Iron and Wine live @ The Olympia
5 Comments
Posted: Mar 15 in gigs
It’s been almost a month since I last photographed a band but thanks to MCD I picked things up again last night at The Olympia with Iron and Wine. What a difference from the last gig (Sleigh Bells at Whelans). Constant strobe lights, a heaving crowd and music that shook you too the core had been replaced with gentle lighting, a quietly seated crowd and some lovely soft gentle music from the man from South Carolina.
This was by far the quietest gig I’d ever shot and while it was nice to shoot in a lovely calm atmosphere for a a change it was also a little disconcerting. I become very aware of the sound of the shutter so would time my shots to the beat or louder parts of the song – annoying any paying punters was the last thing on my agenda. To add this, there was no pit so I had to shoot from the aisles. I know for a fact that if I was at a gig and ended up having a photographer beside me clicking constantly it would soon begin to grate, so I’d make my presence as short as hopefully as unnoticed as possible before moving to another part of the venue.
I only stayed for the first few songs so couldn’t give you a review on the gig but I found a very favourable one here and from what I saw I’d tend to agree.
Here’s what I got. Enjoy.
5 Responses
Mar 15, 2011 - 2:58 pm
Louise
Thanks for the reference! From all of the people I’ve spoken to, there are very mixed reviews of the gig. Some people seem to have wanted exactly what they heard on record. Others were long-term fans so seemed to be unimpressed by what must be a change in performance from the man.
I thought it was a very good gig. Not skin-tingling good but his voice is rather enchanting. I left a bigger fan than I had arrived.
Your photos are wonderful by the way – good hustle.
Mar 15, 2011 - 7:03 pm
David
Great photos. I’m a huge Iron & Wine fan and have been since 2006. I was this gig last night and I have to say I was really disappointed. Why change around songs that are perfectly good in the first place. ‘Free Until They Cut Me Down’ is a my favourite song of Sam Beams, but last night he ruined it. Way to much Saxophone in most of the songs. Reminds me of how Dylan often plays different version of his old classics in concert. It’s not what us diehard fans want to hear. I guess I’ll just have to stick to the albums in future.
Mar 15, 2011 - 7:26 pm
Dave
Hi Louise – well, props to you for having the first review out there that I could get hold of! “Good hustle” – I like that
I’ve added your blog to my favourites and will be keeping an eye on it!
Mar 15, 2011 - 7:32 pm
Dave
Hi David, thanks for your comments and sorry to hear that the gig didn’t live up to expectations. I know exactly what you mean about songs not being played the way they are on the record. My favourite band in the world is Eels – and Mark Everett is well known for changing his songs quite dramatically for a live setting. So much so in fact that he has been booked for chilled out festivals based on a particular record only to turn up and rock the place to the ground and vice versa. I guess as a fan this can work two ways – one is that fans could feel the same way as you and come away from a gig feeling let down as they don’t get to hear the songs the way they wanted to, or two, fans to get hear something totally new. As Mark would say, “Why do people always want to hear the same thing? They already have it on record”. Fair point I guess.
Mar 16, 2011 - 1:03 pm
jaycee
Hi folks, I was at the gig and I have to say I was quite disappointed. I have to say that I am more a fan of his former tranquil albums as oppose to the new hip hop type of stuff on kiss each other clean. So, I went to the gig with an open mind. However, it was not only the change of style of sam’s classics that I was displeased with. It was more the feel of the gig. I felt it very staunch – like the instruments where playing as separate entities as oppose to with one another. in saying that, some songs were great. I appreciate that Sam wants to move on with his music but surely as he does not play here too often, he could have played a few classics for his fans.
One song does not make an encore.
He did not introduce the musicians.
The gig lacked heart.
I am still a fan – but would not go out of my way to see him live again.