Traces Of The Real

This is The Flaws opening up for The Walkmen at Tripod in Dublin a few nights ago. The very first picture I took in this series was also done in Tripod, way back in March of this year. I remember scrambling around in the dark on the balcony, frantically trying to assemble the 4×5 camera I had just bought, and thinking that this long exposure gig photography idea was never going to work. It’s taken me until now to get back into Tripod as it’s a rare night when the balcony is not in use.

I went there to photograph the main band but decided to try one or two of the The Flaws as well. From the balcony it looked like there was no crowd there at all but it was only when I leaned over a bit and looked down that I saw that there were plenty of people there – they were just hanging around at the back, obviously uninterested in the support act. I’m not a fan of The Flaws, it was really loud and I had forgotten my earplugs, and there was a stage light pointing right at my camera that was more than likely going to ruin all the photographs, but in spite of all this I started to feel bad for them. They were plugging away and giving it their all, and not getting anywhere.

Towards the end of their set, those three guys in the photograph walked right up to the front of the stage and stood there. “Fair play” I thought “giving the lads some moral support!”. Not so. Right after this they were immediately joined by all the rest of the audience, who were simply waiting until The Flaws finished before grabbing their places in front of the stage for the main band. Oh well. I do like the photograph though.