Photoset here.
I’ve got 80 bazillion other things I should be doing right now other than this blog post (readin’, writin’, but fortunately very little ‘rithmatic), so I’ll keep the review end short. Rosey outsourced a proper review of the show written by her friend Greg Padgett, so I’ll just direct the more literary-inclined folks there.
Paul Smith of Maximo Park, shot by Natalie Kardos
As for my two cents, I thought the show was spectacular – Paul Smith is an excellent frontman, commanding so much of your attention that you almost forget the other band members are there (for the record, my photos are mostly of him because the lighting on the other guys was pretty much nonexistent, despite Jake’s efforts to sneak around their soundguy to turn them up). At least once during most songs, Paul would leap into the air, sometimes doing a little kick as he went. Sadly, despite all my efforts, I could not capture this on film.
Paul Smith of Maximo Park, shot by Natalie Kardos
In fact, I apologize for not having more/more varied photos of the show. The Casbah was completely packed, with hardly anyone on the smoking patio or in the backroom during their set. Normally I would have been there early to secure a decent spot to take photos from, but some friends had an engagement party that same night, so I had to make the rounds. As it was, I relied on the kindness of people to let me sneak in front of them for a song or two.
Maximo Park, shot by Natalie Kardos
At one point I even knelt on a stool, to the ire of a tallish guy behind me, who tapped me on the shoulder and gestured to his point-and-shoot camera, because I guess I was blocking his shots. I pointed at my “real” camera and mentioned that I was doing press for the band (their management got me the tix to the show), and he was all, “Okay, but you can’t be up there the whole show.” My response was something along the lines of, “I’m pretty sure my knees can’t take kneeling on a stool for the whole show.” Sigh. I should just hand people my card in situations like this, but I hate being that person. I kind of like being “the discreet photographer,” as someone once called me. But I’m not going to walk away from a gig without taking photos, just because it was too crowded.
Maximo Park, shot by Natalie Kardos
Anyway, none of that is either here nor there. I had a great time at the show, and I was glad that it sold out – just a testament to the fact that San Diegans are up on the happenings outside the U.S., I guess.
Maximo Park, shot by Natalie Kardos