The London Philharmonic Orchestra Celebrating the Music of AR Rahman

Pax Vobiscum, pilgrims!

Well, it’s been a couple of very interesting days covering the start of the Alchemy Festival at the Royal Festival Hall celebrating artistry from South Asia, UK and of course, India.  May I just say right off the bat that if it were not for a couple of people namely Anne-Marie, Jenny & Ashanti Omkar, I wouldn’t have had the privilege to have covered the sound rehearsal or the main show of the London Philharmonic Orchestra, under the guidance of Matt Dunkley, performing the first orchestral presentation of some of India’s musical genius AR Rahman’s celebrated work.

From my limited experience covering live music gigs, this much I know: You just can’t fire off frames anytime you want depending on the gig, hence I give anything orchestral a wide berth.  If silence were a golden commodity to sell or buy, many folks would be minting it!  To this day, you’d think Nikon or Canon would come up with silent device incorporated in their cameras to muffle the mirrors!  Anyway, that’s for another blog. In the meantime, the House Rules were simple: Stay at the seat you’re given, no photography during the performance except during the applause, and of course, no flash allowed. Hey! Who am I to argue? I couldn’t get the whole orchestra in any of the frames, so I guess I’m going to have to put in a request to Santa Clause again for a f2.8 300 wide Lens (Just thinking of that lens just makes me drool!). I used a Nikon f2.8 24-70 and Sigma 70-200 and shot at a 1600 iso. Speaking of photography, when the announcer declared at the start of the show ‘No Photography’,  it was like waving a multicolured red flag to bulls! I could hear clicks and flash bulbs going off all over the venue.  It got to a point that the ushers gave up trying to stop people from taking pictures. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Digital has opened a pandora’s box.  I ain’t hating, though.

For those who couldn’t make the show, the playlist consisted of music from ‘Elizabeth: The Golden Age‘; ‘Warriors of Heaven & Earth‘; ‘Couples Retreat‘; ‘Roja‘; ‘Mangal Pandey‘; ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ (No Jai Ho. Thank God for small mercies!!); ‘Bombay‘ (a personal favourite); ‘Passage‘; ‘Subash Bose’; ‘Meenaxi: Tale of 3 Cities‘; ‘Lagaan‘; ‘Swades‘; ‘Lord of the Rings: Stage musical‘; and the encore was ‘NahiSamne ‘ from the film ‘ Taal‘.

I’ve divided this photo-blog into 2 sections: the main performance yesterday night, and sound rehearsals that took place 2 days ago. Enjoy:

The full Orchestra: (well, everyone I could get in the shot with some of the audience! )

AR Rahman came on at the start of the show.  Now, the majority of people actually thought he was going to be conducting the performance, so many were kind of surprised to see AR take his seat in the audience.  You’d think some people would have some self control, but no: hardcore fans actually came up to him during the performance to ask for pictures and what-not! I mean, show some decorum!!

Naveen Kumar was on flute and he is one of the most talented, humble men that I have met! When I grow up, I’m going to be a flutist!

Asad Khan on Sitar and you should really see his rock performance of ‘Masum & Escape.  The dude’s a genius! When I grow up (again!), I’m going to be a Sitarist!

Alma Ferovic & Michael Rouse singing solo sections with The Metro Voices:

At the end of the show was a Q&A session with AR and BBC Radio One presenter Nihal, who also presented to AR a gold disc from Universal Records celebrating a tally of sales that the music from ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ has sold.

Here’s the second part of the blog: Sound-rehearsals.  Fun and games, people!

That’s it, people.  Have a great and blessed day.

**All Images are copyrighted to Pixgremlin aworan. That means you should please contact me if you want to use the shot on your web page or such.  Because the pictures come up via google images does not mean that it’s visual All You Can Eat Buffett! I’m not implying that my shots are great, but I know people are going to lift the images (I’m talking to you, BEHIND WOODS!) so please show some respect!**

How NOT to warm-up & Flo-Rida at the Indigo.

Why is the stereotype of the crouch grabbing, mic-holding 90 degrees, trousers hanging way below the butt-line Djs normally reinforced when it comes to covering Hip-Hop/Rap concerts? It’s always the same: some warmup act comes on stage and makes a complete schmuck of himself. And so we find ourselves hearing such a character at the Flo-Rida gig.  I had just entered the venue so I didn’t really catch the guy’s name, save for him boasting that he has a Myspace following that brings about a million listeners a week. With such a claim, you’d think he had something special to holler about. I should have known right there & then when he started off with the obligatory “Yeh, yeh, Yeh!!!” This punk then proceeds to shout into a chorus, “S*** my ****!!” If he thought that this would endear him to the crowd, he was sorely mistaken.  Suffice to say he was off before his time was up.  I reckon the boy needs knew wholesome material; maybe a musical thesaurus. 

Anyway, after enduring the painful ramblings & screaming of a compère (Apparently, I’ve just been informed that the compères at these gigs are actually called ‘The Hype-Man’) performing to the audience & myself , thus wasting nearly 2 hours of my life when I could have been at home chilling, Flo-rida finally came on. I can safely say that his music is & will never be to my sensory delight, but he does have the energy of a Duracell bunny, and for that I salute him. Kudos to you, Mr. Flo-Rida:

First gig of the year: Camille O’ Sullivan

With the economic downturn at the moment affecting practically everyone, being a photographer, especially a live music photographer, can be a challenge, that’s why if you’re thinking of a career in photography, don’t just limit yourself to one aspect. Better still, you might want to have a fall back career, just in case.

Before leaving for India, I found out that the Behemoth, Getty Images, bought out Redferns music picture library.  I’d love to see what the T&C’s are now for freelancers. It gets me thinking all the time: what does the future hold for Live Music photography? Would exclusivity to pictures only be privy to the big boys like Getty, PA and the likes? What’ll happen to the smaller companies that refuse to bow down to take-overs? Is it worth the palaver? Have giant corporations, massive egos from artists and maniacal press control from PR agents finally sucked the remaining remnants of life from this once great photographic institute? Time will tell, and probably sooner than we think.

For now, though, it’s back to at least getting the shots and hopefully sending them out and hopefully expect some returns.  I was asked to cover an Irish singer called Camille O’ Sullivan at the Roundhouse yesterday night.  This being the first gig of the year, it was a pleasure not being treated like cattle in trying to get her picture and although we weren’t put at the front of stage, it was with good reason.  If you’ve never seen this sultry lady perform, I suggest you see her at least once.  She has such raw energy that gets entwined with the emotions of the songs she’s singing that even I had stayed back for a couple of songs.  She might not be to everyone’s taste, but she does have stage charisma. Speaking of stage, she’d actually come off and interact with the audience like it were some kind of cabaret show set in circa 1930s Germany (Cabaret the Movie, anyone?)

Elbow & Fleet Foxes: Highlight pictures & a crazy anger moment!

On my way to a gig, and I find myself overhearing a conversation. The dude on the phone was speaking in a Scottish/Irish hybrid dialect which I just couldn’t decipher. One thing was for sure: he was absolutely livid. At first, the guy tried to be reasonable. He then paused and tried to interject or plead with the other person on the phone. I could barely make out the voice on the other line, but it sounded like a voice of a spoilt teenager. Now, I don’t want to make any assumptions, but I do know this: the man suddenly flipped out. The guy was so angry that he literally began to choke on his own rage! I didn’t think it was possible for anyone to nearly self-strangulate themselves in anger. Remember those old cartoons where a character is screaming down the phone and then somehow manages to grab the other person through the line? I’m guessing my ‘man’ would have wanted to do something similar and familiar like this:

(c) 20th Century Fox TM

On a lighter note, the Meltdown Festival at the Royal Festival hall kicked off on Saturday, and today’s performance had Elbow and Fleet Foxes. It seemed like a good show, and I did get to meet some nice photographers whom I’ve only chatted to via forums or have seen once every green moon…:-)

Elbow’s Guy Garvey:

Elbow (well, only the band member my lens could fit in!):

Fleet Foxes’ Robin Pecknold

Right.. it is way past my bed-time. Good night..

“Feck! Drink!! Tube!!!” (and a dash of John McLaughlin)

One task that the new Mayor of London has ordered is the banning of alcohol on all Transport for London services (Tubes, buses, trams and DLRs) as of the 1st of June, 2008. With such a ‘decree’ sanctioned, ‘loyal‘ TfL passengers gathered at different times today on the tube network in a final act of defiance to drink any intoxicating beverage with full gusto. I guess many saw the opportunity as a big ‘tube-crawl’ (bad pun, I know!!) party. I was on the tube to the Barbican and encountered a whole bunch of revellers drinking & ‘fecking’ away merrily. To be honest, I reckon it was probably a reckless move, this party. Not that I’m being a kill-joy, but think about it: we all know how many people in this country cannot hold their alcohol, and yet, there they were, revved up like leprechauns ready to dance a conga line, tanked up to a drunken frenzy and nearly stupidly playing chicken right next to live tracks. What would Father Jack have to say about this ban, I wonder?

But that’s my observation. On a lighter note, I went to the Barbican to cover JohnMcLaughlin. Great music, but the lighting was crap. Oh, well: You can’t always get what you want:

“Justin Timberlake, he ain’t!”: Shyne Ward at the O2.

For the record, Shyne Ward is not my cup of tea. I had no idea of who he is, until some of my friends told me that he won some talent show or the other called X-Factor. I actually wanted to photograph Seu Jorge at the Royal Festival Hall, but my agency called the shots. If it were a question of personal preference, Seu Jorge would win hands down, bar none, just for convenience in getting the picture and not being treated like an animal.

Now, as most photographers who go down to the 02 to work knows, it’s always a nightmare. You have to deal and communicate with moronic, over-gooned and pot-bellied (They recruit anyone these days!) security staff, which I think always ends with me wasting precious saliva. And as if that’s not bad enough, I literally got kicked by the official camera operator for the tour, who, truth be told, looked like a sex-starved, cross- breed version of bartender Moe Syzlak from The Simpsons, and a ferret. This dude was truly a malicious little runt. I wasn’t the only photographer whom he kicked because we were in his way. I honestly wanted to start something, but then I realised that he was not worth it at all. Besides, any action I’d have taken there would have some consequences towards photographers and myself at any future live music gigs.

But how about the performance of Mr. Shyne Ward? Well, I really couldn’t say he was good or not. I just wanted to get the shot I needed and leave. I thought the projection of him in the background during the show was a bit narcissistic, but hey: whatever rocks your boat, I guess. I can’t even describe to you his kind of music, to which I had one fan have a go at me because of my lack of “musical knowledge from not watching ITV’s ‘X-Factor’ “. Come on! Like I have nothing better to do with my time!! Yet, to the thousands of adoring fans who turned out in force for this ‘Justin Timberlake Lite’ performer, they gave him their undying love. Although I left after the second song, I’m sure they’d have tossed a couple of pants and bras thrown on the stage for good measure.

Can’t hate the guy: I wish him all the best. But I ain’t no fan!:

The Charlatans at the Forum (and how to lose weight!)

In everything we do in life, we have an incentive. We read to be knowledgeable; we work so as to pay the bills; heck, we even have to run so as to catch the bus.

So it begs the question: should cash bribes be used as an incentive in getting kids with weight issues (or just being big boned!) to lose weight? Well, yes, according to one Professor Claus Luley. For more on the story from today’s London Metro paper, click here.

It does beg the question, though: what if you don’t have any more money to give the kids? Would  they still want to lose weight because of the financial rewards, or because they’ve realised they are actually a lot more healthier? Or what are the odds that some kids lose the weight and then use the money just to pile everything back on?  Hey, who am I to judge. Some people have genuine health issues, but yet there are those that the very thought or notion of  going on a treadmill just kills them!  Homer Simpson, anyone?  ( To be fair on Homer, he has lost weight in some episodes due to incentives, but for the sake of continuity, he has to always be ‘big-boned’.)

Anyway, a couple of shots of The Charlatans at the Forum yesterday. If there was ever a band that like to  abuse the power of strobe flashing with red lights via the lighting & stage crew, it has to be these guys.  Music wise, it was actually ok, but not my cup of tea:

Councils, Indo-Pakistan Zombies & Matchbox Twenty

It’s about 9.23 am and I am tired. I’m tired of the moronic Shennenigans of my local council. (Long story short: repairs that should have been fixed 3 months ago are still lingering!) So, here I am, waiting for the so-called powers that be to come and sort things out. Hah!! And what’s with the whole ‘Time-frame’ given to you; the so-called ‘A.M’ or ‘P.M’ call out. Don’t get me started on that.

So, as I’m sitting here just whiling away the time, I’ve picked up the copy of one of the Asian Magazine’s my missus bought, and I was intrigued by the short interview with a Pakistan director and the mention of his ‘Zombie’ flick, called Zibhakhana. Now, I’ve never seen this movie, and it would be unfair for me to pass judgment on it, but a Pakistan or Indian horror movie? You best believe that they’ll include some singing and dancing, and maybe for good measure, throw in some of Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’. Here’s one made earlier in the Telugu language:

But I digress. I went out yesterday to cover Matchbox 20. Actually a nice relaxing show:

The latest stabbing accessory: the pointed umbrella…

Space! The final frontier.. these are the voyages & encounters of trying to have some personal space to yourself.. and not getting it. Especially whenever your walking about in public places.

When it comes to this dimensional extension while you’re out and about, people’s spacial reasoning leaves a lot to be desired for. From the ‘lovey-dovey’ couples to Mothers or Fathers with prams and just never looking where they are going; the broadsheed newspaper reader who is yet to master the art of folding. Let’s not forget the tourist who never seem to know when to make up their mind. Oh, I could give you a long list of culprits, but lets examine one dangering species:

Umbralleus longtijuvus. Or, in layman’s term, Men with long umbrellas. You’d think that men would take their cue from women who have the rather petite shaped brollies which still effectively keeps out the rain when opened. Notice the way how men hold their umbrellas while its closed. With each stride comes a swing which signifies a territorial marking with the umbrella, only short of you being fustigated or stabbed.

You know the culprits I’m on about, the Regimental Sergeant Major’ : The office type guys based in the city or the ‘Shaka Zulu’ types (Shame on you if you have no idea who this man was!) who swing the umbrella as if it’s an assegei

Here are a couple of tips in how to avoid being clobbered or stabbed by the above suspects:

Walk at a minimal pace (safe) distance: Stating the obvious it would seem, but many a people still fall victim just by not watching their step.

Don’t stay in a country where it rains or the sun shines all the time. (Self explanatory)

Destroy all long umbrellas you find and get smaller ones for any male friends you have.

With these simple rules, you just might be able to avoid being lampooned out there.

On a lighter note, here are a couple of shots taken at the Barbican yesterday night commemorating the humble banjo. The show was called Blues: Back to the Source, and had Otis Taylor, Alvin Youngblood Hart and Corey Harris, with special guest Bassekou Kouyate playing the ngoni:

and the rest of the banjo players:

Human Sardines & Lalo Schifrin with the LSO

I know many people have nightmares about getting into work and we rant and rave about public transport and the amount we pay for a dire service. Well, spare a thought for these guys in Japan:

I can only imagine lawsuits and the great British Stiff Upper Lip taking a stand if such a scene were to take place in England..

There are some movie soundtracks that will always stand the test of time. They are so iconic that you might not even know the movie in question but by just hearing certain bars, you’ve seen the movie. Sure, many of us are familiar with family classics like “The Hills are alive…” (The Sound of Music) or “Over the Rainbow” (The Wizard of Oz), but for cool soundtracks, look no further than Lalo Schifrin’s compositions. “Lalo huh?” I hear you say: The man that gave us the music for ‘Bullitt’, ‘Dirty Harry’, and better still, ‘Mission IMPossible’. Yesterday at the Barbican saw Lalo Schifrin make a rare London appearance with the London Symphony Orchestra and solo guests Alex Acuna, James Morrison and Pierre Boussaguet. All I can say is that it was an honour to be able to witness the soundcheck performance. Goosebump galore! Anway, shots from the gig:

Lalo Schifrin with James Morrison (Trumpet) and Alex Acuna (Drums):

Lalo Schifrin with the London Symphony Orchestra (Well, most of them.. my lens wasn’t wide enough!) :

After watching and listening to all this talent yesterday, I wish I could go back in time and slap my younger self and get him to learn how to play any instrument!!

Have a great and blessed weekend, people!