Archive for the 'Music' Category

The 69 Eyes Live @ The HiFi Bar, Melbourne Australia

Published on June 19, 2009 in Gigs, Music, My Photography and Photography. 1 Comment Tags: .

The 69 Eyes Live @ The HiFi Bar, Melbourne Australia

I was in a weird headspace all week and it was a last minute decision to attend tonight’s gig. Still, I didn’t want to pass up on the opportunity of photographing an energetic and dynamically visual international rock act – so I tried to psyche myself, get to the gig and get the job done.

Photographing at the HiFi Bar can be one of two things… easy or difficult. I prefer shooting outside of the (sometimes) designated photo-pit. The pit is incredibly deep and more often than not – all you get is shots looking up the performer’s nose and all sorts of weird angles.

Tonight, the pit wasn’t in use and if you get to the show early enough, there is a really sweet spot on either side of the stage which allows for a fantastic vantage point and good angles to work with.

As stated from the outset, I wasn’t in the right frame of mind tonight and I found myself struggling to “get in the zone” as I like to call it.

“Getting in the zone” is when you and the camera are one. It is a time when you know you have captured the money shot just as you are about to press down on the shutter release. It happens rarely, but when it does… it is an amazing feeling and you know you’ve got gold even before chimping it up through the viewfinder.

Alas, tonight… I wasn’t in tune. Usually out of a shoot of over 400 shots, I usually find 60 – 70 that I feel are worthy of uploading. I could probably cull it down further, but on average that is the quota I usually release to the general populace.

Tonight, even though I shot for the duration of the band’s set – I could only come up with a handful to publish.

Still, it was a fun night and even though I was dodging the push and shove, I did come away with some shots that I thought were pretty good.

There was a great crowd in attendance. Most looking like the band themselves… a gothic-post-apocalyptic blackfest that looked like extras from Tarantino’s ‘From Dusk Till Dawn’. Coulda had some fun just shooting the crowd tonight but I planted myself at what I dub the ‘HiFi Bar Sweet Spot’ and waited for the band to hit the stage.

The 69 Eyes attacked the stage like the preverbal bats-outta-hell. Looking lean, mean and certainly out for the kill as they blasted through a surprisingly catchy hard rocking set of the best Vampiric rock the cold climes of Helsinki could spew forth!

The 69 Eyes Live @ The HiFi Bar, Melbourne Australia

The 69 Eyes Live @ The HiFi Bar, Melbourne Australia

View the complete set at the Visceral Industry.

The 69 Eyes Live @ The HiFi Bar, Melbourne Australia

Published on June 19, 2009 in Gigs, Music, My Photography and Photography. 1 Comment Tags: .

The 69 Eyes Live @ The HiFi Bar, Melbourne Australia

I was in a weird headspace all week and it was a last minute decision to attend tonight’s gig. Still, I didn’t want to pass up on the opportunity of photographing an energetic and dynamically visual international rock act – so I tried to psyche myself, get to the gig and get the job done.

Photographing at the HiFi Bar can be one of two things… easy or difficult. I prefer shooting outside of the (sometimes) designated photo-pit. The pit is incredibly deep and more often than not – all you get is shots looking up the performer’s nose and all sorts of weird angles.

Tonight, the pit wasn’t in use and if you get to the show early enough, there is a really sweet spot on either side of the stage which allows for a fantastic vantage point and good angles to work with.

As stated from the outset, I wasn’t in the right frame of mind tonight and I found myself struggling to “get in the zone” as I like to call it.

“Getting in the zone” is when you and the camera are one. It is a time when you know you have captured the money shot just as you are about to press down on the shutter release. It happens rarely, but when it does… it is an amazing feeling and you know you’ve got gold even before chimping it up through the viewfinder.

Alas, tonight… I wasn’t in tune. Usually out of a shoot of over 400 shots, I usually find 60 – 70 that I feel are worthy of uploading. I could probably cull it down further, but on average that is the quota I usually release to the general populace.

Tonight, even though I shot for the duration of the band’s set – I could only come up with a handful to publish.

Still, it was a fun night and even though I was dodging the push and shove, I did come away with some shots that I thought were pretty good.

There was a great crowd in attendance. Most looking like the band themselves… a gothic-post-apocalyptic blackfest that looked like extras from Tarantino’s ‘From Dusk Till Dawn’. Coulda had some fun just shooting the crowd tonight but I planted myself at what I dub the ‘HiFi Bar Sweet Spot’ and waited for the band to hit the stage.

The 69 Eyes attacked the stage like the preverbal bats-outta-hell. Looking lean, mean and certainly out for the kill as they blasted through a surprisingly catchy hard rocking set of the best Vampiric rock the cold climes of Helsinki could spew forth!

The 69 Eyes Live @ The HiFi Bar, Melbourne Australia

The 69 Eyes Live @ The HiFi Bar, Melbourne Australia

View the complete set at the Visceral Industry.

Marilyn Manson To Tour Australia

Published on June 9, 2009 in Gigs and Music. 3 Comments Tags: , , , , .

Marilyn Manson To Tour Australia

I first got to witness Manson back in February of 1997. Pretty much an unknown in Australia but that is still a gig which I have many fond memories of. They’ve toured these shores several times since then and for all the newbie Mansonites, here’s your chance to see them live – albeit a shadow of the greatness they once exuded back in the ‘Antichrist Superstar’ era!

To co-incide with the release of his seventh album ‘The High End of Low’, Manson will return to Australia this October for a run of dates that take in Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.

The tour will see the return of legendary bassist Twiggy Ramirez. Chris Vrenna, Andy Gerold and Ginger Fish will complete the line-up.

Tickets go on sale Friday June 19. Presale starts midday Wednesday June 17, and finishes 5pm Thursday June 18.

  • 5 Oct: Challenge Stadium, WA
  • 7 Oct: Thebarton Theatre, SA
  • 10 Oct: Festival Hall, VIC
  • 14 Oct: Hordern Pavilion, NSW
  • 17 Oct: Brisbane Entertainment Centre,QLD

Marilyn Manson To Tour Australia

Published on June 9, 2009 in Gigs and Music. 3 Comments Tags: , , , , .

Marilyn Manson To Tour Australia

I first got to witness Manson back in February of 1997. Pretty much an unknown in Australia but that is still a gig which I have many fond memories of. They’ve toured these shores several times since then and for all the newbie Mansonites, here’s your chance to see them live – albeit a shadow of the greatness they once exuded back in the ‘Antichrist Superstar’ era!

To co-incide with the release of his seventh album ‘The High End of Low’, Manson will return to Australia this October for a run of dates that take in Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.

The tour will see the return of legendary bassist Twiggy Ramirez. Chris Vrenna, Andy Gerold and Ginger Fish will complete the line-up.

Tickets go on sale Friday June 19. Presale starts midday Wednesday June 17, and finishes 5pm Thursday June 18.

  • 5 Oct: Challenge Stadium, WA
  • 7 Oct: Thebarton Theatre, SA
  • 10 Oct: Festival Hall, VIC
  • 14 Oct: Hordern Pavilion, NSW
  • 17 Oct: Brisbane Entertainment Centre,QLD

Morbid Angel Live @ Billboard

Published on June 1, 2009 in Gigs, Music and My Photography. 0 Comments Tags: .

Morbid Angel Live @ Billboard

With a stench of marijuana and beer in the air, I met up with my contact at Billboard as I had been requested to shoot some shots of Death Metal legends Mortal Angel half an hour before they were to hit the stage.

I waited at the foot of a stairwell which led to the band’s dressing-room and took in the sights, sounds and smells around me. Scantily clad young lasses tugged at my ‘Media’ pass around my neck and with my camera hanging over my shoulder, I was mistaken for someone in the band’s entourage several times.

“No, I’m not with the band…”

I wonder if I didn’t have that piece of plastic around my neck, would anyone even bother to talk to me?

After waiting around like some groupie fan-boy for half-an-hour, I was beginning to feel uncomfortable so I texted the venue’s manager to see if the backstage shoot was still on. He rushed back up to the band and they had decided they weren’t going to shoot any shots backstage.

By this point in time, with the band about to hit the stage any second, it was going to be incredibly hard for me to squeeze through the crowd to get to the photo-pit. Instead, I was walked through the backstage area, onto the stage which had the curtain drawn.

I could hear the crowd chanting ‘Morbid Angel! Morbid Angel! Morbid Angel!’ over and over. The band had assumed position on-stage and were about to unleash hell. (I shoulda taken a shot right here… but I didn’t think quick enough!)

I was taken to the front of the stage, the curtain drawn slightly so I could jump down into the photo-pit. This was kind of exciting as the crowd cheered loudly when the curtain was drawn but instead of the band… they got me instead! Heh!

I jumped down. Got the gear ready and within seconds, the curtain fell and hell was indeed unleashed!

Again, all I had was three songs and for the duration of those three songs, the band was bathed in that sickly red frontlight which makes taking a decent shot all the more difficult.

Sigh!

Still, there was absolutely nothing I could do about the red lights so I endeavored to take as best a shot as I could under trying conditions.

The stage-divers don’t usually rear their heads and boots till about half-way through a set, but tonight, they were there in earnest – so I tried to dodge them as well.

Morbid Angel Live @ Billboard

Morbid Angel Live @ Billboard

View more here…

Morbid Angel Live @ Billboard

Published on June 1, 2009 in Gigs, Music and My Photography. 0 Comments Tags: .

Morbid Angel Live @ Billboard

With a stench of marijuana and beer in the air, I met up with my contact at Billboard as I had been requested to shoot some shots of Death Metal legends Mortal Angel half an hour before they were to hit the stage.

I waited at the foot of a stairwell which led to the band’s dressing-room and took in the sights, sounds and smells around me. Scantily clad young lasses tugged at my ‘Media’ pass around my neck and with my camera hanging over my shoulder, I was mistaken for someone in the band’s entourage several times.

“No, I’m not with the band…”

I wonder if I didn’t have that piece of plastic around my neck, would anyone even bother to talk to me?

After waiting around like some groupie fan-boy for half-an-hour, I was beginning to feel uncomfortable so I texted the venue’s manager to see if the backstage shoot was still on. He rushed back up to the band and they had decided they weren’t going to shoot any shots backstage.

By this point in time, with the band about to hit the stage any second, it was going to be incredibly hard for me to squeeze through the crowd to get to the photo-pit. Instead, I was walked through the backstage area, onto the stage which had the curtain drawn.

I could hear the crowd chanting ‘Morbid Angel! Morbid Angel! Morbid Angel!’ over and over. The band had assumed position on-stage and were about to unleash hell. (I shoulda taken a shot right here… but I didn’t think quick enough!)

I was taken to the front of the stage, the curtain drawn slightly so I could jump down into the photo-pit. This was kind of exciting as the crowd cheered loudly when the curtain was drawn but instead of the band… they got me instead! Heh!

I jumped down. Got the gear ready and within seconds, the curtain fell and hell was indeed unleashed!

Again, all I had was three songs and for the duration of those three songs, the band was bathed in that sickly red frontlight which makes taking a decent shot all the more difficult.

Sigh!

Still, there was absolutely nothing I could do about the red lights so I endeavored to take as best a shot as I could under trying conditions.

The stage-divers don’t usually rear their heads and boots till about half-way through a set, but tonight, they were there in earnest – so I tried to dodge them as well.

Morbid Angel Live @ Billboard

Morbid Angel Live @ Billboard

View more here…

Ozzy Osbourne Suing Tony Iommi For Black Sabbath Name

Published on May 31, 2009 in Music. 2 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

Ozzy V Iommi

Lawyers representing Ozzy Osbourne have filed a lawsuit with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office against the heavy metal icon’s Black Sabbath bandmate, Tony Iommi, claiming the man responsible for some of the genre’s most memorable riffs illegally assumed sole ownership of the Black Sabbath name.

According to the New York Post, Osbourne’s suit seeks a 50 percent stake in the ‘Black Sabbath’ trademark. Furthermore, the filing claims Osbourne is entitled to a portion of the profits Iommi has generated through use of the band name, and suggests it was Osbourne’s “signature lead vocals” that helped propel the band’s “extraordinary success”. The suit also points out that Sabbath’s popularity took a nosedive during Ozzy’s absence during 1980 and 1996, when former Rainbow vocalist Ronnie James Dio took over behind the mike stand.

The suit follows one filed by Iommi in December 2008 against Live Nation. In that filing, Iommi claims the concert giant sold merchandise bearing the band’s logo, despite the 2006 expiration of a merchandising deal, reportedly worth nearly $80 million. Soon after that agreement concluded, Iommi reclaimed the band’s trademark.

Iommi’s suit argues Live Nation continued to sell more than 100 items of merchandise featuring the band’s likeness, name and logo, despite the receipt of cease-and-desist orders from the guitarist’s camp. Iommi’s suit seeks damages in the amount of three times the profits from the merchandise sales, plus a halt to the Black Sabbath product sales.

In a recent interview with Decibel magazine, both Iommi and bassist Geezer Butler said that working with Dio was actually much easier than working with Ozzy. “Ronnie’s a songwriter in his own right — he’s got tons of ideas”, Butler said. “Whereas Ozzy … in the old days, he’d come up with a vocal line and I’d write the lyrics. Ronnie is 100 percent involved in both the musical side and the vocal side, and he writes his own lyrics as well”.

Continue reading ‘Ozzy Osbourne Suing Tony Iommi For Black Sabbath Name’

The 69 Eyes Australian Tour

Published on May 24, 2009 in Gigs and Music. 5 Comments Tags: , .

The 69 Eyes Australian Tour

Lock up your daughters! Lock up your wives… lock up anything and everything that moves… The 69 Eyes are about to turn Australia to mush!

After a massive petition by the band’s adoring Aussie fan club, demand was so high that it made it impossible to stop one of Europe’s hottest Goth Rock bands from spreading their wings and flying to Australia! Playing hits from their stellar six-album career and tracks from their up-coming new album, The 69 Eyes are set to scorch the stage and possess the souls of Australia’s ghouls and goblins!

Dogmatic will be at the Melbourne show and we’ll report back with a ton of photos and news from the gig.

Seriously guys, this is gonna be a classic performance from a band renowned for taking no prisoners! See you there!

Thursday June 18:
Melbourne: The Hifi Bar

Friday June 19:
Brisbane: The Hifi Bar

Saturday June 20:
Sydney: The Hifi Bar

Formed in Helsinki’s rock clubs back in the early 90s, the five-piece take their influences from far and wide. Elvis Presley, The Misfits, Guns ‘n’ Roses and a hefty dose of The Sisters of Mercy can all be heard throughout their music. From comic books to cult movies, The 69 Eyes capture the rock ‘n’ roll zeitgeist and turn it into the sort of music that makes you want to party. Hard. The 69 Eyes’ formative years scream sex, blood and loud music as they played their way through Helsinki’s underground glam clubs, leaving a trail of broken bottles and women behind them. They were soon snapped up by Finnish underground label Gaga Goodies and released four albums –‘Bump And Grind’, ‘Savage Garden’, ‘Motor City Resurrection’ and ‘Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams.’

Continue reading ‘The 69 Eyes Australian Tour’

The 69 Eyes Australian Tour

Published on May 24, 2009 in Gigs and Music. 5 Comments Tags: , .

The 69 Eyes Australian Tour

Lock up your daughters! Lock up your wives… lock up anything and everything that moves… The 69 Eyes are about to turn Australia to mush!

After a massive petition by the band’s adoring Aussie fan club, demand was so high that it made it impossible to stop one of Europe’s hottest Goth Rock bands from spreading their wings and flying to Australia! Playing hits from their stellar six-album career and tracks from their up-coming new album, The 69 Eyes are set to scorch the stage and possess the souls of Australia’s ghouls and goblins!

Dogmatic will be at the Melbourne show and we’ll report back with a ton of photos and news from the gig.

Seriously guys, this is gonna be a classic performance from a band renowned for taking no prisoners! See you there!

Thursday June 18:
Melbourne: The Hifi Bar

Friday June 19:
Brisbane: The Hifi Bar

Saturday June 20:
Sydney: The Hifi Bar

Formed in Helsinki’s rock clubs back in the early 90s, the five-piece take their influences from far and wide. Elvis Presley, The Misfits, Guns ‘n’ Roses and a hefty dose of The Sisters of Mercy can all be heard throughout their music. From comic books to cult movies, The 69 Eyes capture the rock ‘n’ roll zeitgeist and turn it into the sort of music that makes you want to party. Hard. The 69 Eyes’ formative years scream sex, blood and loud music as they played their way through Helsinki’s underground glam clubs, leaving a trail of broken bottles and women behind them. They were soon snapped up by Finnish underground label Gaga Goodies and released four albums –‘Bump And Grind’, ‘Savage Garden’, ‘Motor City Resurrection’ and ‘Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams.’

Continue reading ‘The 69 Eyes Australian Tour’

Marilyn Manson – The High End Of Low

Published on May 24, 2009 in Album Of The Week and Music. 4 Comments Tags: , , , , .

Marilyn Manson - The High End Of Low

After the sheer and utter crap that was Marilyn Manson’s last effort, ‘Eat Me, Drink Me’ – I had all but given up on ever getting to hear anything decent from the Manson camp again.

When word filtered out that he was back together again with sidekick Twiggy Ramirez/Jeordie White who had been in Nine Inch Nails for the past few years – my curiosity was piqued enough that I wanted to see what the end result would be. Hearing a couple of the leaked tracks such as ‘We’re From America’ et al, I was once again, feeling genuinely excited about a new Marilyn Manson album again.

Boy, were my expectations shot to hell when I actually got to listen to this thing.

It’s such a plodder of monumental dross proportions. A bore of an album that becomes painful to sit through as you try and cling to some sort of highlight… some sort of spark to maintain any sort of interest.

It starts off well enough. ‘Devour’ kicks things off nicely but just as the song starts to get really interesting and dare I say it, catchy. it all ends in a sudden stop and pours itself into follow up track ‘Pretty As A ($)’. Again, a decent track and better than anything he’s had on offer for a while.

And then… it all get so stupid and as already stated… dull. Painfully dull!

I wanted to like this album so much. I was so eagerly awaiting its release and had extreme faith that ole Marilyn could pull one more classic from his hat… instead, he pulled out a boring, pretentious turd from his ass. (Seriously, go listen to the track ‘WOW’ and tell me with a straight face that its a decent track!)

Sucks!

Marilyn Manson - The High End Of Low

Marilyn Manson – The High End Of Low

Published on May 24, 2009 in Album Of The Week and Music. 4 Comments Tags: , , , , .

Marilyn Manson - The High End Of Low

After the sheer and utter crap that was Marilyn Manson’s last effort, ‘Eat Me, Drink Me’ – I had all but given up on ever getting to hear anything decent from the Manson camp again.

When word filtered out that he was back together again with sidekick Twiggy Ramirez/Jeordie White who had been in Nine Inch Nails for the past few years – my curiosity was piqued enough that I wanted to see what the end result would be. Hearing a couple of the leaked tracks such as ‘We’re From America’ et al, I was once again, feeling genuinely excited about a new Marilyn Manson album again.

Boy, were my expectations shot to hell when I actually got to listen to this thing.

It’s such a plodder of monumental dross proportions. A bore of an album that becomes painful to sit through as you try and cling to some sort of highlight… some sort of spark to maintain any sort of interest.

It starts off well enough. ‘Devour’ kicks things off nicely but just as the song starts to get really interesting and dare I say it, catchy. it all ends in a sudden stop and pours itself into follow up track ‘Pretty As A ($)’. Again, a decent track and better than anything he’s had on offer for a while.

And then… it all get so stupid and as already stated… dull. Painfully dull!

I wanted to like this album so much. I was so eagerly awaiting its release and had extreme faith that ole Marilyn could pull one more classic from his hat… instead, he pulled out a boring, pretentious turd from his ass. (Seriously, go listen to the track ‘WOW’ and tell me with a straight face that its a decent track!)

Sucks!

Marilyn Manson - The High End Of Low

Wreckage Of My Past: The Story Of Ozzy Osbourne

Published on May 18, 2009 in Cinema, Music and Trailers. 3 Comments Tags: , , .

Wreckage Of My Past: The Story Of Ozzy Osbourne

‘Wreckage Of My Past’ is a new film documenting the life of music icon Ozzy Osbourne as he approaches his 60th birthday. Newly sober, Ozzy has finally reached a point of clarity as he looks back on a lifetime of unresolved issues, unparalleled success, misdiagnosed diseases, severed ties, and a recurring dependency on drugs and alcohol.

The documentary is being produced by Jack and Sharon Osbourne and promises to be a documentary that’s a no-punches-pulled account of the life of the former Black Sabbath frontman.

Check out the trailer after the jump:

Continue reading ‘Wreckage Of My Past: The Story Of Ozzy Osbourne’

When KISS Was Cool – Alex Cooley’s Electric Ballroom – July 18, 1974

Published on May 17, 2009 in Music and When KISS Was Cool. 31 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

When KISS Was Cool - Alex Cooley's Electric Ballroom - July 18, 1974

Continuing on with our look at classic-era KISS, here’s the band in 1974 getting ready for a gig at Alex Cooley’s Electric Ballroom.

Stay tuned for weekly updates for what is proving to be a popular section here at Dogmatic… When KISS Was Cool! (and Peter Criss could actually play the drums!)

Continue reading ‘When KISS Was Cool – Alex Cooley’s Electric Ballroom – July 18, 1974′

When KISS Was Cool – Alex Cooley’s Electric Ballroom – July 18, 1974

Published on May 17, 2009 in Music and When KISS Was Cool. 31 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

When KISS Was Cool - Alex Cooley's Electric Ballroom - July 18, 1974

Continuing on with our look at classic-era KISS, here’s the band in 1974 getting ready for a gig at Alex Cooley’s Electric Ballroom.

Stay tuned for weekly updates for what is proving to be a popular section here at Dogmatic… When KISS Was Cool! (and Peter Criss could actually play the drums!)

Continue reading ‘When KISS Was Cool – Alex Cooley’s Electric Ballroom – July 18, 1974′

Marilyn Manson Premieres New Video

Published on May 14, 2009 in Music. 0 Comments Tags: , , .

Marilyn Manson Premieres New Video

NME.com has premiered the new video from MARILYN MANSON, for the track “Arma-Goddamn-Motherfuckin’-Geddon”. Check it here. The clip was shot with director Delaney Bishop, a filmmaker and photographer based in Los Angeles. He has directed music videos for Jurassic 5, Cut Chemist and Engelber Humperdinck. Delaney has also worked on a twenty-minute short entitled ‘The Death of Salvador Dali’ featuring Manson’s ex-wife Dita Von Teese, a project which broke new ground in new media, as the film was made available for download through iTunes.

I’m starting to really look forward to this album. Have heard two songs so far, and I like them both!