Beautiful Days Festival - 19th to 21st August 2016

August 24, 2016 by Julian Baird in Uncategorized

Beautiful Days

Beautiful Days is one probably one of the biggest festivals in the South West and it's only a few miles from my doorstep. So when I was asked by my friends over at MusicMuso to photograph the festival I jumped at the chance.

When I first arrived on the Friday evening I was taken back by the sheer size of the event and the happy vibe from the crowd was contagious. I immediately asked myself why I hadn't attended before! So while I noted that I really must attend one year as a punter, my priority was to take photographs and capture the spirit of this wonderful, family friendly festival.

Over the the three days of the festival I had no end of opportunities to shoot some brilliant live acts. It was a busy few days and I barely had time to stop as I walked from stage to stage, but that's half the fun to be honest. It's not just the musicians that make the even but the crowd and I met some awesome people on my walks between stages.

So this blog post is a celebration of Beautiful Days, the musicians and the crowd so please go ahead and enjoy some of my photographic highlights from this epic festival!

Friday and Saturday

Sunday

And Finally

Those awesome folks over at MusicMuso will be posting up a full review of the festival really soon so keep an eye out for that. Remember though if you want see some images as they are shot live from my gigs follow me on Twitterand Instagram! See you next time on The Unplugged Blog!

Glas-Denbury Festival - 15th and 16th July 2016

July 19, 2016 by Julian Baird in Uncategorized

When I shot Glas-Denbury last year it was one of my photographic highlights of 2015. A great line up, awesome crowd and fantastic weather. Well, I'm pleased to say that Glas-Denbury 2016 had all those elements and then some!

As usual my blog post is going to focus on the images I took but if you are looking for a full review my good friends over at MusicMuso will be posting one up really soon so keep an eye out for that.

So, let's get straight into those images...

Friday

Saturday

The People

So there you have it. What a festival! Shooting festivals is always challenging as you are constantly going to from stage to stage, but with that comes variety and excitement. So yes it's hard work but I've ended up with a great set of images that I hope you have also enjoyed.

I'll be back in a few weeks time with another special festival blog post so tuned to The Unplugged Blog. Remember though if you want see some images as they are shot live from the gigs follow me on Twitter and Instagram! See you next time!

Radio 1 Big Weekend at Powderham Castle, Exeter - 28th and 29th May 2016

June 10, 2016 by Julian Baird in Uncategorized

When I heard that Exeter was going to host this years Radio 1 Big Weekend music festival I soon cleared my calendar. There was no way I was going to miss shooting some the worlds most biggest artists while they were only a few miles from my doorstep. Normally I'd have to travel a little further for this kind of shoot.

I'm really excited to share these images so I'm going to save the rest of my thoughts for later on in the blog post and get straight into the photographs.

BBC Introducing Stage

In New Music We Trust Stage

Main Stage

Saturday

Sunday

The Crowd

Gear

I hoped you liked the images, but in case you are interested I'm going to talk a little bit about gear. Aside from plenty of spare batteries and memory cards this was definitely a two body, two lens job. The ability to switch between telephoto and wide quickly is really important as the action can be happening in front of you on the stage or behind you in the crowd. For this gig my chosen gear was a Nikon D610 with 24-70mm f/2.8 VR and a Nikon D750 with 70-200 f/2.8 VR. Both are wonderful combinations to shoot with.

Aside from the camera gear though some essential items are sunblock, water and food. Shooting a gig like this can be very busy. Jumping between the press tent and three stages makes for a busy weekend and you don't want to be battling hunger, thirst and sunburn if you're going to take the best of images.

The Experience

So what is like to shoot a big event like Radio 1 Big Weekend? If I could describe it in three words they would be exciting, hectic, and fun! There is no doubt that shooting festivals can be hectic. With three stages and barely any gaps between an artist finishing on one stage and another starting somewhere else, you have to have a daily plan. Without some sort of plan you will either burn out or miss someone you need to shoot.

It's also very exciting. I still get a thrill as I enter the pit at the main stage and start shooting. You can prepare by watching YouTube videos of the artists to see how they behave on stage, but every performance is different so you need to stay on your toes.

It's also fun. After all, I wouldn't do it if I didn't enjoy it. I was located in the BBC Pictures tent and despite myself, the other photographers and the BBC staff being exceptionally busy everybody was enjoying themselves and there was always good chat while we walked between stages.

And finally...

My friends over at MusicMuso have written a full review of the Radio 1 Big Weekend and you read it over here.

My next festival will be Glas-Denbury in July. As I did with this event I will be posting images live as they happen so remember to check out my Twitter and Instagram feeds.

See you next time on The Unplugged Blog!

Molotov Jukebox with Eugene the Cat at Exeter Cavern - 21/04/2016

April 22, 2016 by Julian Baird in Uncategorized

The Exeter Cavern is one of my favourite venues for seeing bands and DJs. I have had many a hedonistic night there! So when I was asked by my good friend Steve over at MusicMuso to help him cover Molotov Jukebox, there was no way I was to going to say no.

The Exeter Cavern is a great venue, but for the photographer it is a real challenge. Virtually all the lighting is some shade of red so it was black and white images to the rescue. You got to work with what you've got!

Eugene the Cat

Supporting Molotov Jukebox were the rather excellent Eugene the Cat. MusicMuso managed to catch up with them after their set so expect to hear more about them over there really soon.

In the mean time here they are in action:

Molotov Jukebox

I've shot Molotov Jukebox twice before so I knew they would put on a great show. They of course did not disappoint and I got myself into the crowd and took these images:

For live music fans, especially for those of a gypstep persuasion, it was a fantastic night! Sure the venue lighting is a challenge for the photographer, but you just get in there and try to capture the spirit of the night. Hopefully these images just do that!

And finally...

It's coming up to that time of year where festivals start to dominate my schedule. It can be tiring, but very rewarding..... I can't wait!

See you next time on The Unplugged Blog!

Record Store Day 2016 at The Drift Record Shop in Totnes - 16/04/2016

April 16, 2016 by Julian Baird in Uncategorized

Record Store Day

I last covered Record Store Day back in 2014 and I remember it being a great morning. So when Steve from MusicMuso asked me to join him this year there was no way I was going to say no!

Fortunately neither Steve or I were actually shopping for vinyl this year so we didn't need to be there particularly early. When we arrived it was a very socially acceptable 8am. There was a good crowd there already so we go to work straight away.

The Drift Record Shop

Looking after us were the excellent staff at The Drift Record Shop who let us speak to their customers and wonder about their awesome shop. Here are some the images that I took:

If you want to read more about our visit to The Drift Record Shop pop on over to MusicMuso who will be popping up review in the very near future!

I'll be shooting Molotov Jukebox this Thursday at The Cavern in Exeter so stay tuned to my Instagram and Twitter feeds for images posted live from the gig. See you next time on The Unplugged Blog!

Ferocious Dog with The Leylines and Gaz Brookfield at Exeter Phoenix - 08/04/16

April 10, 2016 by Julian Baird in Uncategorized

Anyone looking at the line up for this gig would have been fairly certain it was going to be a great night at the Exeter Phoenix. With three top bands, Ferocious Dog, The Leylines and Gaz Brookfield playing, you could understand why.

As usual I met up with Steve from MusicMuso (expect a full review up there soon), and prepared for a raucous gig. I knew there would be lots of energy and action coming from these artists and while there wasn't a barrier / pit, I shuffled my way to the front of the crowd and got to work.

Gaz Brookfield

Up first was Gaz Brookfield and after photographing him last year at Chagstock I knew he would put on a crowd pleasing show.

The Leylines

Folk-rock band The Leylines really turned things up a notch with their fantastic set.

Ferocious Dog

When Ferocious Dog took to the stage things really kicked off with a high energy performance that the crowd just went mad for.

It was a cracking night and these types of band always make my life a little easier as there is plenty to shoot.

I'll be shooting Record Store Day next Saturday so my next blog post's images will be a little bit different but hopefully still as interesting. So bye for now and see you next time on The Unplugged Blog!

The Wonder Stuff with The Wedding Present and The Lottery Winners at O2 Academy Bristol - 17/03/16

March 21, 2016 by Julian Baird in Uncategorized

My 2nd visit to Bristol last week was a bit of a special one. It was a three band extravaganza at the O2 Academy Bristol featuring newcomers The Lottery Winners, indie rock band The Wedding Present, and The Wonder Stuff who were on their 30th anniversary tour.

The venue was packed out and the crowd were treated to a night of quality music. Here are some of my images from the night:

The Lottery Winners

The Wedding Present

The Wonder Stuff

It was an epic night of music and with some quality bands. They all had lots of energy and bags of stage presence making my job a whole lot easier!

I'm having a break for a few weeks but I'll be back in April with some more quality images from my recent gigs. In the meantime remember to check out my social pages:

See you next time on The Unplugged Blog.

Kelvin Jones at the Colston Hall, Bristol - 15/03/16

March 18, 2016 by Julian Baird in Uncategorized

Working with other content creators such as those great guys over at MusicMuso can expand your shooting opportunities greatly. So when Steve from MusicMuso said he had a face to face interview with the very talented British singer-songwriter Kelvin Jones I didn't hesitate to offer my services as photographer.

Kelvin Jones

Kelvin was due to play at the Colston Hall in Bristol that night so not only were we lucky enough the grab the interview but I also got to shoot his performance as support for James Morrison.

MusicMuso will be posting up the interview and a review of the gig in the very near future, but in the mean time in true Unplugged Blog fashion here are some of the images I took to whet your appetite.

So just a short blog post from me this time, but I've got a three band extravaganza for you next time so keep you eye out on The Unplugged Blog!

Wet Wet Wet with Ben McKelvey and Markus Feehily at the Plymouth Pavilions - 08/03/2016

March 09, 2016 by Julian Baird in Uncategorized

As a Scot living in the south west of England there was no way I was going to turn down the chance to shoot Scottish pop legends Wet Wet Wet. So with the melody of "Sweet Little Mystery" firmly planted in my mind I headed down the A38 for a taste of the homeland.

Arriving at the Plymouth Pavilions I met up with Steve from MusicMuso. As usual Steve will be writing a full review of the gig but in the meantime I'm very pleased to share some of my images with you now.

Ben McKelvey

First up was the very talented Ben McKelvey who has been supporting Wet Wet Wet on this tour.

Markus Feehily

The very popular Markus Feehily was up next:

Wet Wet Wet

I do like shooting well established acts like Wet Wet Wet. My primary focus at a gig is to capture high quality images and bands like Wet Wet Wet know how to put on a show, generally making my life that little bit easier. As you can see from the images, not only did they put on a great show for the crowd they are also having an awesome time doing it. There was a real energy coming from the stage and I was a happy photographer.

Overall it was a great gig and I hope the images here either remind you of the night (if you were there) or give you an idea of what it might have been like. On a personal note, if you have a chance to pick up a ticket for this tour you'll be in for a treat!

Social Media Update

I've recently started posting to Instagram and my feed includes both images from the archive and images posted live from the gigs I'm covering. If you aren't following me already, why not check out my Instagram feed by clicking here. I will of course continue with my normal service on Twitter, so don't forget to follow me there to.

On a Technical Note

As some of my regular readers know I use the wireless features of the Nikon D750 to transfer my images to my Nexus tablet while I'm at a gig. I then process the image on the tablet and post out to my social media feeds while the gig is still going on.

I've recently changed my workflow to include an app called raw2dng. It allows me to take the RAW (.NEF) file from the camera and convert it into a standard DNG RAW format. From here I can edit the DNG file in SnapSeed. The upshot of this change? Well, rather than processing a JPG I can now take full advantage of a RAW file improving the image output from my tablet. Even though the images from my mobile workflow end up on Twitter and Instagram I still want the quality to be as good as I can get it.

OK, that's it for this blog post but do keep an eye out for my next blog post as I'm hoping to bring you some images from a very special gig I'm going to cover in the next week or so. See you next time on The Unplugged Blog!

Fun Lovin' Criminals at The Great Hall, Exeter - 19/02/2016

February 22, 2016 by Julian Baird in Uncategorized

When Steve from MusicMuso called me last month and asked if I wanted to shoot legendary band the Fun Lovin' Criminals there really was only one answer I could give... yes!

So Friday night came around and I got in the car and drove all of 5 minutes to get to the Great Hall at Exeter University. (It's rather handy living beside one of Exeter's biggest music venues.) When I got there the crowd had already started to build up and I had a feeling it was going to be a good night!

Fortunately FLC did not disappoint! My primary job of course is to take quality images of the night but when you get an experienced band like FLC on stage that becomes a little easier. They had plenty of stage presence and Huey was kind enough to stick is tongue out for a shot (see my Twitter or Instagram feed)!

So here are some of favourite FLC shots from the night:

Fun Lovin Criminals

One thing you might notice from the images is that these are a bunch of guys that just love playing as a band. When I was finished shooting I stood at the back of hall and watched these guys put on an awesome show. Plenty of smiles and interaction with the crowd. Quality stuff!

If you want to read a full review of the gig then MusicMuso will be posting up one soon, and it will of course be featuring some of these images and more, so do keep an eye out for it.

That's it for my FLC blog post but just to let you know that I've got a BIG March coming up so make sure you keep an eye out on my Twitter and Instagram feeds for more live posting and here on The Unplugged Blog for more great images.

See you next time!

Rapha Ghetti at Exeter Phoenix with Annie Rew Shaw, HER, and Stella Martyr - 22/01/2016

February 04, 2016 by Julian Baird in Uncategorized

I last saw Rapha Ghetti at the Exeter Phoenix back in December 2014 while they were supporting the legendary Grandmaster Flash. It was a cracking gig and I remember Rapha Ghetti well so I was looking forward to shooting them again. If you want to see some images from that last gig, check out my blog post from the night.

This time around though Rapha Ghetti were the headline act so together my friends from MusicMuso I braved a chilly January evening and headed off to the Exeter Phoenix.

It was a quality evening of music so lets take a look at some of my images.

Annie Rew Shaw

First up was the very talented Annie Rew Shaw who played on a beautiful set.

HER

Next up were new indie band HER.

Stella Martyr

There are huge number of talented bands coming out of Exeter and Stella Martyr are just another great example of the local talent.

Rapha Ghetti

When Rapha Ghetti took to the stage the crowd were well up for it and fortunately the lads delivered big time.

It was yet another great night of music at the Exeter Phoenix and it offered plenty of shooting opportunities. If January is anything to go by, then 2016 is going to be a good year!

If you are interested in what I've got coming up in 2016 check out My Set List page.

Instagram

Starting this year, I will also be posting on Instagram, so why not check out my Instagram pages by clicking here.

Of course I will still be active on all my other social channels including Facebook and Twitter.

I'll see you all again soon on The Unplugged Blog!

Cancer Bats at Exeter Phoenix with INCITE, Palm Reader and Lord Dying - 15/01/2016

February 02, 2016 by Julian Baird in Uncategorized

After a bit of a break over the festive period I returned to the Exeter Phoenix with MusicMuso to cover a gig that was surely going to be a loud and energetic start to 2016. We were not disappointed!

INCITE

Taking to the stage first were INCITE and any cobwebs on my camera were soon blown away!

Palm Reader

I was having to work hard to keep up with the action as Palm Reader rocked the stage.

Lord Dying

The night was turning out to be a bit of a treat both musically and photographically as the awesome Lord Dying kicked things up yet another notch.

Cancer Bats

When the Cancer Bats took to the stage to crowd were well up for it and I couldn't wait to see them perform on stage so I could capture some great images.

As you can see it was a bit of an epic night of music. I love nights like this as the performances give me lots of opportunities to capture exciting images.

I'll be back again on The Unplugged Blog really soon with images I took of Rapha Ghetti recently, so stay tuned!

My Top 5 Bands of 2015

December 31, 2015 by Julian Baird in Uncategorized

Every year I get the chance to photograph a stack load of bands. It's hard work but it can also be great way to discover new music. Most of the time I'll be familiar with the band, especially the headliners, but every now and again a band I haven't heard of blows me away.

This special blog post celebrates those bands. These are the artists that I remember the most from 2015 either through their music, stage presence or combination of both!

First up in my list is The Worried Men who were supporting Jefferson Starship at the Exeter Phoenix back in February. Lead singer Jamie really owned the stage and put on a great show! See my blog post of the gig here.

Jumping forward to June and I was back at the Exeter Phoenix to shoot The Sherpas. Cornish band Auction for the Promise Club were first on and their music really hit a note with me (excuse the pun!). You can also see my blog post of the gig here.

Covering festivals is a lot of work but when I shot Moriaty at Glas-Denbury in July I was blown away by the shear energy of the band. Talk about putting on a show! You can see lots more images from this festival by clicking here.

About a week later I was at another festival, Chagstock. You can see all my images from Chagstock here, but the standout act for me was Gaz Brookfield. I loved the lyrics of his songs and as soon as I got home picked up his live album.

Finally, and more recently, I saw Beardyman perform at the Exeter Phoenix in November. To say that Beardyman is a talent would be an understatement. His ability to mix up comedy with all sorts of music genres was just a pleasure to experience. You can see my blog post of the gig here.

If 2015 was anything to go by, 2016 should be a bumper year of discovering new music!

Finally, be sure to check out My Top 10 Images of 2015 blog post.

My Top 10 Images of 2015

December 31, 2015 by Julian Baird in Uncategorized

As the end of 2015 approaches I like to take some time to look at all the images I took over the year. Looking at my 2015 collection I realise that I've had a very productive year. At the end of 2014 I wrote about my Favourite Images of 2014, a collection of my 5 personal favourites. I soon came to the conclusion that narrowing 2015 down to 5 images would be impossible.

So to celebrate 2015 I've selected 10 of my personal favourites. This gallery of images are the photographs that I'm either very pleased with (artistically speaking) or strike some sort of personal chord. An image should spark an emotional response and for me these images do just that.

I really hope you enjoyed my selection but if you want to know what my favourite bands were, please check out My Top 5 Bands of 2015 blog post.

See you all in 2016!

The Computers

December 16, 2015 by Julian Baird in Uncategorized

Having photographed The Computers back in 2013 I was fairly confident that their show at the Exeter Phoenix last Friday night was going to be a good one. I was joined by Steve from MusicMuso and we were not disappointed! Not only did we have The Computers but we had three quality support bands and a very lively crowd. Happy days.

As always, MusicMuso will be putting up a review of the gig really soon and it's my job here to show you a couple of images hot from the editing desk. OK, I'm not so hot with this post due a trip to Glasgow at the weekend, but my main problem was actually selecting which images to include. A tough job given the quality and energy of the bands, so I'm just going to share more than I would do normally. But hey, it's the Xmas period and I'm feeling festive!

First up were The Mocking Birds:

Next up were Black Foxxes and they caused me a bit of headache as it was really difficult to narrow down which images to use!

On next were Then Thickens:

And last, but in no way least were the very talented and energetic The Computers:

So I definitely posted up more images than I normally do but I couldn't do the gig justice with just a couple of photos! I hope you enjoyed them as much as I did capturing them.

I think this will be my last gig of the year but it won't be my last post of the year. I'll be working on my top 10 images of 2015 blog post over the next couple of weeks. It's going to be tough to pick them as its been a bumper year of great images.

However, 2016 is already shaping up to be even better than 2015 with some amazing acts in the pipeline. I can't wait to share some of those images with you!

No matter what you are doing this December, have a great holiday and I'll see you real soon on The Unplugged Blog.

The Fratellis

November 18, 2015 by Julian Baird in Uncategorized

"Duh-da-da, duh-da-da" was the song being sung in the car last Sunday on the long drive back from the O2 Academy in Bristol. Joining me in the car was Steve from MusicMuso and of course we had just been to see The Fratellis and that well known track, Chelsea Dagger, was well and truly stuck in our heads!

Not that it should come as any great surprise to anyone but it was a great gig to shoot with two high energy bands putting on a great show. I also like shooting the O2 Academy Bristol with its fixed and large pit area. Plenty of room to move about in and follow the action.

The first band up were The Crookes and you can see them here:

The Fratellis were up next and they put on a great show and I really had to work hard to keep up and get these great images:

Getting your photographic mojo going on a Sunday evening can be a challenge, but with some great bands and great venues my job can be a real pleasure.

If you want read more about the gig itself and how the bands performed, check out MusicMuso where a review of the gig will be posted up there really soon.

In the meantime, keep an eye out for my latest posts on The Unplugged Blog and for images posted live from gigs over on Twitter.

See you next time on The Unplugged Blog!

From The Jam

November 17, 2015 by Julian Baird in Uncategorized

I had a feeling that the From The Jam gig at the Exeter Phoenix was going to be a good one. All the signs were there. It was a sold out event and when I arrived at the venue last Saturday night I had squeeze my way up the steps to get in past the crowds. A great band and a busy crowd always make for more interesting shots!

Of course, with great headline acts normally come great support bands, and The Real Me did not disappoint. Here they are in action:

By the time From The Jam came on my shutter finger was well and truly warmed up and here are some of the images of the band in full swing:

My job as photographer is always more fun when you get a night of loud and energetic bands. Last Saturday was one of those nights.

I hoped you enjoyed my images and if you want to see more then keep an eye out for regular posts on The Unplugged Blog and for images live from the gigs follow me over on Twitter. If you want to read a quality review of the From The Jam gig then my friends over on MusicMuso will be posting one up really soon!

On A Technical Note

As I mentioned in my last blog post I had just taken delivery of a Nikon AF-S Nikkor 24–70mm f/2.8E ED VR lens. Saturday night proved a great first proper test of my latest bit of kit. Initial signs are really good with noticeable improvements in focusing speed and accuracy. The often dark conditions that I have to work in can often play havoc with autofocus but this new lens seems to be coping very well. The Vibration Reduction technology is also a welcome addition. I've got another big action gig coming up so we'll see how it copes with that but the initial signs are looking good!

Beardyman

November 16, 2015 by Julian Baird in Uncategorized

I've had the pleasure of photographing musicians from many genres of music, but when I went to the Exeter Phoenix last Thursday night to see Beardyman, I saw one man cover everything from jungle to death metal! The show put on by Beardyman was hugely entertaining (musically and comedically) and the crowd were loving it. There were plenty of funny moments for Steve from MusicMuso to write about, so keep an eye out on the MusicMuso website for a quality review very soon.

But my job isn't really to write about how good the gig was but to show you how good it was. So here it goes….

I hope you enjoyed these shots, and I'll be back on The Unplugged Blog again very shortly with images from both From The Jam and The Fratellis gigs, so keep your eyes open here and over on Twitter.

On a Technical Note

I've finally just taken delivery of a new Nikon AF-S Nikkor 24–70mm f/2.8E ED VR lens. It's a quality bit of glass and I can't wait to really put it through its paces. It had a nice warm up job for Beardyman, but the next two gigs will see how it really performs. I'll report back soon.

See you next time!

Lucy Rose

November 03, 2015 by Julian Baird in Uncategorized

Most people don't like Mondays. It's the start of another working week and the weekend seems an age away. However, I took a little trip to the Exeter Phoenix last night where the very talented Lucy Rose was on stage to brighten everyone 's life up a little.

Here is Lucy adding a bit of happiness to the packed out crowd:

It was a fantastic gig and a great way to get my shutter finger warmed up for the week. My friends over at MusicMuso will of course be writiing up a full review very soon so keep an eye out on their website for that.

I've got a busy November so check out the My Set List page to see what gigs I'll be covering and remember to follow me over on Twitter to see images posted live from the gigs.

See you next time on The Unplugged Blog!

Cattle and Cane

October 28, 2015 by Julian Baird in Uncategorized

The Exeter Phoenix features some of the best new musical talent out there and Monday night was no exception. Cattle and Cane were on tour promoting their debut album and they managed to put a great show for the eager Exeter crowd. As usual I was there with Steve from MusicMuso, so expect a full review up on his website really soon.

In the mean time, let me share a couple of images from the gig. First up were the local band Tors.

And of course Cattle and Cane...

Just a short blog post today but I thought you'd all like to see the photos from Monday night.

I'll see you next time on The Unplugged Blog!