LA PUNK on fire in Phoenix!
Drug Church with guests White Reaper brought City of Angels PUNK fire …and about blew out Walter Studios in Phoenix on April 1st- in the best possible way!
The venue is killer, previously a photo and video studio complete with cycloramic white walls for projections and 3 audio engineer sound booths I could see from the floor, full of suspended art from the ceilings. Plenty of room for moshing and dancing. The bar staff were making some heavy excellent pours, and having fun chatting with band devotee’s. The mixer of my drink said because the Studios usually hosts techno DJ events, they were super excited to have more live bands perform there. Psyko Steve is a local legend, always bringing the best in authentic awesome bands to Arizona.
I was there to review the show & photograph a four band event for Psyko Steve and Offstage Exposure Magazine. every one of them fire. The show included high energy performances from DEATH LENS (honestly, this was my favorite set) and Drip-Fed, and the fans were fun, feral, and ready for a kick ass night! This was one of the most exciting shows I have photographed, I just love seeing performers who love what they are doing, and interacting with the folks who love them. I saw this guy with a camera back a few rows in the crowd and said “oh hi! There is space up by me if you want” hahaha. I sometimes see other photographers hanging back from the front of the stage so I always try to encourage them and get them up front. Um, I felt a little silly because duh, this was none other than Marco Hernandez, the TOUR PHOTOGRAPHER and really big deal artist!! And I was all like “yOu CaN tAke PicTures too”. Well hell at least I’m friendly eh? By the end of the night this amazing dude was crowd surfing and gave me a backstage/on stage pass. So cool! Aren’t concert photographers the best though? Before the show was over I was hugging him and his girlfriend!
White Reaper @whitereaperusa
Tour Photographer Marco Hernandez @marco.antonio_h
Because thats the thing about hardcore supporters of iconic bands, they become family. Now the Studio absolutely had the right barricade fence, but the security staff had to physically hold it up and hold back the explosive crowd after the kids went wild when music started. Everyone is safe but the shear amount of head banging alone was starting to collapse the gate. By the time the headliner was on I kept my cameras a little safer by staying to stage left, right, and even on the stage (with permission of course!)
Hats off to an incredible security team run by a bad ass lady, for keeping it fun and safe for everyone!
Drip-Fed @dripfedtx
Drug Church fans are known for running up and diving off stage, so bodies were quite literally flying through the air. But the band and fans were keeping it secure and following mosh pit protocol. It was a night of accidental renaissance as fans were held in the air arms extended reaching for singers and guitarists like something from the sistine chapel. So many epic shots thanks to the energy of all. I had not heard of two of the bands before and now they are new favorites.
What really sticks with me is the relationship all of the bands had with the crowd, from the lead of Death Lens handing off the mics to a kid in the front to sing because he knew every word, to Patrick Kindlon pausing to help kids dive and make it through the wall of death intact, to fist bumps and hugs with headbangers on the barricade. Concerts make us come alive. We become best friends and family with the person standing next to us who we never met before and may not see again. April first all of the bands gave the best example of this, and that’s why we love going to shows. so yeah, I’d give this tour and promoter, and venue all a five star review for sure! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
