GAG

Apr 19

Written By Luke

THE ORPHEUM | TAMPA, FL | 04.18.2024

Capturing chaos

There’s a certain risk to reward ratio in flux when it comes to being a photographer at a hardcore show. Positioned stage right and only one person deep, I am in prime crowd killing territory. And a lot of questions float through my head as I wait at the front of the barrier free stage: How badly do I want the Rockette kick, knee-tuck jump or full backbend shot? Is there a perch anywhere to avoid the inevitable stage diver coming to smush my 110 lb frame? What is the legal limit on Advil these days?

F*ck it. It’s GAG. The show was hot, rowdy, and crammed full of poses to fill up my memory card. Hardcore with this much energy and stage presence washes away any sense of doubt or inhibitions about moving up front. There is a gravitational pull when GAG is playing. It is a full on show complete with on-stage front rolls, high kicks that question my own former-ballet-dancer flexibility, and a mic in the mouth - trust me, it’s cool.

Crowd photos by Luke James @lukejeffjames

Photos by Sam James @samjames.jpeg

Where there is a will, there is a way to the front of the stage. There’s always going to be that little sense of risk at extreme music shows. Isn’t that what attracted us all to it in the first place? Slamming, stage diving, chaotic nonsense that feeds our inner desire for just a little bit of danger on a Wednesday night. Both myself and my Canon made it out unscathed - alive and undented. Ready for another show, hopefully as good as GAG.