David Byrne (of Talking Heads fame) brought his surreal performance art-infused American Utopia tour to the Fox Theater in Oakland, CA for two nights. The entire show was performed inside an empty chainmail box, which required a bit of grooming by the crew...
More in the series: Here's to the Roadies
London Grammar, a young electronic pop trio out of the UK, wrapped up their North American tour with a sold-out show at the Fox Theater in Oakland, CA on Saturday, February 7th 2015. Considering the enthusiasm of the large crowd - nearly five times larger than their last Bay Area show last year - it's safe to say they've got a bright future ahead of them.
This shoot was a little more challenging than some, as we were told up front we'd only be allowed to shoot for two songs. I had hoped this meant they were going to be really long songs, but nope - just the usual length, and go figure, there was plenty of dim light to start the show. To make matters worse, my preferred camera was in the shop, so I had to make do with my backup, which struggles in dim light. Despite all the challenges, I managed to get a few keepers.
Opening the show was Until The Ribbon Breaks, a new electronic pop band also hailing from the UK who blends pop, hip-hop and rock to create a unique sound. Their music was inspired by old films which the band watches in the studio while writing music apparently, so it came as no surprise that their set featured a projection of some of this film footage while they played. They also projected a cameo by hip-hop act Run The Jewels during one of their collaborations.
For this set we were allowed to shoot the normal three songs, which was helpful.
