A Yearender: My Top 10 Highlights of 2012

2012 marked my second year of shooting music & gigs. It was year of music festivals & string of events of both local & foreign acts. Here are my top 10 highlights that made a turn-around in my life as a hobbyist. You can click on the photos to view the stories behind them.

1. LANEWAY FESTIVAL

Just as when a year normally preps-up for full throttle, it was overwhelming to have experienced one of the biggest music festivals of Singapore, the Laneway Festival. With international acts such as Feist & Anna Calvi, it was a music photographer’s smorgasbord one could only dream of shooting.

Feist

Twin Shadow

Anna Calvi

Chairlift

Yuck

Cults

2. LAMB OF GOD RESOLUTION WORLD TOUR

I once failed when Lamb of God came to Singapore for their Wrath Tour last 2010, a futile attempt to photograph one of the envoys of the American heavy metal. Just as when the news spread that they were returning to promote their Resolution album, nothing came to my mind but redemption.

Lamb of God

3. JUDAS PRIEST EPITAPH WORLD TOUR

Lamb of God opened for Judas Priest, another bookmarked gig for 2012. Classic metal, gargantuan stage sets, crazy light show, it was one of the best shows I have seen in my entire life.

Judas Priest Epitaph World Tour 2012

4. PINOY ROCK 2012

My first gig as an official photog for 2012, Pinoy Rock was headlined by leading alternative rock artists from the Philippines, Sandwich & 6Cyclemind featuring Ney Dimaculangan & Kean Cipriano. Lighting was excellent and I finally had the right to hog the photo pit.

Sandwich

Kean Cipriano

6Cyclemind

5. WE ARE THE IN CROWD

Oh Chentaku opened for We Are The In Crowd. This was a shot taken when the band  were supposedly wrapping their set.

Oh Chentaku

We Are The In Crowd was another opportunity to shoot from the pit. Despite the obscure lighting, the band’s energy was sufficient enough to capture pleasing shots.

We Are The In Crowd

6. FULL BATTLE ORDER

I got drenched in the (literally) underground scene when some of  the vicious bands from Asia gathered in the basement to unleash Full Battle Order. This was one of the shots I took from the japanese death metal band Gotsu Totsu Kotsu.

Gotsu Totsu Kotsu

7. MEGADETH TH1RT3EN WORLD TOUR

Another rare opportunity to shoot from the pit… Megadeth!

Dave Mustaine

Chris Broderick

8. RIVERMAYA

Though there weren’t money shots on this one, Rivermaya was one of the emotional coverage I took. I was quite involved during the pre-show and eventually became part of the band’s set-list.

Rivermaya

9. MARIÉ DIGBY YOUR LOVE ASIAN TOUR

First time shooting manual… I know…

Marié Digby

10. EVE’S FAIRE FEATURING BARBIE ALMALBIS & KITCHIE NADAL

Two of the Philippine’s femme fatale of the Pinoy alternative rock scene, Kitchie Nadal & Barbie Almalbis was another opportunity that was impossible to resist.

Barbie Almalbis

Kitchie Nadal