Every photographer can probably relate, things don't always fall into place and work out as you have planned.
This story is one where I blame myself as a 'pro' to mess up, there are more factors contributing, but in the end I can't deny responsibility, but I learned from it and that's what counts.
Okay, baseline is: I went out shoot ABBA Gold Europe, followers of this blog will surely recognise this name, as i've shot them times and times before, across Belgium. (part of there Belgium 2014 tour here:
ABBA Gold Europe Tour 2014
They performed at a festival 10 minutes from my door, closest I had ever went to go shoot them, what made me sloppy, I didn't allow myself enough time for possible traffic problems or struggles.
You can probably guess it now, in the few km I had to go, there was a roadblock and detour, lost me a couple minutes and made me end up on the wrong side of the festival grounds, thus made me lose more time having to run around the festival to get to the actual press entrance.
At this point the band was doing their last sound-checks, while I queued up at the press entrance, so far no real problem, I know the band, I know the set-list, I know their moves and when they are going to be where and what they'll do.
But then the internal communication had gone wrong and for some reason my name was not on their list, oh yes, here I get stressed.
While they had me stuck waiting at the reception tent while they tried to internally get their info together, I could hear the band start their first song.
Time
Ticking
Away
The backstage manager came up to me and have me explain why I was there and how I wasn't on the press list.
Rather obvious why I was there: take photo's of the band that was already performing, and I got it, I'm not on the list!! Showing my communication with the band where they said to arrange for my pass didn't do much, and how much I understood his point of view, it was hard to not get annoyed hearing the songs that I was supposed to shoot go by.
Lucky for me, he wasn't completely unreasonable and allowed me in to photograph just that one band, front-stage access only, but hey at that point I would have given a kidney to get in so I ran for the stage, took in the environment and started shooting.
These are the results I managed to get from it:
ABBA Gold Europe Paal
Blistering sun straight into the stage, very hot summer temperatures, no wind. One of the toughest gigs to perform, and shoot. The band as literally dehydrated as they came off stage and crashed down having drinks.
From there on the evening was simply bliss, as we went off to the hospitality area and I had a night of relaxing and having interesting conversations about music, artists, and very personal topics, with a band that I can call my personal friends.
We ended the night all together around a piano singing and playing random songs. A night I will never forget.
Lessons to learn from that night are: never let your guard down and be prepared for the unthinkable, you never know what you will come across even on a 10 minute trip from your door.
But also hang in, don't give up and push through, don't give up and get the job done.
