Road Stories: Dude Don't You Need Your Camera

Rockstar Mayhem Festival, Raleigh, North Carolina, August 3, 2010. Though I could choose many stories from this event, one in particular stands out, and it goes something like this. First off, it was incredibly hot that day, I mean really hot, around 92 degrees, and the shade offered very little to no comfort, especially when you had so many bodies moving between the two side stages that were right across from each other — the Jagermeister stage and the Silver Star stage. These stages were offset from the main stage and the press lounge, creating one huge mosh pit as the bands performed from one stage to another. 1:00 pm on one stage, 1:25 pm on the other, 1:45 pm back again, back and forth.

In the press pit (side stage) Justin Hagberg of the band 3 Inches of Blood, photo by Brian Cade

Gear: Nikon D200 w/Tokina 20-35mm f/2.8

In the press pit (side stage) Jim LaMarca of the band Chimera, If you look at the bottom left, just above the camera shown in the image, you’d see my skinny ass; photo by Jay Beadnell. owner/photographer at Stageshotz photography, Raleigh, NC , Image used with permission.

I met up with fellow photographers Jay Beadnell, Graham Denzler, and Jim Green, all residents of North Carolina, and our good friend the late Jason Kotas of New York. This was the first time we had met. We all decided months in advance to meet up in one city to photograph Mayhem Fest and hang out. All of us were either shooting for a major publication or an underground rag, which was my comfort zone.

Back and forth, back and forth, across the lot from where the two side stages faced each other. By this point, I had already covered In This Moment, 3 Inches of Blood, Chimera, Shadows Fall, Norma Jean, and Hatebreed on the side stages. On the main stage, there was Lamb of God, Korn, and Rob Zombie—only one band left: Five Finger Death Punch. I really tried to stay hydrated throughout the day. I was drenched in sweat, tired, and actually looking forward to the festival being over.

We were once again sitting in the press lounge, waiting for the event staff to escort us to the main stage one last time. All I remember is everyone talking, everything moving in slow motion. All I could do was melt into my chair at our table and try to get my bearings back into focus. Then I saw everyone standing and leaving the table. I guess it’s time to shoot the last band. I got up and started to follow our group to the main stage when my good friend and fellow photographer Jason Kotas said, “Dude, don’t you need your camera?” I was so tired and out of it that I didn’t realize I had left all my gear on our table in the press lounge.

Back and forth, back and forth, across the lot from where the two side stages faced one another, I had already covered In This Moment, 3 Inches of Blood, Chimera, Shadows Fall, Norma Jean, and Hatebreed on the side stages. There was Lamb of God, Korn and Rob Zombie on the main stage, only one more band to go, Five Finger Death Punch. I tried to stay hydrated throughout the day, but I was drenched in sweat, tired, and looking forward to the festival being over.

We were once again sitting in the press lounge, waiting for the event staff to escort us to the main stage one last time. All I remember at this point is that everybody was talking, everything was moving at half-speed, and all I could do was melt into my chair at our table, trying to get my bearings back into focus. Then I saw everyone standing and leaving the table, I guess it’s time to shoot the last band. I got up and just started to follow our group to the main stage, we were just outside the press lounge when my good friend and fellow photographer Jason Kotas says to me, “Dude don’t you need your camera”, I was so tired and so out of it that I didn’t realize I had left all my gear on our table in the press lounge.

Five Finger Death Punch images by Brian Cade

Web : www.fivefingerdeathpunch.com

*3 Inches of Blood images by Brian Cade, Gear: Nikon D200 w/Tokina 20-35 f/2.8

*Five Finger Death Punch images by Brian Cade, Gear: Nikon D200 w/Nikkor 80-200 f/2.8

*Image of Jim LaMarca (Chimera) by Jay Beadnell of Stageshotz.com used with permission