Carnage

So I went out Friday 17th to shoot Car Park Carnage at the Jubilee Hotel by myself as Rachel had to work late ['til 1am] I’ve been to the Jubilee before but it was inside and upstairs where as this time it was out the back under a tent, I knew from previously seeing Blowhard at Overcranked that they were a ska band so this should be ska type gig right? Wrong. I was a punk gig guys and girls getting around in old denim sporting mow hawks, tattoos, safety pins and old docs and they were all drunk off there tits. Great!

So I stood in the corner minding my own business until 9 man band Blowhard finally squished onto the very small stage, having no set list or idea what was going on as the lead guy was so smashed they played whatever the drummer decided on playing. Two songs in the punks decided to start a circle pit of pushing, shoving, kicking, punching and falling down I stood a few pushes in the back until they got quite rowdy and I decided to head for a safe spot to sit until The Disables set up and took the stage.

As the EKKA was on there were some tents set up with mechanical bull rides and a covers band the bistro area was closed but still available to sit in and walk through so this is where I took cover and bought myself a coke [hard core] There an argument at the bar over spilled drinks and a few guys who tried to chat me up, bloody drunks.

So after a while I go back out to the tent and find The Disables are ready to go, I head down to the front of stage and start shooting. This band is no good to shoot with a 50mm lens but the lighting wasn’t great so that is what I had to use! Not even half way into the first song the crowd is more drunk and more spastic than ever, a bigger circle pit and this time a guy climbing onto the small stage and stage diving onto unsuspecting victims! I was kicked and pushed and in a moment of disbelief a guy and his swinging bourbon rained down upon the people, me and my 30D I copped it right in the eyes. It stung and I was blinded for a moment and that’s when I’d had enough and walked off to the back of the crowd cleaning up my face and camera.

I got angry and went back to my little dark bar in the bistro where I cleaned up a bit more and sat waiting for the Dreamkillers apparently this band was one to see. About 10 minutes after I take a seat I hear this almighty crash and then some girl screaming bloody murder, a bar brawl had broken out in the small room beside me, smashing and crashing and screaming was happening and then one of the guys who was talking to me at the bar earlier came running out with a torn shirt. I thought it was over until the girl started to scream again and I poked my head back to look and they were all punching and kicking each other and they fell my way! As I jumped up to grab my gear I heard the bouncers screaming to close the doors to lock them in and I left. As I got onto the street there were cops everywhere [they move fast in the Valley] I was scared to be alone and got to the train station fast to be with the security guy who has the massive black dog.

Fuckin’ Punks.

Sunday night saw Rachel and I at the Troubadour to see US band City on Film, but it wasn’t a band it was just one guy. As this was a Rave gig I only turn up for the main act as they don’t need the supports but we caught the end of The Paper and the Planes who sounded not bad, a bit Evermore Rachel said and they had a big audience. City on Film came on it was just one guy, middle of stage with his guitar “Hi thanks for coming, this is City on Film” right then I took about 27 photos and left I love quick gigs especially since it was at 10:30pm.

I have nothing confirmed to shoot yet but should in the coming days, I’ve had the flu and have been feeling flat so last weeks gigs were more of a burden than anything else I’ve had no real drive to go shoot. I think I need somethig with more status, sometimes the little bands just don’t inspire me and give me that drive to want to shoot.

~ by kyezah on August 20, 2007.