As you might know from reading my other blog posts, I have started Branching out my Photography into the music scene.
In doing so has meant that i have managed to connect with local artists in real life and on social media sites.
Since seeing CJ Hatt the first time at The Castle Gate In Grantham, I have fell in love with his music and personality, and from then on i got to get a insight more and more into the chaps life.
Last week which was the week commencing 14-08-17 CJ has asked me if i wanted to come along to 2 Gigs he had going off, and if i wanted to bring my camera with me to do what i do best Taking photography and producing a video.
So Sunday arrived and our Journey starting, as we drove off from Grantham, for CJ's First Gig which was at a festival in Peterborough called randall rootz festival.
here is a small write up of what the Festival is about -
The Randall Rootz Festival was founded in 2007 in memory of Mark Randall - a passionate musician who was dedicated to supporting and promoting live music, organising events, and playing percussion.
We hope the Randall Rootz Festival will successfully continue the work Mark started and become a popular event on the festival calendar.you can read more about the festival from there website here - http://www.randallrootz.org
He explained about The Festival and how the chap who booked him, had never seen or heard his music before, and only booked CJ based on his reputation about what people said about his performances.
We got talking about a lot of things, events that he had been to, and little insights that unless you get a chance to talk to him for a while you would not know (:
CJ told me that because he had another event to go to straight after the festival that we need to park close, and sadly have no time to stuck around to talk to people, was the case of as soon as he finished get the gear packed away into the car and to make our way to the next event.
As we arrived it was really busy to park, we got there just after 1.30 PM and CJ had to be on at 2.30PM.
Now as a artist its not as simple as singing into a microphone or even strumming on a guitar and Job done, if you have events your going to that does not have a Pa System, speakers, lighting etc you have to buy it and take it with you to the event your going to.
I helped CJ get things from the car he needed, and we went into a section on the stage to put the equipment down, I noticed a really wonderful voice from Mark David Roberts and fell in love with his music. CJ showed me around the boat that was behind the stage which held a restaurant Upstairs i do believe and a bar downstairs. This is where we met the guy who booked CJ, and then off we went back to the stage.
I did not manage to take any pictures as i forgot to but i did manage to capture it on video, off benches and i think a tent towards the back of the festival, also there were these really odd stone seats which looked really cool, and you would expect them to be not great for sitting on but they were great !!!!
As you can see from the picture above of Mark David Roberts, playing whist CJ was talking to the sound guy about things, and i thought this would be a great shot to capture of them all (:
I noticed quite a few photographers, and did not want to miss out on the action of capturing the day as well, but with us being on a tight time i did not want to wander off to far in case CJ needed my help (:
Of course you have to make sure every time you go to a event to make sure the guitar and other bits of equipment are at the rights levels etc, before going on stage.
Choosing the right set list for each concert, gig, event you play is often the key to winning your fans hearts, one of the great things about music, is adding little tweaks to your voice, or to the instrument you are playing to make certain bits of that track sound amazing.
This was the case with his latest single Floating which i will leave links at the end where you can buy it !!!!
On his vocals there was some reverb and oh boy did it sound so freaking awesome.
much like when you hear songs recorded in a studio its just making small difference to an already talent and a great voice just that little more special, it was a powerful song, and i loved hearing it live !!!
I have in my mind what i want to create when it comes to putting the video Together of our adventure, inc looking into doing something with water or clouds when CJ sings Floating, but shall see when i start editing the video (:
I think CJ performed for about 40 Minutes and then we had to quickly get everything packed down and back in the car ready to travel to Stamford at the venue Mama Liz's
We had some more laughs in the car and one bit which i think was the most memorable insight into his life so far, was that he told me about His records he brought growing up, being brought by i think the owner of Oscars wine Bar In Grantham. which he put them all along the wall !!!
So next time i go in there, which i am hoping is in a few weeks due to a big night being put on for the DJ which is leaving, i will have to have a look and see if i can see the records.
I had never been to Stamford, i think maybe ages a go i was in a car being drove by it but i cant remember haha.
So as we drove Through the town to get to Mama Liz's it was cool to see all the buildings in this cool stone type thing, yes i am not good with words or describing stuff lol.
I liked the shapes and designs off the buildings although i think i would go a bit nuts if i lived there as I love colour on Buildings way to much (:
The picture above was took from Google as I could not get a distant shot.
As we Arrived we made a few trips from the car with the gear to the spot where CJ was going to play this time with it being a restaurant, it did not have any speakers etc which you do not expect it to.
Gear inc, 2 big speakers, lots cables, Extensions, and much more !!!
Again my camera failed me in getting any good shots of the place, but it was a unique place with pictures of Artists that had performed at the place, Reptiles on the way and other cool stuff.
He said to me in the car that at some places that he has been for a gig they have wanted some Irish and Caribbean songs which he struggles to play due to the syncopation between the beat and the vocals. he admitted himself that he judges his on work to a high standard and that he said i sounded awful because it was just so hard to sing to the tunes, i think when your very dedicated to what you do you will critique your own work because you wanna make sure when your booked to play the very best you can, it not only makes the owners and audience have a good time and give you good feedback but then can lead to word of mouth from people to land you other gigs !!!
While CJ was playing food for the people was being brought out and i was sat at a table with some people that had just got theirs and boy did it look and smell so good.
this was one of the menus i could find and i think they do other meals as well (:
You can see better quality images of my work at the links after this blog (:
While CJ was playing his set he made sure to ask for any song choices, and made sure to make jokes and communication to the audience, this then makes for a more Dynamic feel to the evening.
I am very bad at remembering details of things but halfway through his set, CJ was talking about how he got into music, and played a song from someone who Inspired him to learn to play.
You can really tell that every song CJ plays he plays with passion, his vocals are always outstanding, but on this one song it really went through my body, not from the guitar but his sheer powerful voice.
He mentioned to me after packing down that he really gave it his all, after singing and playing for a long time you know when your voice is at its best and he said to me that it felt right to play it.
I got the chance to hear Floating not once but twice in one day !!!
I loved the song but we both agreed that playing in different environments makes a huge difference to the way we hear music, we both agreed that although he played well, the way it sounded at the festival was so much better.
I mentioned to him about when i went to see him Busking in town, he was in a small archway In Grantham but the way the sound not only surrounded where he was but was able to boost it so that people at a far distance could hear it just as loud and it sounded perfection !!!
It really just amazes me even listing to music at home the differences from putting your phone into a cup and using that as a amp to make it louder, when your watching on your laptop in the kitchen how much louder it is to compared to watching it in your room !!! Sound really does confuse me sometimes haha ???
The whole time CJ was playing, I noticed some really cool shadows going off on the wall caused by the Led lights he carries around with him to most of the gigs he goes to.
This then caused some great photo chances to create some really cool stuff, sadly it did not quite go the way i wanted it to, but after posting it on Facebook CJ seemed to off liked it (:
So it was now time to finish and head back home or so i thought !!! MR CJ aka talk of the town haha.
When you love what you do, but also have always met people at other gigs or even people who have never heard you wants to speak to you, of course you stay to chat.
Overall CJ must of chatted to people for over a hour, I enjoyed what was being said, but at that point i was tired lol, I love days out but never been one for managing anything over 5 hours.
As we was leaving a staff came over and mentioned that everyone loved him playing, which that is what you want to come away feeling that you did a great job (:
On the way home, we had lots of different talks, I picked up what someone was saying to CJ about what brand his speakers were, and that his dad brought them ages a go, in a shop for only 20 pounds, they were unbranded as well and sounded amazing.
A true statement was made by him saying you do not need the most expensive gear in the world to make you sound great, because if your out of tune, and cant play, the speakers will only make that worse haha, or something along those lines !!!
We got talking about sometimes how people just think what you do in life is easy for example CJ was saying that he wanted to learn a song and took him 3 weeks to learn.
Which then got me chatting about my line of work that some people think its just a click of the camera and that is it.
As i started to explain about the editing how frustrating it can be to sit through the images and even when you start editing them, you start doubting your shot and wanting to go onto another one which may of the same thing but caught the light better, or the way the person was moving etc.
CJ already knew this as he commented about it at the same time i did haha.
As you can see from the picture above, this was a picture i posted with a write up over on my website which i hardly update... doh !!!.
It went into the different settings you can use on photoshop i will link to the post at the end (:
I then went onto why i wanted to start my own business and the trouble i have with Video production.
How after a days shooting, the work is not over, you have to import them into the project, think of how the video project is going to be, sometimes you cant follow a pattern off well if i have 18 clips it makes sense to put them in the order taken ??? Not always.
It all depends how you want the outcome of the video, For example if your making a video with hardly any talking, and your adding music to it,then you have to think which clips go best with it.
On top of that if you want to make the video into something that will be loved and shared more you have to think about motion graphics, and , ahh i could go on all day why video production is one of the hardest things to do media wise !!!
Its the main reason i have decided to upload the photography first, write this and then i can just foucs on the video.
Overall the day went down like a charm, the man is the same person weather you bump into him in town, or see him live at a event (:
It was a privilege to have a insight into his life, but to also help throughout the day, meet new people, hear great artists, and now help out with what i am doing now !!!
I am just so glad i started branching out into the music scene because its given me chances i could never dream off and then to top of the great day, you have this legend Share my post commenting about the day and a reply which goes like this.
Check out this write up and amazing photos taken by my good buddy Daniel Marshall after our gig trip yesterday! Dan has an amazing eye for taking great photos so if you want any photography for your event/gig/party or even just promo shots for your act then give him a shout, he's just starting out so his fees are very low currently but his skills are worth way more and with him now being the official CJ Hatt photographer that should be reference enough!
I could not believe what i was seeing when i read this, to me i am still learning, my photography is not the best in the world but in my own opinion i think what makes me stand out and why people believe in my work, is i try to help my local community a lot, i know what i am doing and have the creative vision of what i want to try and achieve, doesnt mean it always comes true but its there for when it goes right, i then know not only how to do the media things but also how to get the content out there as well (:
So if you have never heard of CJ Hatt then please check him out, may i add he was only at Glastonbury this year !!! pure talent from our little but creative town of Grantham, which is in Lincolnshire (:
Thank you for reading, please feel free to share this, and if your a local artist looking for some media coverage then please feel free to get in touch
Quote of the day When it comes to gear and equipment, it's not about size that matters If you don't hone your craft, the best kit in the world won't hide it.....
CJ Hatt links -
https://www.facebook.com/cjhattofficially
https://twitter.com/cjhattofficial
https://www.instagram.com/cjhattofficial/
https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/floating-single/id1084007322
https://www.facebook.com/markdavid.roberts.14
My Social Media Links
https://www.facebook.com/dmpphotographyuk/
https://twitter.com/DanMediaP
https://twitter.com/DMPWORLDMUSIC
https://twitter.com/DanielMVlogs
https://www.instagram.com/dmpadventures/
http://dannytheexplorer.tumblr.com/
http://dmpuk.weebly.com/
