30 May 2009 – Tonight I photographed Bayside at The Forum. They are currently touring with New Found Glory.

I have to admit to being a fan of Bayside and have all their albums in my CD collection so I was looking really forward to seeing them perform for my first time. I was really bummed out because the lady that was working the VIP booth wasn’t doing her job right and sorrily told me that I wasn’t on the list to shoot the show although it was organized through their tour manager and no matter how much I tried to explain to her the situation, she was convinced that she was right and time was starting to run out now that I was hearing the band finishing off their first song (there is a three song rule that most bands / venues have where professional photographers are only allowed the first three songs to shoot their photographs without being allowed to use flash). After much argument and my stress levels rising I called the tour manager and he told her what he thought and all of a sudden she looked on the right page and saw my name there. WTF. I have to laugh at things like this.

Anyway, so I ran in, fought through the full crowd to catch the last minute (if that) of the third song. I shot a few photographs but really nothing that I would brag about. Thank goodness that I was only commissioned to shoot the follow up band so I don’t need to explain my way out of this. I did love watching these guys. I think that Anthony’s voice is amazing and different and I really feel a connection to his writing. Hopefully they will play in London again soon and I won’t have to deal with that same lady when I shoot next time.