nick pickles music photographer

So, once again another Glastonbury dissapears before me quicker than you can say Vuvuzela. For the first time since 2003, the festival passed without a drop of rain falling, and while I now need to spend time de-dusting my kit, it’s certainly better than having to wash everything to get rid of the mud.

The day kicked off and ended on the Other stage, and I was especially happy to join headliners Orbital on stage for their set - although not without a bit of a jog!

The Joy Formidable are one of my favourite up and coming bands and they didnt dissapoint the pretty decent crowd who’d got out of bed early on the last day to catch them. I shot the later half of the set from stage, great fun although from a photographic point of view quite challenging as there wasnt much stage lighting around, so like the Courteeners on Friday I was left to try and grab the odd moment when you could see faces.

Then it was off to catch Avi Buffalo on the park stage, and very good they were too, but by then my mind had turned to the day’s alternative headline event - England v Germany. Most of the festival’s press pack were camped down there and two blokes in full George’s cross body suits got a great deal of attention (and probably didnt see much of the match through the pack of photographers waiting for them to react to every goal). In the end, it was a massive let down in footballing terms, but an interesting shoot to do alongside all the usual music shots. One portrait of a rather ropey looking punter particularly caught my attention.

After the game (well, about 70 mins in) I gave up and tredged to the bar by the John peel stage, as I was down there for Gang of Four, Broken Social Scene and Julian Casablancas. There were alot of rumours that the latter’s set would infact be a Strokes gig, so the usual chaos of trying to confirm rumours and extra access kicked in. Last year I ended up on stage with the Black Eyed peas because of the Justin Timberlake rumour, this year I managed to blag a bit longer in the pit. Which in truth was totally useless as a) there was no strokes gig (although a few strokes songs were played) and b) JC played in the dark. I was shooting at 3200 ISO and in the end most of the photographers gave up and just started using flash. By the end of the third song it was a total free-for-all. I was going to walk away, but then he came down into the crowd but as I was at the wrong side of the tent I didn’t get anything useable.

After that it was onto tea and the final shoots of the night. As covering Glastonbury is a team effort, my schedule meant I was covering Empire of the Sun’s first UK show - so I kicked off with Orbital in the pit, then on stage, then about 20 mins in ran up to the Park. I ended up making such good time that I got there with about ten minutes to spare. As soon as the first three (visually stunning if not a bit weird sounding) tracks were over it was back down the path to the Other stage, hoping to catch the end of Orbital’s set. For anyone who has been to glasto, I did Park photo pit to being on the Other stage in 9 minutes. Amazed I had any energy left but I made it to watch the last 20 mins or so - including an appearance by the latest Dr Who, Matt Smith, who joined in on keyboard for a massive version of the show’s theme track.

I’ll do a more reflective post on the whole event and pick my favourite shots, but Sunday was definitely a productive day - hectic, yes - but on the whole another good day for photos and even a bit of exercise!

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Day two. for a minute there, I……..

So, all told a much better day. Started to get my head around what was irking me yesterday, felt in a bit of a lull but things feel much more positive now. Some really challenging shoots - Jamie T was lit with a very dull blue wash, while the XX were a few spotlights away from playing in the dark. Wandered into the crowd for Muse (as much to get a shot for my the wall of my new flat as to file!) and ended up with a few nice wideangle shots. Managed to catch a few tracks of the National - including shooting the first three. The sunshine and black backdrop made for some great studio style shots, which has definitely been something on my mind. The shot of Foals frontman Yannis I particularly like as it doesnt feel like a live shot, has a crispness to it that doesnt mirror the brilliant energy of their performance. I’ve no idea whether that makes it a rubbish live shot or not, but I like it so it’s going up heh.

one day left. never enough.

(oh, and I’ve just realised I’ve forgotten to do an edit of a shot of the national, so you’ll just have to wait for that.)

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So, I’ve just finished my edit and have finally time to blog. Some great moments today - Mumford and Sons were amazing, going on stage with the Courteeners was great, and caught up with an old friend I’d not seen for too long. It’s also fair to say realising the distance of the site meant it was all but impossible for me to shoot Radiohead (or at least Thom and Jonny) who were the special guests on the Park stage.

I consoled myself with an ice cold hospitality beer (a real treasure to behold after a day of the heat) and thoughts of things to come. Which did cheers me up for a bit anyway. Glastonbury really is an amazing place, there’s nowhere quite like it. And yet I still have this lingering feeling something isn’t right. For some reason this place seems to really sap my confidence.

Mumford & Sons definitely the highlight of the day, and of course it’s great to be at a glasto without needing wellies. Now, I need sleep……and before then, beer.

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doesnt seem like a week since i was sat in the park with a beer pondering what exactly i was doing there. but still, time flies. anyway, this is my shambolic attempt at a mini-review and a few of my favourite photos.

I’ve got to say I thought glasto this year was pretty average. the lineup didnt feel like it had any magic - when you get lady ga ga and the ting tings at the top of the 2nd stage bill, things have gone a bit wrong. and having three headliners who were all playing other shows was a shame. I know you dont go to glastonbury for the headliners, but it does add a bit of magic.

I spent most of my weekend wandering round the smaller stages - mainly the park - and sunday i got to see the queens head and jazz world stages properly. only band i shot on the pyramid all weekend were spinal tap who were of course epic. on thursday I managed to make Maximo Park’s performance at 4pm (though a warning for anyone reading this - check that stages havent moved from the year before or you might end up as confused as I was) and also got to shoot Zane Lowe’s set in the BBC Introducing tent, which went out live on ze radio.

favourite sets were probably the horrors, who played as the sun was going down on the park and were immense. a near ten-minute sea within a sea closed off a really powerful set. also of note on the park were bon iver, who i’d not heard of and now can’t stop listening to. i also got to see the maccabees play an acoustic track in the bbc3 village, which was pretty cool.

fight like apes were once again magical, and getting to see them early meant catching the capitol years, a band from america who were top. really good tunes and well worth checking out.

sunday ended well, on stage with the black eyed peas. i can’t show some of the photos, for various reasons, but a good selection are up on flickr.

so, a few days until T in the Park and what I am sure will be another terrific festival. Particularly looking forward to seeing Nine Inch Nails and Jaynes addiction back to back, and fingers crossed for getting on stage with one of the headliners.

You can view the full set of my photos here, or below are a few of my favourites.

so, where were you when you heard about Jacko? I wasnt at glastonbury. I was in a taxi. not very exciting I know.

slightly surreal atmosphere here yesterday - it stopped raining eventually, but the damage was well and truly done in mud terms. after several trips to the (very far away from our compound) park i wrapped the day up with the horrors and animal collective - a great end to a weird day. still think even in the few years I’ve been coming here glasto has lost lots of its magic, and i can’t say I had many moments where I really enjoyed myself. had a good chat with one of the NME guys about how the lineup isnt great, and how it’s a shame none of the headliners are ‘exclusive’ anymore.

but, old man whinging aside, it’s sunny and i’m loving being here, and it’s a privildge to be shooting for the BBC. I’ve got a creative brief to look after all the small stages, which is great as I’m going to get around all the cool little stages, rather than just shoot crap like lady gaga and lily allen.

best set from friday definately the horrors, who closed with a truly epic version of sea within a sea.

so - I got on site, I fought my way to Maximo Park in the Queens Head, and then Glasto 2009 was go!

I’m here shooting for the BBC, and will be mainly covering the Park, Acoustic and Jazz World stages. This Glastonbury is about getting back to why I do this, and if I dont ever end up doing it again, I will remember the music. Been thinking alot about my last gig and when it will be - but for now that conversation can wait. I’ve a great summer ahead, and then lots of great gigs at Leeds Academy. So, if you excuse the lingo, i’m mad fer it.

so far this evening we’ve had a massive thunderstorm, a power cut, and michael jackson has died. and mike skinner presented zane lowe with a strimmer. oh well.

so, finally edited my shots and starting to feel like glasto was a very long time ago. Last year I said I would never go again - really felt like the atmosphere was gone. and then there was the mud, which really pissed me off.

 but, thanks to my good friend kate, i had the chance to go and work there - and then it was sunny. didnt get to watch enough bands, but the atmosphere was definately back - i wandered up to the hill by the stone circle on saturday evening, after a walk through the avalon fields, where i had a very nice crepe with bannana and chocolate, and a coffee. but that’s not important. glastonbury felt like glastonbury again - and i remembered why that’s so special. it is the only true festival - everything else is just big outdoor gigs.

 and i took some photos - you can find them here: Sunday; Saturday; Friday

peace and love

nickx

 Finally a moment to sit after a mad few hours - an exclusive set of shots on kate moss arriving, running about, more rain, and a hangover. this is a quick blog, photo of the subways (surprisingly, never guess with that backdrop eh?) and a moment to pause. although i have 10 mins until MGMT go on, and i need to go.

It is upon us, and I am here. What can i say? Fire en route closing roads, my sledge gave up on me and the photocall ran late. and now its raining. on the other hand, I’m at the greatest festival on earth, and have a pass that takes me interesting places. more from me later, when i find a plug point for my laptop. x