(DISCLAIMER: Above photo not shot by Joe Ortega)
YET…everything below and it is glorious.
UNDERØATH is one of those bands I will forever love. I have have the privilege of seeing them quite a few times…and it was just a blast! Back in 2006 I believe it was, in Austin Texas the band hopped in the back of my friends truck after a show and a few of us went to have subs at a famous ATX sandwich shop! This was before the iPhone days…yet I do have a few fun photos to share before I began the awesomeness that is Joe Ortega’s photos
They are all of Tim….who decided to take selfies with my digital camera. They always crack me up!
The most random and awesome thing ever, for the record.
Ok! So let’s get this photography party started!
I have known Joe for a few years now and have watched his photography skills grow into something amazing and beautiful! You can see more of his amazing work HERE!!! Go go there (after you read this of course) or be square!
(If you need a little soundtrack to this awesomeness…..hit PLAY! )
I asked Joe to talk a little bit about this experience he had with this shoot, and this is what he had to say. Enjoy!
The early 2000s was an interesting time for music. Some of us were coming off of this punk infested scene. For me, it was all H2O, Gorilla Biscuits, MXPX, Descendents and the list goes on…until one day something changed. Heavy music was accessible and catchy and it was good! I’m not necessarily a fan of just straight up hardcore music, but when bands like A Static Lullaby, Atreyu and Underoath started blending singing along with the screaming, I became instantly interested and ultimately engulfed.
They’re Only Chasing Safety was a great record for me. Mostly because I was in college, I had my own vehicle, a brand new CD player in said truck and I didn’t have to drive my little brother to school anymore and that meant one thing, I could listen to my music as loud as I wanted to when I drove alone. Everyone knows how loud they’re respective sound system can go, for TOCS and my truck, the volume number was 19. I sang every word, so loud, so out of tune and not even close to any notes Aaron Gillespie sang.
I remember seeing these guys play for the first time at Warped Tour. It was a small side stage, it was in the early 2000s and I guess I could look up specifically when it was but it’s of no consequence because the only thing that matters was how much they just slayed the stage. I don’t think they said anything other than “We’re Underoath” and then they just played one song after another. My jaw was either getting inadvertently punched, kicked or it was on the floor. I’m fairly certain ever since that set I’ve listened to every record frequently. So much so that every time they came back through wherever I was living, I enthusiastically sang every word to every song.
Fast forward to March 23, 2016. I’ve been shooting shows for just over a year. For the longest time, while being incredibly stoked to shoot some great shows, I was bummed that I didn’t pick up a camera sooner because bands that I loved growing up were done…but then this came along. Not only did Underoath reunite but they were playing They’re Only Chasing Safety and Define The Great Line back-to-back every night of the tour.
The show was about as crazy as you’d imagine. My first thought was “who are all these old dudes at the show crowd surfing?” But then you look around and realize that the people that came to the show were of just about every age. Somehow they’d manage to acquire new, younger fans and that was all I needed to see. 12 seconds into the set, I was filming, shooting stills and singing along like it was my own personal karaoke moment. I’m trying my best to do this show justice in words and not just leaving it up to “you just had to be there” but unless you’ve actively listened to UØ and seen them live, the none of this makes sense. The energy, the lights, the set list, all executed perfectly. From pre show hangs to hearing tour stories to watching them just slay another show, I was glad to have been there to capture these moments.
(ps. there are so many people behind this scenes to make these shows happen. This is my pal Kyle. I did an interview with him and you can read his adventures with Panic! At The Disco HERE. )
Equipment used to capture said moments included: Nikon D3300, Nikon D610, 35mm f/1.8, 50mm f/1.8, 17-55mm f/2.8 and 24mm f/2.8.
Thank you so much, Joe for the beautiful photography and to UNDERØATH for the endless entertainment.
XOXO,
Thank you for taking the time to check out my blog. For more updates & random adventures of mine follow me on Instagram!
(click photo below)
