Midge Ure at The Royal Albert Hall

It’s been six whole months since I headed to London in order to photograph Midge Ure performing at The Royal Albert Hall.

It was a special night - a one-off performance to celebrate his 70th birthday - and I had been granted an AAA pass (Access All Areas) to document the entire day starting with the soundcheck and extending right through to the final note of the final song.

Priority access such as this is never something that I take for granted. I’ve built up a great working relationship with the artists and crew over the years and I always strive to remain unobtrusive and discreet. In many ways it is very similar to shooting a wedding. My role when I am there is as a documentarian - capturing moments and telling the story of the day. It just so happens that instead of capturing bouquets and wedding rings I’m photographing microphones and stage lights. Instead of waiting for those first smiles after a couple says “I do” I’m keeping an eye out for a drumsticks held aloft or that guitar solo where the crowd goes crazy!

Suffice to say, it was an amazing night! I always have a bit of a love-hate relationship with live music photography. It can be hugely stressful (if you think it’s a glamorous job then think again!) but as soon as the house lights go down I’m in my element - I really seem to thrive in the fast-paced, dynamic atmosphere of a live concert. And when I’m finally able to sit down and edit my photos, I get a thrill all over again!

I’ve included a selection of my photos below which, in reality, represent a very small proportion of the images I actually came away with.

I hope you like them!