Trying to be all cleaver for this festival I approached the incredible Taryn Vedder to let me set-up a photo booth of sorts back stage for all the bands. Nothing too crazy.Simply put just some fun portraits of the guys and girls we see on stage but mingling and having fun where the civilians cant venture.After the approval I tried to get even smarter. I decide to split up the booth into day and night studios hopefully trying to get two different types of portraits.Well lets just say the night studio stayed and all the poly boards that I drove nearly 100 km in the wrong direction trying to get to the festival got discarded behind some rigging equipment boxes which was totally pissing off the sound manager with the brazen wind that bashed the festival most nights and early mornings.It must have been the soberest(but not completely ) I have been at a festival.I think I was trying to prevent another of those episodes where I miss place my camera in my disgusting state like at Rocking the Daisies(which is my only new years resolution,"DO NOT LOSE MY CAMERA THIS YEAR!"). Which on that occasion I left my camera next to some guy's tent which I apparently tried to urinate on(jeepers! I can be a chop).Luckily he saw me at the food court and informed me that he had handed it in.So that didn't happen this time which is why I think I left this festival chilled out and without the stress of having fucked myself except for the violent tan my big ass forehead received.Jeepers what a fucking brunting I received although I would be surprised if anyone escaped the barrage of sun we received on Fri and Sat.
The " StandFirm" stage where I had been deployed for the duration of the festival to do my thing as I do with no restrictions and no need to have to shoot the front of stage band action shots which I am neither good at or care to indulge myself in unless I am friends with the band.I try to give them my best but when you got great photographers like Jacqui Van Staden(jacquivs.blogspot.com) there shooting the business way better than I .... let the squires do there thing.
The Standfirm stage was the place . Best line-up and varied at that.Come now! With a line-up like the Hogs , the Death Vally Blues "family",Black Pimpin Jesus,the Meanstreets , Low Profile,GO GO Broncos and my personal favorite the Car Boot Vendors (http://www.myspace.com/thecarbootvendors).... it was a winner.The two other stages were belting out the same old drivel of metal from 11 am to 12pm but hey, what ever floats your boat.It basically just became like a radio show on repeat in the background as everything sounded the same to my more fun happy electronica conditioned ears.The only thing I really liked on the main stage was the staple FOKOF show.I have to admit I am one of those crap South African's that has very little grasp over any other language except the Queens but fuck I love checking Francois and the boys shake there agro little butts.
I didn't do a whole lot else at the festival but chill the fuck out ! It was rather pleasant watching the skaters and BMX'ers do there ridiculous stunts from my bed in the back of my Tazz panel van while sipping on a warm Black Label enjoying the last of the Styvie Reds.There was however a pool and a bull riding device and sumo wrestling suits to fuck around in and drown out the radio from over yonder.
So.I didn't break/sprain anything, I didn't loose anything, I got great pics and only one person left that festival hating me.Hi Marcus.
Check out the pics @
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=122436051373&ref=ts#!/group.php?v=photos&gid=122436051373
