Rifflandia Expandia · Victoria BC

In photography by webmeister Bud

Cool light x3

Gotta love this time of day, where the sun acts as the perfect dramatic backlight. Just add fog machine!

20150930 - Rifflandia 8-0001 (Big Data)Alan Wilkis of Big Data · Canon EOS 70D · Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM · 18 mm · 1/2000 s · f/2.8 · ISO 1600

When the other side of the stage doesn’t have an additional sun for backlight, a white spot will do just nicely for that angelic glow.

20150930 - Rifflandia 8-0002 (Tokyo Police Club)David Monks of Tokyo Police Club · Canon EOS 70D · Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM · 35 mm · 1/1000 s · f/2.8 · ISO 1600

And then, there are just those times when the lighting director falls on all the buttons at once.

20150930 - Rifflandia 8-0003 (Modest Mouse)Lisa Molinaro of Modest Mouse · Canon EOS 70D · Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM · 70 mm · 1/350 s · f/2.8 · ISO 1600

Local lovelies x3

Isobel Trigger played both Fort Tectoria and Sunset Room, two challenging spots for concert lighting. BUT I DO ENJOY A CHALLENGE, and managed to capture their passion despite not shooting in search ‘n rescue floodlight conditions.

20150930 - Rifflandia 8-0004 (Isobel Trigger)Canon EOS 70D · Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM · L: 25 mm · R: 18 mm · 1/180 s · f/1.8 · ISO 3200

Kytami is never not awesome but, backed with an emcee, a DJ, a drummer, and a lighting director with a flare for lots of light, it was an extra-killer show.

20150930 - Rifflandia 8-0005 (Kytami)Canon EOS 70D · Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM · 18 mm · 1/500 s · f/1.8 · ISO 3200

When I last gushed about Jesse Roper, I listed all the shows I could find which he would rock in 2015. I forgot to mention that he’s always 100% at these shows. 100% passion, energy, and happy.

20150930 - Rifflandia 8-0006 (Jesse Roper)Canon EOS 70D · Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM · 93 mm · 1/1500 s · f/4.5 · ISO 1600

Cool moments x3

It seems that, relegated to the back of the stage where the light somehow finds it SO DIFFICULT to reach, drummers are always left in the dark. Except at festivals, where the ambient light is usually fantastic enough to give them the prominence they deserve. And sometimes, they take a quick break from playing to wave to the audience.

20150930 - Rifflandia 8-0007 (DiRTY RADIO)Zachary Forbes of DiRTY RADiO · Canon EOS 70D · Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM · 25 mm · 1/250 s · f/3.5 · ISO 800

When he wasn’t emptying a case of water on us, one bottle at a time, Jazz Cartier hit some pretty cool poses.

20150930 - Rifflandia 8-0008 (Jazz Cartier)Canon EOS 70D · Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM · 20 mm · 1/750 s · f/3.5 · ISO 800

Now here was the surprise of my Saturday: Busty and the Bass. They got in touch through Rocktographers and, since I had a rare slot open at the beginning of the night shows, I checked them out, and I’m SO glad I did.

20150930 - Rifflandia 8-0009 (Busty and the Bass)Canon EOS 70D · Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM · 20 mm · 1/90 s · f/2.8 · ISO 1600

Cute kidlets x3

Caturday was well-adopted by bigs and littles alike, especially by my Kit Kat.

20150930 - Rifflandia 8-0010 (Caturday Kitara)

I first met Harley at Rock the Shores and, at that time, he was absolutely fascinated with my festival hair. This time around, however, he wouldn’t have anything to do with me, outright retreating at my approach.

However, I am heartened that our future friendship may recover after his mum, Jody, let me know that, after we’d had an unsuccessful greeting on opposite sides of a fence, Harley kept going back to the place he saw me to say “hallowww?”

20150930 - Rifflandia 8-0011 (Jody 'n Harley)Canon EOS 70D · Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM · 120 mm · 1/1000 s · f/4 · ISO 1600

And now, an old soul of concert going in a little body. This is Darian, whose papa Darrin has been bringing her to shows for many, many years. He estimates that she’s seen more than 150 artists in her young life. Everyone knows them around the fests, and she’s afforded all the respect a well-traveled concertgoer deserves.

20150930 - Rifflandia 8-0012 (Darian)Canon EOS 70D · Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM · 105 mm · 1/2000 s · f/4 · ISO 1600

Fun moments x3

Our big Bossman Johnny received the Heritage Builder award at the WCMA industry brunch, but he didn’t know that some of his staffers would come up on stage to present the award to him (and take photos). He darn near cried giving his eloquent off-the-cuff acceptance speech.

20150930 - Rifflandia 8-0013 (Johnny)Canon EOS 70D · Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 · 20 mm · 1/250 s · f/3.5 · ISO 1600

The O.G. Rocktographer, Tyson Elder, prayed for glorious hair, please at the Brave Shores show . . . and got his wish! =)

20150930 - Rifflandia 8-0014 (Brave Shores)Canon EOS 70D · Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM · 18 mm · 1/1500 s · f/3.5 · ISO 800

If that doesn’t make any sense, watch this:

On Sunday afternoon, I was called away from Royal Athletic Park and led to a secret location (a dressing room backstage at the McPherson Theatre to video punk music aficionado Jason Lamb as he interviewed the legendary Nomeansno.

20150930 - Rifflandia 8-0015 (Nomeansno)Canon EOS 70D · Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM · 20 mm · 1/45 s · f/3.5 · ISO 1600

The Wet Secrets x3

While fancy shmancy promo shots were not in the stars for me with The Wet Secrets, I was able to catch every one of their shows while they were in town. I’m pretty sure that they were the only band to perform three times during Rifflandia/BreakOut West. At Wood Hall:

20150930 - Rifflandia 8-0016 (The Wet Secrets)Canon EOS 70D · Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5 EX DC HSM · 10 mm · 1/125 s · f/3.5 · ISO 3200

. . . at Anián:

20150930 - Rifflandia 8-0017 (The Wet Secrets)Canon EOS 70D · Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM · 18 mm · 1/750 s · f/1.8 · L: ISO 1600 · R: ISO 3200

 

. . . and at the McPherson Theatre for the WCMA awards gala. I, for one, would be in favour for huge projection screens behind artists for future concert photography.

20150930 - Rifflandia 8-0018 (The Wet Secrets)Canon EOS 70D · Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM · 75 mm · 1/180 s · f/2.8 · ISO 2000

And finally, my new hardware

While at the WCMA industry brunch, Ryan Guldemond of Mother Mother talked about the cool-looking bracelet he was wearing.

I’m not much of a jewelry guy. One of my rings, I received when I got married. The other, when I hit ten years with the stations. Those and my watch are it.

But, Ryan’s pitch for the bracelet — for the Unison Benevolent Fund, an emergency resource for those in the music industry, from artists to techs, roadies to promoters, many of whom work without benefits and who would be stuck in case of an injury — was so engaging that I donated for one.

20150930 - Rifflandia 8-0019 (Unison Benevolent Fund)L: Canon EOS 5D Mark II · Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 · 50 mm · 1/400 s · f/2 · ISO 400 · Photographer: Lindsey Blane
R: Canon EOS 70D · Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM · 93 mm · 1/350 s · f/3.5 · ISO 1600

Plus, LOOKIT THAT DESIGN! It’s made of guitar strings!

20150930 - Rifflandia 8-0020 (Unison Benevolent Fund)Canon EOS 70D · Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM · 35 mm · 1/250 s · f/5.6 · ISO 800
Strobist: Canon 430EX II, 3″ left of subject, 1/32 power, remote triggered
See this shot backstage

Thanks for reliving Rifflandia and BreakOut West with me. Next week . . . something completely different!

=)