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Thursday, May 2, 2013

Flying to Austin, and attending the APF

The Black Angels stated a small festival 6 years ago to have their style, and favourite music heard by friends and fans. This year was the 1st time it was in an outside setting for 3 days and nights on Alex (singer for Black Angels) grandfather's ranch by the Colorado river, in Austin. I just received some of the stats, and will add here before I start a stream of photos I took last weekend, in Austin Tx.


  • 74% increase in tix sales (1900 last year to 3300 this year).
  • 4,000 attendees at our peak.
  • Roughly 613 campers.
  • 80 bands over the weekend (broken down below):
  • Red 7 -  pre party Thursday night April 25 2013
  • Mohawk -  pre party Thursday night April 25 2013
    Friday - 20 bands played April 26 2013
    Saturday - 24 bands played April 27 2013
    Sunday - 20 bands April 28 2013




I took this photo while I was sitting at the gate waiting to get on the plane to head to Austin by way of Dallas. I have not turned the photo to read correctly on this new mac. Even by then I knew I had taken to much, all carry on.

There were many bands I was looking forward to hearing, but none so much as Nonni and his band Dead Skeletons from Iceland. This photo that I love I will put 1st. Yes it is blurry but to me, though I wish it was clear the magic come through the blurry. They were playing in the dark, well almost but the majick shines.









This collection was at some airport of Donald Ducks and Mickey Mouse, massive collections under glass.

I went outside for a cigaret in Dallas and had to do the shoes off and bet and body check but took this photo outside the Dallas airport.



The first night in Austin I stayed at a hotel near the airport and when I got to my room, A Place to Bury Strangers had just finished their set at the pre party, did want to see Oliver and the amazing band but was arriving to late. The parties went on to 4 AM, me sleeping, ick. But anyway. Breakfast at the hotel and headed of to the Duplex Vanessa and I had rented for the weekend. Brian Koss picked me up, we went to Vic BBQ were I ate to much BBQ. Brian can fill in the details. 



Somehow we found the festival and I can see why nothing got started until the afternoon.



We followed the porch to the gates and yes it was still in the parking lot the next day.



The gates welcome me to a new reality for 2013




The first t shirt I saw were from the Dead Skeletons from iceland. There really was no need to take more than one t shirt to Austin. :)





There were 3 stages, The Reverberation Stage, The Elevation Amphitheatre (by the river), and the Levitation Tent. 







I run into Brian Jonestown people in all the best places, The Committee to Keep Music Evil had a t shirt and merch table. I got Daniel the BJM sticker for his guitar, they did not have them on tour last year

Bass Drum of Dead 4:30 pm on the Reverberation Stage. I had not heard or seen them but will listen to more and love the name. :)






Besnard Lakes were on next, on the Reverberation Stage, a bit later I got backstage by mistake and took this group shot, someone took a photo of me taking this photo, if you see it let me know, ha.






North West of the APF was an airport for private flight, jets and noon commercial flight, oil money. This is Texas after all.

I saw was Vietnam, 6 pm at the Elevation Amphitheatre by the Colorado river. This is the second time I have seen Vietnam and damn they have got better. This wild collection of disks was at the front of the Elevation Amphitheatre. Staring at it could be dangerous.










Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Austin PsychFest April 26, 27, 28, 2013


I am flying to Austin Tx for this 3 day event. I think the last time I was at a 3 day festival, and no I was not at Woodstock, well I think it was the US Festival in California, 1983. I learned a lot there, and saw some great bands, and took some photos, but what is foremost in my mind is STAY IN A HOTEL. There is camping this year in Carson Creek Ranch where the music will be, but sleeping on the ground, I think not this time.

The Clash headlined the opening night at the US Festival, press area was a mile away from the stage, it was really hot. They held a press conference before they went on stage. They were aware that the headliners on metal night, and the last night were being paid more. They were not asking for more for the Clash, but the difference be donated to the poor, to feed people in L.A. I was late to the press conference and took this photo from behind the event.





The lineup for Austin is amazing and growing. Here is an early version.


Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
The Black Angels
Deerhunter
Tinariwen
Clinic
Warpaint
Black Mountain
Boris
Spectrum
Man Or Astroman?
The King Khan & Bbq Show
The Growlers
Acid Mothers Temple
Quintron & Miss Pussycat
The Soft Moon
White Fence
Diiv
Dead Skeletons
The Warlocks
Vietnam
Goat
Black Bananas
The Black Ryder
Lumerians
Elephant Stone
The Laurels
Gary War
Woodsman
The Cult Of Dom Keller
Golden Animals
Holydrug Couple
Vinyl Williams
Ttotals
Dreamtime

I have seem some of these bands and will post photos, and look for music links and post here also. Here are some more added to the already amazing list.

THE MOVING SIDEWALKS featuring BILLY GIBBONS OF ZZ TOP • OS MUTANTES • ROKY ERICKSON • THE RAVEONETTES • OM • SILVER APPLES • KALEIDOSCOPE (UK) • TAMARYN • SUUNS • BESNARD LAKES • INDIAN JEWELRY • BASS DRUM OF DEATH • NIGHT BEATS • NO JOY • YOUNG MAGIC • WALL OF DEATH • HOLY WAVE • RIDE INTO THE SUN • HEARTS IN SPACE • 





This photo is of the lead singer of Deerhunter, Bradford Cox crowd surfing to the Black Lips at the Commodore Ballroom July 23/24, 2009. Deerhunter opened for the Black Lips that night.  One of the things I love about digital photography is that I could show this photo to him when he came back on the stage and into the wings. I am looking forward to hearing them again in Austin.





This is Oliver Achermann from a Place to Bury Strangers. If you have not seen them live you would not know that they play in darkness, with a strobe light and some visuals projected behind the drummer. Now the thing about a strobe is that if it is on the photos are pure light, and yes if it is off pure black darkness. What I had to do is shoot for the transitions, coming on; going off. This one caught that magic moment. 





I have two cats, and nothing sends them running upstairs faster than the Black Angels streaming through the ground floor speakers. Their music is amazing but not to my cats.
This photo was taken at the sound check when they were here May 9, 2011. Alex Maas, the singer walking across the stage and the light show is amazing, it is hard to believe that is a flat backdrop behind them. Listen to the Black Angels, trust me look them up on Youtube and listen. They are playing Vancouver May 14, 2013 at the Commodore, you really should see them live.





Acid Mothers Temple are from Japan. This photo was taken the first time I saw them. This band is amazing and I always drift into a trance. I seem to be able to take photos in that trance. Ha





Anton Newcombe took us on Dead Tv to see the Warlocks in Berlin at the Bang Bang Club. He broadcasted live on Ustream. We were not close to the stage, but the sound was very good. I took this photo of Anton talking to Bobby on the stairs. Just to the right of the image you will see us all chatting. I love Dead TV. I have seen the Warlocks live and have photos, but this is closer to my heart.




Well decided to add a live shot of the Warlocks from Richard's on Richards, June 10, 2008 when they opened for the Black Angels. Yes great show. 









This is a photo of Ringo Deathstarr when they were playing at The Electric Owl. I went to the sound check and asked them to come out back for some photos. My friend Lawrence Alexander had ask for some photos for his band blog website Portable-Infinite. I am not sure if he used this photo or not. I enjoyed the band that night and am looking forward to hearing them again in their hometown Austin Tx.
The Electric Owl is the old American Hotel, out front you would never know, but when you get around to the back, the vibe and sign of the American Hotel still lives. This photo was taken at the back.






The King Khan & Bbq Show is a bit of a mystery to me, yes I saw them May 22, 2009 at the Commodore. I stood in amazement taking photos. Visually Doctor John came to mind. This was one of those shows where I was allowed to shot as much as I wanted, but when he took his head gear and little Richard's style jack off I was finished taking photos. I stayed for the music.

Monday, January 21, 2013



This poster from Mar 24, 1979 DOA show in Burnaby was the start of a long relationship with DOA and the Vancouver BC punk music scene for me. DOA had played in Victoria at the university and a bit of bother had taken place. The next show was to have been at University of BC Student Union Building but it was cancelled and they were banned. They rented a hall just outside of Vancouver, in Burnaby, and this was the poster. "Thought you got rid of us eh?" I saw this poster, and decided I just had to go. I had missed a lot of their early shows but not this one. I did not take a camera and went with Phil, who I lived with (he had a car) and his sister Joan. We sat near the back. It was loud, dangerous, exciting and I decided I was going to their next show and I would take a camera. I had run out of anything to take photos of, and here was an amazing group of people. My god I do get excited thinking of how I felt that night.



This photo is from the second time I saw DOA at Gombados in Gastown, Vancouver  April 26, 1979. I had no flash for my camera and I got a bit of a black eye from trying to shoot from the mosh pit. 1st and last time shooting from there.


Dale Powers (Dishrags) and Chuck Biscuits out back of Gombados after the show April 26, 1979

I was shooting 400 ISO film and the need of a flash is clearly to be seen here in this photo. :)


Randy Rampage, DOA at Rock Against Racism show at the Smilin' Buddha May 5, 1979


DOA l-r Joey Shithead, Chuck Biscuits, Randy Rampage, back stage at O'Hara's. Vancouver
May 10. 1979


This photo is one of a few that I took that night back stage. They used this photo inside the booklet inside the original pressing of the Vancouver Complication LP. That was the first photo I had published.



I saw DOA a few times before they were leaving on tour. They told me they were playing a Rock against Racism in Chicago's Lincoln  Park. They said I should try to get there. I decided to go and just showed up. I stayed downtown at the WMCA/YWCA in Chicago. It depended if you were  a woman then the women only floor or a man the men only. Scary shit. The Y not the event. haha


Chuck Biscuits in Lincoln Park, Chicago 

I love this photo but never found anyone who seemed to like it much, oh well I like the moment.

The photo before and also below are from the black and white film taken in Chicago. It comes as a shock to me that these are the 13th and 14th rolls from when I started taking punk photos. I seem to have dived head  first into my life taking photos of DOA.  








time to listen to some DOA 

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