Wish: Live Music Photography

I love live music photography. I did some in the past and long to do more again. I have great respect for performers – and pride myself on being a very attentive and subtle presence in the performance arena. I also believe that the time I have spent working within the performance space of improvisers has sensitized me even more to the performance arena. I want to play.

There are two kinds of live music photography work I wish to do. One is straightforward documentary photography. The other is through the use of live-stills – a technique I have developed which enables me to project live still images into the performance space. I think that the real magic to live-stills is not the technology – but when I am allowed to travel within the performance space (sometimes visible to the audience).

I will be using this post to maintain my live music photography wish-list – so if you are interested and can maybe help make this come true – please visit back. You can always locate this post through the Wishes page.

1. Leonard Cohen – I would like to spend one or two days with Leonard Cohen before and after a performance. Trying to catch a wider glimpse of him and his performance space.
2. Prince (with Live-Stills) – Prince is an amazing musician and a spectacular performer. His performances are a celebration of joy – his fellow musicians are intriguing characters, there is a great sense of immediacy and vitality in the music and the meeting with the audience. I think Live-Stills will rock the party. I can almost taste the amazing experience of traveling Prince’s performance space.
3. Damien Rice – I love his music and love his honest presence. His performances can swing amazingly from soft acoustic to powerful electric. Lisa Hannigan is a model muse and the entire band setup on the stage if unique and inspiring – the drummer and cello player are  in front – special dynamics.
4. Antony and the Johnsons (with Live Stills) – What an amazing voice and amazing character. I was stunned when I first heard Antony and I was in tears when I saw him perform ‘If It Be Your Will’ on the Leonard Cohen tribute movie.
5. Rufus Wainwright – He is a real character – his stage performance feels so theatrical – I would love to bee in a dialogue with him using Live-Stills – I feel it can be playful and moving. Looking forward to it.
6. Sting – What can I say? For many years I was a fan. I’d like to be there in a special performance where he brings together some of the amazing musicians he has played with over the years – to a real celebration. Where there is space for playing, improvising and everyone is just there to have a really great time. This will be a one-time concert.
7. Berry Saharof – a living legend – amazing energy in every performance. Actually he represents numerous wishes: (a) in an intimate concert (saw this once years ago – amazing!), (b) on stage and rocking (saw this numerous times – just gets better and better) and (c) with Rami Fortis.
8. Shlomi Shaban – I haven’t yet seen him in solo concert. I saw him playing with Fortis & Saharof in concert and he completely blew me away. Amazing musician, amazing performer. A classic pianist – gloves off : )
9. The Waifs – I first heard them on Pandora and fell in love. A perfect blend of joy and caressing. If I want to listen to something and if nothing comes to mind and I don’t want something to crowd me – the Waifs it is. Happy people making other happy people – a great source of inspiration.
10. Dave Mathews Band – Finally got to see them in concert last year in Lisbon, Portugal. How do they maintain this level of energy over and over again. Would be wonderful to be there with a camera in hand.