It’s taken ages to post these: I’ve been perfecting a new Photoshop action that will help batch images at a much faster pace. The pictures from Friday’s Tracer AMC/And So I Watch You From Afar gig are cool and I’m really happy with them, as the lights in Murray’s are very, very dim and ASIWYFA are very, very fast.
I tried some flash a la NME but didn’t like its look. Blur and glare weren’t doing it either it so transpired that trusty f2.8 on 1600 ISO at 160/sec…the camera setting of rock’n'roll…was the only way forward. I wanted to capture flicks, reeling heads and constant motion. I didn’t bargain on the genuine vibe of the night in snaps from odd moments of stillness.

They were fabulous. To review, I’d say they adapted well to the crowd and venue: despite the restrictions of an intimate audience in a funnel-shaped venue, the soar and drill of ASIWYFA commandingly loud, they played clearly with vigour, avoiding the volume threshold that leads music into noise. I heard a profound difference between the live and studio performances: The Voiceless rings with as much urgency as a bareback race against time, greasy bass sliding in amongst pealing guitars the advance of drums, uniting a headstrong force, urging their instruments to sally on.  They shine on polished records and sheen with sweat on stage. Energy and instruments lock, meandering mp3s transform into fast-paced rivers of song, blending a set that’s over only all too soon. Considering it was their first ever Dublin show despite a UK tour beginning tomorrow, I’m glad I got the chance to see And So I Watch You From Afar so up-close: if there’s any justice, the next time I see them live it will be from very, very far away….

And So I Watch You From Afar - 16/05/08 - ClubAC30Dublin - BoomBoomRoom

This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 20th, 2008 at 6:27 pm and is filed under Club Nights, Photography, Music, gigs. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.