Helmet

A slightly odd name for a rock band, isn’t it? Or maybe not. Rock musicians tend to choose names that grab attention. According to legend, the original name proposal was Helmuth (the German name), but Helmet sounded better. And it stuck.

Yep, I was shooting another gig again. The concert promoter invited me along as the photographer for another show. Touring through Melbourne was the American band Helmet, supported by Australian bands Pit and Nunchukka Superfly. I’ll start with the American headliners.

Helmet play alternative metal. Music critics sometimes describe their sound as “metal for thinking people.” I’ll leave that claim to the critics. Either way, they’re loud. Here are a couple of video clips from the gig:

https://www.flickr.com/gp/147740420@N06/27o9Gob0Q4

https://www.flickr.com/gp/147740420@N06/3rJ6fhL9uQ

Unlike most metal bands, who perform in flashy outfits, wear long hair, and sometimes even makeup, the members of Helmet dress deliberately simply. They go on stage in everyday clothes and look like ordinary blokes off the street. Which doesn’t stop them absolutely tearing it up on stage.

Helmet was formed in 1989 by guitarist and vocalist Page Hamilton. By the way, he was born in 1960, which made him 65 at this show. Still a pretty lively old fella! Page Hamilton is a classically trained musician. He graduated from conservatory with a degree in jazz guitar, and jazz is his second musical love after metal. Aside from Helmet, he has also played and recorded jazz music, and toured with David Bowie as lead guitarist.

The current line-up also includes drummer Kyle Stevenson, guitarist Dan Beeman, and bassist Dave Case, well known for his beard and trucker cap.

The gig went very well. The crowd was pretty loose and got into some crowd surfing. That’s when the audience lifts someone up and passes them towards the stage, where security catch the “surfer” and put them back down. Crowd surfing is pretty standard fun at metal and punk rock gigs. In short — it was a great time.

I shot from a few different spots: the pit in front of the stage, backstage, from the lighting balcony, and out in the crowd as well. This time I had four lenses with me, and every one of them came in handy. Musicians are always great to photograph — there’s no shortage of emotion.

And here are the photos. If you’d like high-resolution versions, send me a message and we can chat.