Itchy-O New Years Trifecta

When I quit my job a little over a year ago, I made a pledge to myself that I wanted to change things up. I wanted to take the time to work on things that excited me and to work with people with vision, who are excited about the work they do and the things they create.

I also wanted to start shooting local bands and small shows again. I was looking to find a way to ground myself again, get back to my roots. Denver has an amazing music scene with a lot of local talent that has gone well beyond the city limits and the state lines of Colorado, and I honestly felt like I had missed out on a lot of it. I was more worried about getting the paper clicks and getting likes on Instagram than I was about feeding my soul and doing the thing I’ve always been good at, showing people a side of the world they didn’t know existed.

10 days after I left my job, I shot my first local show. It was a band that I knew about and long admired from afar, Itchy-O. They put on these crazy live shows that are incredibly visual and in depth. They use the entire venue, blurring the line between performer and crowd. That first show, their annual Halloween show, left my jaw on the floor. I left the venue with one thought, I need to be apart of this in some way. I want to photograph all of their shows.

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Over the last 14 months I have been able to catch a handful of performances, each being better than the last. The band was digging what I was doing and asking me to come out and document the insanity. After many years of feeling neglected and looked over, it is nice to have someone who really appreciates what I bring to the table.

I was thrilled when I got the call for the three night New Years Trifecta run. I was a little nervous, the shows are crazy and fun and super visual BUT could I do all three nights and not feel like I was shooting the same photo over and over again? Of course Itchy-O came thru with changes to the set every night. The performers killed it, keeping me on my toes and pushing me well beyond my comfort zone.

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For the first time in quite a while, I’m beyond stoked about a body of work I’ve created. For the first time in a long time, I’m actually excited about being a photographer again. I feel like I did when I first picked up a camera. It’s an amazing feeling and I hope that I can push the feeling deep into 2019.

Thanks for looking.

SM

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