BETTER LOVERS DISMANTLES THE FAMED ROXY THEATRE IN LOS ANGELES
WORDS AND PHOTOS BY STEPHEN BROWNLEE
My first assignment with Get Some Magazine resulted in one of the best single shots I’ve taken so far but let’s start from the beginning.
I arrived 45 minutes early for the usual rounds. Shoot the marquee, merch, etc. The first two bands opening up the show were quick 30-minute acts. Entry and Roman Candle, each female-led punk acts. I shot both bands up close on stage with my 5mm lens with a 20-minute break in between which gave me enough time to delete unusable shots. Then the main event. Buffalo, New York-based group Better Lovers, a spinoff, if you will, of my favorite hardcore punk act Every Time I Die.
I used both my 50mm and 70-20mm lenses. It was everything I could have asked for. Hard knuckle music, fast-paced action, awesome lighting, and bodies flying in and out of the stage in every which direction. A band so loud I guarantee you can hear them with the doors open a couple blocks down on Santa Monica Blvd and San Vicente near The Whisky.
The best shot of the night hands down would have to be the frontman Greg Puciato looking right in the direction of my lens. Despite limited movement in a very tight space like The Roxy, it was a very successful first assignment for GSM. One of the fastest and easiest editing jobs I’ve had to do as well, that’s how good the production was.
