Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween to all of the ghouls and goblins out there.  I didn't find any cool spiders around the house to share this year, but many of you out there might prefer this instead.  A little bit of My Lovely Assistant's handiwork.  She has been doing a terrific job with the pumpkin carving over the last few years.  Not that I don't add in my two cents as well.  It was my idea to stick that little mini pumpkin in the bigger ones mouth.  This fun looking guy was last years pumpkin.  I haven't asked her what this years model is going to look like, but it is sure to be something to behold.  The photograph was taken at f/7.1, 1/40sec, ISO 3200 at 25mm, with some bounced flash to get that orange colour to really pop.  Have a fun evening hunting for chocolates and candies and be careful on the roads.  There are sure to be lots of Heir Apparents and Crown Princes out there.  Keep an eye open for them and some Smarties out for me.

Sabaton At Place Bell

We're a little bit backed up on getting my concert photographs up here on The Old Blog.  I suppose we will catch up at some point, but this would be a good time to remind you that my concert photographs can be seen in a much more timely manner by visiting V13Media, which you can do by following the link.  If you'd like an even more direct route to my photographs, you can visit my personal page over there but using the following link.  Regular citizens who happened to be taking public transport to Laval a few weeks ago were met with an unusual sight.  They could be forgiven for thinking that a military operation was taking place.  The metro car that I was in carried several people in military fatigues.  Though they also had some very nonmilitary haircuts.  No need to fear, the army had not been deployed.  Sabaton was at Place Bell.  The band is known for their songs about historical events and battles.  Also for filling the stage with enough firepower to defend a small Country.  As we arrived, there were several large objects hidden under tarps on the stage.  Those of us who have seen Sabaton perform in the past had a pretty good idea what was hiding under them.  When it was time for the mysterious tarp to finally be removed, we found that there was a gigantic tank that had been hidden underneath.  The opening salvos were launched with “Ghost Division”.  Blasts of pyro lit up the arena while the pounding of the drums rattled the rafters.  The assault continued by sea with “Yamamoto” and by air with “The Red Baron”.  With his reflective glasses and chest plate, singer Joakim Brodén ruled the stage like a battlefield.  Barking out lyrics, as opposed to orders, in his unique voice.  Sabaton's twin guitars of Chris Rörland and Thobbe Englund are a musical force that never disappoints and the soul of the group, bassist Pär Sundström, displayed his eternal smile through all of the mayhem.  Pär even apologized to the crowd for the hand injury that ended up delaying this tour from happening earlier this year.  The fireworks and bombast took a short break for “Christmas Truce”.  Before the song, Pär asked the crowd to turn on their cell phone lights.  The building was alight once more.  The battle continued on with a personal favourite, “Bismarck”, before the show came to another explosive end with “To Hell And Back.”  Sabaton has found a unique niche in the metal world.  One that I, as a fan of history, really enjoy.  Tales of Caesar, Napolean and Genghis Khan.   Stories and horrors from the battlefields of time.  All mixed together with guitars, drums and explosion.  It’s a show that I have seen before, and continue to be a show that I look forward to seeing again. All of the photographs were taken at f/3.2 while using various different shutter speeds, ISO settings and focal lengths.  Here are the rest of the photographs that I took of Sabaton while they performed on the Place Bell stage.

If you would like to find out more about Sabaton and their music, you can do so by following the link to their website.  If you would like to see the photographs that I took of Pop Evil, who performed earlier in the evening, you can do so by following the link.   A big thank you goes out to Sabaton's management team, Evenko and Christopher Gonda at V13 Media for getting me a pass to photograph the show.  As always, it is very much appreciated.  Sabaton’s Legends On Tour show runs until December.  Don't you dare miss it when they play in a town near you.