The moment I step into the venue, a surge of energy envelopes me. The air is electric, pulsating with the force of hundreds of bodies moving in unison to the pounding bass of the music—each beat reverberating through the crowded, dimly lit space. As I make my way through the throng of sweating, frenzied concert-goers, I can feel the palpable intensity of the environment, an atmosphere charged with both excitement and an underlying sense of chaos.
With my camera slung over my shoulder, I navigate the sea of bodies, each person a mosaic of tattoos, piercings, and defiance. Amplified by the frenetic energy of the music, the crowd undulates like a living, breathing organism, a mass of unfiltered emotion and uncontainable aggression. The air is filled with the scent of sweat, alcohol, and the metallic tang of adrenaline, a heady mix that permeates the very fabric of the event.
As I inch closer to the stage, the rhythmic pulse of the music becomes deafening, reverberating through my bones and setting my nerves alight. Lights strobe and flare as the performers, consumed by their own fervor, lash out with unbridled passion. Caught in the cyclone of frenzied movement, I raise my camera, poised to capture the unfiltered essence of the moment.
The mosh pit erupts into a whirlwind of flailing limbs and unhinged aggression, a tumultuous dance of cathartic release. The kaleidoscope of the crowd's emotion plays out before me—anger, abandon, and unapologetic rebellion etched onto every face. It's in these moments, amidst the chaos and the cacophony, that I find my footing as a photographer. That I think back to my conversation with Conor. It's not about seeking solace in the stillness, but rather embracing the pandemonium and finding art within the unyielding fervor.
With each click of the shutter, I freeze these instances of uninhibited defiance, encapsulating the essence of a generation unafraid to scream its truth into the void. It's in these raw, unpolished moments that I find beauty, in what some may see as chaos, and it's here, that I am reminded of the boundless power of unapologetic expression.
Thee Oh See’s By Conor Rooney
It’s a Saturday Night. Joyce Manor’s s mangum opus record Never Hungover Again plays softly in the background while I sit and ask Conor a string of questions. His eyes dart to the upper right corner of my screen as he scans for the answers in his memory banks. As soon as he makes a withdrawal, his eyes sharpen. “ I Just needed something to do… There was nothing else to do.” a simple but somber answer to an otherwise complex question. “What brought you to photography? what caused you to pick up the camera?” Ask any mustache twirling Brooklynite with a Leica M3 around their neck this same inquiry and you may never hear the end of it. Conor would rather keep it short and sweet, even if the details can be rather sour. “It was the Pandemic… I was living with my parents, I didn’t have a job, I just graduated college. I figured I have this camera. Might as well go out and shoot stuff.”
Men I Trust by Conor Rooney
“I had this specific idea of what I wanted to get when I was out. I would go out very late at night, I was obsessed with how light would affect these empty spaces because it was COVID. there was nothing around. I was looking for places with striking light or ethereal landscapes.”-Conor Rooney
Malik: How long have you been shooting concert photography?
Conor: I didn’t start shooting concerts until August of 2022, so that’s been roughly a year and a half.
Malik: Do you remember the first concert you went too? Do you remember the first concert you took pictures at?
Conor: I remember so vividly that the first concert I went to was for Wavy Gravy’s 75th birthday (of Woodstock emcee fame). It was at the Beacon Theatre, and I went with my mom at age 14. Very bizarre experience! The first concert I took pictures at was probably Grandson’s show at Mercury Lounge in March of 2022. I don’t really count this as the beginning of me shooting shows (as it was really a one-off), but this was the first time I brought my camera to a show with the intent to photograph.
Malik: What’s a concert you wish you could’ve been there to take pictures?
Conor: I was talking to someone about this on New Year’s Eve, but I do wish I had the chance to attend LCD Soundsystem’s first concert back at Webster Hall in 2016. Every single person i’ve met that was there tell me how impactful it was. It was also a day before my 21st birthday!
Malik: Do you think the type of music you’re drawn to impacts the type of pictures you like to take at concerts?
Conor: Oh for sure. I think the energy between the kind of music the artist plays and the energy of the crowd is a really fun thing to capture, and whatever photos are captured from this interplay is always a surprise.
Malik: Can you still take great pictures at a concert without a media pass? How important is to shoot from the first row at a concert?
Conor: Defiantly! There are so many clubs and bar shows where you can just bring your camera and start shooting. I love to shoot from the front row (or the pit, if it’s there), but I don’t think it’s necessary. For example, I had to shoot from the back of the room at Carnegie Hall, and I was still happy with the pictures that came from that experience.
Malik: Do you think a digital or film camera is more practical to bring to a concert?
Conor: I think this definitely depends on your own style and what you’re looking to achieve-stylistically-with the photos. Digital is my preferred (because i’m deeply impatient), but, for example, I can absolutely see the appeal in using expired or experimental film stock at a show. It can be stunning.
Pussy Riot By Conor Rooney.
Malik:What’s one of your favorite venues you’ve shot at? How important is the venue to the photographer?
Conor: I really loved shooting at Vicar Street in Dublin. The room was a perfect size and the lights were done beautifully. I think venue is important insofar as how close you can get to the artist or the kind of lighting you’re working with- but one of my goals is to be able to shoot in any venue, lighting aside. I think it’s probably a really fun creative exercise to shoot shows in harsh conditions.
Malik: Do you think different genres require different approaches as a photographer?
Conor: Most definitely, and I think those approaches can be specific to each photographer. For example, I didn’t shoot an acoustic boy genius set the same way I shot Run the Jewels, primarily because of the music each band makes. Where one might have required more dynamic and exciting angles and lighting, the other was more straightforward and subdued.
Malik: Do you think it’s ok to use flash at concerts?
Conor: Personally I’m against using flash at concerts, unless you have permission from the performers beforehand.
Malik: Favorite musicians currently?
Conor: I’ve been really into Nation of Language as of late! They’re steeped in 80’s Synthpop but with a modern edge and i’ve been obsessed. Other than that, IDLES, Men I Trust, and Hovvdy.
Malik: Any tips and tricks you personally use and would like to share?
Conor: I really really love long exposure to get a blurred or faded shot of the performer. Also I always try to deepen the colors! I absolutely love when the colors in concert photos are rich and vibrant.
Malik: Where can we find your work?
Conor: At my site, www.Rooneytns.com
Malik: Any future projects or things you’d like to promote, plug, and/or share?
Conor: Yes! I write a weekly column for Vancouver-based Independent music site Northern Transmissions.
Run The Jewels By Conor Rooney.