 l Vans Warped Tour l Seattle, WA
Blessthefall takes the cake as my favorite band I photographed this year. Whether you like their music or not, you cannot deny the energy they bring to each of their performances. Taken during the opening day of the 2017 Vans Warped Tour (and the very last one to happen in Seattle), there are so many photos from their set that I enjoyed, but here is one that the band seemed to really like and used on their socials the next day.
Boston Manor l June 16th, 2017 l Vans Warped Tour l Seattle, WA
This was one of those "I got this shot and I know I am going to love it" type of moments during the chaotic Warped Tour day. All of the photographers that were in the pit had left after the second song, leaving me alone to capture this rare and raw moment from vocalist Henry Cox during their debut Warped Tour set this past summer. Henry liked this photo and Alternative Press liked it enough to publish in one of their issues this year.
Blessthefall l June 17th, 2017 l Vans Warped Tour l Salem, OR
This photo encompasses what Blessthefall is all about on Warped Tour. At the beginning of every set, vocalist Beau Bokan runs onstage and sprays the photo pit and crowd with water, a carefree moment I wanted to make sure to capture on the second day of Warped Tour.
Stick To Your Guns l June 17th, 2017 l Vans Warped Tour l Salem, OR
Stick To Your Guns was a wildcard band for me this year that I ended up loving. While I have a couple different photos from their sets over the first two days of Warped Tour that I am really proud of, I am stoked on the composition and energy of this photo that really encompasses the energy and passion the band puts into their performances.
Creeper l June 17th, 2017 l Vans Warped Tour l Salem, OR
Creeper's become one of my favorite bands over the past two years so to say I was stoked about doing a shoot with them this summer would be a huge understatement. I not only love the way the portraits came out with the band, but am incredibly happy to report that these are some of the nicest people I have come across in the industry.
Knocked Loose l June 17th, 2017 l Vans Warped Tour l Salem, OR
As the very last set I photographed at Warped Tour this year, I was very bummed when my camera started to malfunction at the very start of it. With the shutter barely working and with me turning my camera on and off with each photo I snapped, I somehow managed to capture this moment of vocalist Bryan and the hundreds of fans that swarmed the stage to watch them close out day two at Warped Tour.
I, The Mighty l July 15th, 2017 l Portland, OR
I got the opportunity to document one of I, The Mighty's days in the studio this summer for Equal Vision Records. If my memory's correct, I think this was almost a "posed" moment where Brent was trying to make it look like he was having fun tracking his guitar parts even though he had finished it all weeks ago, but Chis ended up walking in, causing the moment to turn candid as he made fun of what Brent was doing.
PVRIS l September 1st, 2017 l Bumbershoot Festival l Seattle, WA
PVRIS was on my list of bands to photograph this year and I was fortunate enough to photograph them at Bumbershoot this year. While the stage was as tall as I am, proving to be a challenge for all of the photographers in the pit that day, I was able to stand on my tippy toes and capture this moment of Lynn behind the piano as the band began playing "Heaven," a track off of their newly released album.
The Shantics l November 3rd, 2017 l London, England
I ran around Hammersmith in London with some of my friends in The Shantics and took some promo photos of them this past November. While I didn't think this set of photos from the day would be my favorite, I managed to capture this candid moment of them while messing around in a phone booth I have become quite fond of.