FESTIVAL REVIEW: Roadburn Festival 2024 Part 1 - Various Venues

Full disclosure there is in no way I can present an unbiased opinion about Roadburn. This is my seventh straight year and I’m gifted a much greater amount of privilege than the average attendee. I’ve earned lifelong friendships. It’s become more than just a music festival for me. It’s a second home for five days out of every year. I’m allowed to work alongside other extremely talented and hard-working photographers and for a limited time at the beginning of every set I’m granted the best spot in the house. For me music is my safe space vs photography which is my special interest.

I can easily wax on about what and how I shoot, but music is what I need in my life to feel whole and to be able to confront the world every day. It’s much more difficult for me to put that into words that don’t feel simple and redundant after years of struggling to write reviews that don’t sound repetitive. My role photographing all these talented musicians is symbiotic. I’m not going to get great shots if they are not enjoying what they’re doing, and that’s something Roadburn does better than every other fest, it encourages that passion to create art. It definitely encourages me.

I’ve never gone into Roadburn or any fest actually with a plan of attack, I have the bands I know I love already and I then fill in the blanks based on the vibe and opinions of those around me. You know if you’re waiting in line for the WC or a beverage and a person near you is just super psyched to see so and so, a friend is all about a band I only know by name, a first-time performance, and bam I’m happy to change my plans and check it out. I adore going into a performance blind and being blown away by it, it’s a high I chase, and at Roadburn those opportunities are around every corner. This was the first year I attended all three sets by one band. I often try to mix it up more but I love Inter Arma and I’ve been capturing them for over ten years back to small West Philly basements. We’ve made some stories over the years that are much better left behind closed doors, but damn fun.