Frames In Echo # 2: I remember back in 2018 I was on the bus for a few dates with Black Rebel Motorcycle Club while they were opening for #DepecheMode. We were in Sacramento at the Golden 1 Center when, from somewhere up the chain, I got the okay to shoot Depeche Mode, AND a little beyond the standard first three songs.
I was ushered behind the stage and up a set of stairs to grab a different angle. Drummer Christian Eigner knew I’d be there but I had a strong sense that the rest of the band wasn’t expecting a photographer behind them. I kept worrying that Dave Gahan might turn around and spot me with a less than welcoming look. I think I was actually quite sparing as far as what I took… as if they could hear the shutter. Still, I had to try to capture the energy.
I went ahead shooting for what felt like 30 seconds but was probably closer to three or four minutes. I remember thinking about how huge the arena looked. It’s not a vantage point I get very often but it was overwhelming to see what the artist sees. People’s faces are a lot more clear than we might think as audience members. At some point, Dave Gahan caught my lens. Even if the shot doesn’t feel perfect with keyboards in the way, I was very grateful to have snapped this particular second. I was likely grinning behind the camera, as I’ve been told I do, and have also been told it’s hard not to mirror.
