The Pineapple Thief, Melkweg Amsterdam 24-2-2024
On February 24, 2024, I had the privilege of photographing The Pineapple Thief again. Just like in 2018, they played at the Melkweg in Amsterdam. But this time, I was their official photographer. So I was allowed to go where other photographers weren't, including onstage during the evening concert. But it all started in the afternoon with the soundcheck. There, I was able to coordinate with the band and crew to plan where I would photograph from during the concert and approximately when during the show. This way, as a photographer, you can ensure a well-rounded set of images of the show.
It was also great to meet and talk to Randy McStine. I'd seen him before in Amsterdam when he performed guitar with Porcupine Tree. He was opening for the band that evening with a unique acoustic performance, accompanying himself with a beautiful combination of acoustic guitar, effects, loop pedals, and a mellotron.
It was also quite enjoyable to experience the soundcheck. They rehearsed several songs from the set in front of an empty venue, focusing on the sound, not only for the audience but also for the band to hear themselves and each other clearly. It was certainly noticeable from the stage how loud Gavin is on the drums; an acoustic drum kit is still incredibly powerful. The guitar sound comes primarily through a digital Kemper backline, which is then beamed to the audience via speakers. So, on stage, you can hear the drums very clearly, making it crucial that everything is perfectly coordinated and sounds good for everyone, including the musicians.
But I also scouted the venue for vantage points later that evening. My goal was to capture the sold-out crowd that evening and how enjoyable the audience interaction was during the show. This resulted in overview shots like the one above from the lighting technician's balcony. There were also shots from the front of the venue, between the audience and the stage, and from the stairs.
The Pineapple Thief's set consisted of a mix of new material from their album "It Leads To This" and a selection of songs from their earlier years. New songs like "The Frost" and "Rubicon" sounded great live and were also a hit with the audience. But of course, the house was still thoroughly rocked.
I was allowed to photograph the encores of "In Exile" and "Alone at Sea" from the stage to get a good shot of drummer Gavin Harrison and also to capture some farewell shots from the stage. It was a fantastic ending to a fantastic evening with a fantastic band that will stay with me for a long time. It was so cool to be able to do this report for them!
