Seven Stories…Amy Kay

Photographer: Amy Kay
Site: stayclean.tumblr.com
Based in: Portland, OR

ONE

This photo came from a show I went to in Oakland, CA at Yer Hauz (or Hazmat), a punk warehouse/living space that has changed hands and names a few times. It was my 30th birthday, and I just wanted to go to California and have a big week long party. SUCCESS! The show was a few of my friends’ bands and the guy on the left was being pretty crazy and dancing violently during the sets, causing injuries to himself and others. This is a moment between him and one of the people who runs the space as they work out their issues. I have always been drawn to the colors of this photo, including the background graffiti, but also really love the expressions on both their faces. It’s kind of like a freeze frame of two people trying to understand very different points of view. Plus, blood is cool!

TWO

Morpheme – @ Satyricon Portland, OR

I remember this show mostly because it was part of a crazy party weekend. Morpheme was a Bay Area band with some Japanese members. I’m not sure if I even meant to take this photo…it’s not very well thought out and I can see the stage monitor in the corner. But that’s part of the beauty of film, you don’t really know what you shot till you get it back (or maybe that is just my amateur approach! Hah!). Anyway, it has become one of my favorite photos, mostly because of the detail in the pants, the way the black looks more blue, it’s almost like a pants showcase.

THREE

666-PBR, Vancouver, B.C.

I recently went up to Vancouver for Distort Fest (THANKS to Foat for putting on such a great fest). We were all hanging outside of the ALF house during the afternoon show and I looked down and saw that license plate and freaked out! WHAT?!?! My buddy Sam was just relaxing there when I took the photo. I couldn’t resist taking this shot…the license plate, the studs, I knew it would be great. Unfortunately, a few weeks later, someone stole this very license plate off the neighbor’s car, and finding this photo online “nearly brought them to tears”. SO, if you stole this (cause you know you wish you had one) return it to them. There, I have done my part.

FOUR

Lebenden Toten – Blackwater Records, Portland, OR

I’m big on 1-hr photo processing, it’s quick and easy and really fun to hand out the prints to the people that are in them. But it is also great to be sorting through a stack and realize that some of them fit together. This is actually 3 separate prints that I just taped together in the back and hoped for the best (all professional-like and stuff…). It’s rare that I can fit a whole band in one shot (no zoom, set focus zones, weak flash, and I’m short), so this is the next best thing. Plus, I like the shiny reflecting light on the singer’s hair. Oh, and did I mention that this band is GREAT live.

FIVE

Age (Japan)- Satyricon, Portland, OR

Wow! What can I say other than Age put one of the best shows I’ve seen! What a band! What great people! They have so much energy that they feed to the crowd, it’s hopeless, you will get swept up in it. They closed this show with a cover of Discharge’s “Never Again,” which set the whole place dancing and singing along. I was fortunate to see them again a few weeks later at Varning Fest. Here’s some video from that show: http://youtu.be/iAWfUE8kuOk

SIX

Perdition (NYC) – @ Dunes, Portland, OR

I love when Perdition plays the West Coast!! This band is full of energy with the singer throwing himself into the crowd, as if he is desperately trying to climb away and escape the intensity of the wall of noise he is helping to create. You can not escape from yourself! By the end of the set, the crowd was in a frenzy as he destroyed the set and ultimately threw the drum kit INTO the crowd. Look out in the back! Kick drum coming your way!

SEVEN

This is one of my favorite photos because I really love those “What the fuck is going on?” moments. We were having a big afternoon BBQ/show at the local space, all hanging out in the parking lot out back, when all of a sudden a huge group of people dressed in Santa suits started to approach. Now, you might think, “What’s so weird about Santa suits?” IT WAS JULY! I guess every year a group of people dress up as Santa and run amok around town and try to cause havoc. We sprayed them with the water hose until they left. I really like the oddness of the moment and the colors are fantastic due to cross processing.

SEVEN PART II

And now for something cute! This is my dog Curtis. Yes, yes, I know, he is adorable! This photo is from an outdoor park show last summer. The bands were forgettable, but this face isn’t. He has more friends than I do and it isn’t uncommon for me to walk him and have people shout “Hey! Curtis!!” from across the street. This guy is all over town, spreading love and affection with soft cuddles and gentle kisses. Just look at that doofy smile! He’s my favorite subject to photograph, he never says no.