The Pineapple Thief & O.R.k. Zoetermeer 01-03-2019

It was almost inevitable; The Pineapple Thief returned to the Netherlands on March 1, 2019, and of course, I was there again. For the second leg of the Dissolution tour, they played at Cultuurpodium Boerderij in Zoetermeer, where I'd also photographed them in 2017. The guys seemed much more in tune with each other and were clearly enjoying themselves. I was allowed to photograph them during the first three songs. With a packed, sold-out venue, I didn't have much room to maneuver, but I still managed to capture a great set. I shot this series in black and white, in the style of the Dissolution album artwork.

The Pineapple Thief's opening act was ORk. I hadn't heard of them until a few months ago, but they're seriously making waves. Their lineup also includes bassist Colin Edwin, whom I've previously seen with Porcupine Tree. And on drums is Pat Mastelotto, who, like TPT drummer Gavin Harrison, is also a member of King Crimson. I was allowed to photograph their entire set, which gave me much more freedom of movement at that point. What was also unique was that Pat's drum kit was right at the edge of the stage. This allowed me to shoot close-ups of the master at work (something that's often difficult with drummers) and also take cool overview shots with my wide-angle lens. Pat even eventually handed me a drumstick that had seen better days after a good drumming session, thanks for that! I had a great time again, until the next concert!