Three Randoms

Here are some more slice of concert type shots from the last month.

The audience from the Pacific Music Awards 2011 getting their groove on to Three Houses down, a shot of the orchestra pit at the Town Hall in Auckland along with a shot of Nathan Haines peforming later on that night with his band.

The Society and the Harbour Bridge

Last night we thought we would take a gander at the goings on under the Bridge out by Westhaven Marina at night and you know what - only the fisherfolk and the security guys seem to be doing anything.

Westhaven is much like Weymouth marina - it has water, seagulls and alot of bad lighting - ok it's not as slick as Weymouth but that's what happens when you have more money than sense :P

My favourite shots are of the gnarly bits under the bridge and as much as people like getting shots of the thing all lit up I like the other bits you don't see like the rubbish under it and all the barb wire along the scaffold below it.

Just want to say sorry to the folk sleeping in the van when I was sizing up the shot of the light by the motorway - my camera is pretty noisy aye. GO THE FREEDOM CAMPERS!! Just don't leave poo by the bridge.

Newmarket, scratch the surface.

I spent a good portion of my early working career in Newmarket as an employee of the ANZ bank which was handy as far as setting me up to buy my first house went. I used to spend a fair amount of time at the Truetone store, on the corner of Remuera Road and Broadway, going through the imported CD's looking for that something different from all the "NOW THAT'S WHAT I CALL MUSIC" compilations out there at the time. The Newmarket club was also a good place for a feed of beurger and chips and a mean game of pool on their rugby field sized tables.

Coming back years later to wander around it at night with the Hombres in the Society I see how much it really is the centre of the Consumer world that lives in Auckland. I suppose every city needs it's shopping precincts but looking at all the shiny glass and expensive price tags I'm kind of glad I am not overly obsessed with shiny things and expensive price tags anymore. I miss the old train station and find the new one a little vacant, probably more a result of being there at 9pm when hardly anyone is around.

As easy as it would have been to just shoot traffic light trails and the bright reflections on all the shop fronts I found the work on the overbridge, dimly lit rubbish bins and abstract shadows much more interesting.

I wonder whatever happened to the Millenium Countdown clock thing that used to be at the entrance to 277 - Cameron Brewer is probably using it as an egg timer.

Chipmunkazoids!

Ironlak are at it again with another wall with guest appearances from members of TMD, RTR and FDKNS.

Here are progress shots of the wall as it progresses with a more detailed version to follow hopefully once I have been back this coming weekend.

The Society goes on down to Surrey Crescent

The Society went along to Sureey Crescent lastnight on our weekly photography excursion and it turned out to be a bit of a wierd night with verbal abuse, homeless people and glowing plastic animals.

Who would have thought it but according to one very angry local, modern cameras are capable of taking photos of his wife through a dairy and the solid walls of his house. We weren't there when the accusations were flying but we were quickly filled in about the situation by Torbs and Reese when we arrived. After more rambling and gesturing at us, the angry local took our license plate numbers and we decided to move on.

Further into West Lynn I started grabbing some images of a few of the shops and about 20 minutes into doing this I got to watch the clumbsiest neighbourhood watch wannabe attempt to pretend he wasn't keeping tabs on me. It was beyond pathetic and had me wishing I had stayed in the relative normality of South Auckland.

Despite this initial run of stupidity I did get some shots I liked and I got to hang with The Society again after a bit of a break - really cool to see Nikau and Misha out and about too. Cool guys and a welcome addition to the clique :)

One of my favourite shots is the dubious signage that refers to something called the "White Service". Maybe it was my earlier encounters that coloured my perception but this made me snigger a little. Reading into it a bit more than I need to maybe?

The Society rides again next Monday - hit me up if you're keen to join in :)

MOS DEF

Best guerilla concert shoot ever :)

Got into the pit to shoot and then realised a little later that photo pass had not been confirmed. Grab my shots and gapped it - GO THE GAPPING!

Laneway 2011

Now this was fun! Didn't know what to expect as the only bands I knew were Emerald City (cool fullas) and Ladyhawke. Turned out to be heaps of fun with a very different crowd again (hipster kids I see you!) from those that I had encountered at Big Day Out and Raggamuffin but they were good peoples.

Emerald Cuty, WarPaint (love the drummer!), Holy F**K and Lawrence Arabia were my highlights. Can someone please tell Len Brown to never, ever - everevereverever sing a song again!

After downing all the Ice Tea I could ever want it was good to be able to use the flash loos in the Aotea Centre (thanks Media pass :)).

Oh yeah and to the apartment dwellers - take the weekend off and leave us to our fun ya grinches!