Life has been… well, difficult for the last while. So, to get out and photograph the amazing Tolka Hot Club was an absolute joy.
If you're a regular reader, you'll know that I've photographed them on many occasions, and I'm incredibly proud to have one of my photographs on the cover of their debut album.
With all that said, though, I've never really felt that I did them justice in my photographs. I've always thought I could have — and should have — done better...
Tonight, in the Civic Theatre in Tallaght, the Stage Manager gave me free rein to shoot from anywhere. That's a rarity in many theatres, so I planned on taking full advantage of it. I also spoke with the lighting engineer beforehand. He told me his plan and asked if there was anything I particularly disliked. Naturally, I mentioned the dreaded red and blue lights. He assured me that he was keeping them to a minimum, and he stuck to his word!
The band were, as you might have expected, absolutely on fire. The big stage suits them. It lets them all shine, and every member really does deserve to shine.
It's all well and good being technically a good player, whether that's on the accordion, the fiddle, the bass, or whatever else. Likewise, it's fantastic being able to hit all the right notes when singing, but... well, that all counts for nothing if you don't have the passion to back it up.
And something Tolka Hot Club have, on top of incredible technical skill, is passion.
You cannot go to one of their shows without getting wrapped up in the music. It doesn't matter whether Holly is singing in French or English. It doesn't matter if the music comes from France, Ireland or the Balkans. It just sucks you right in, and pretty soon your hips are swaying, your toes are tapping and, inside, you're dancing!
Now, that does make it a little difficult when you're taking photos, but we get through it!
At times during the show, I took a few minutes just to sit back and enjoy. I know I'm there to photograph the band, but, like with many of the artists I photograph, I'm also a fan, so I always try take a moment when I can!
What else is there to say? If you are reading this, you are obviously a fan of good music, so, if you see the Tolka Hot Club are playing near you, do yourself a favour and buy a ticket. Actually, buy two, bring a friend!
Right, now for the photos, which this time I actually like (well, most of them).
