For me, every concert I shoot feels like the first one. Each event has its own unique features, and this evening was no exception. Bumazhny Zmey and the “Balagan” Art Restaurant are old friends, and on March 8th, they decided to give the guests a gift in the form of a high-energy cover show.
From the very first chords, it was clear: it wasn’t going to be boring. The hall was loud and incredibly energetic. The musicians lived through every song, moved to the music, and were completely united with the audience, who happily sang along and danced. The dance floor was so packed that some guests had to sing and dance right by their tables.
Shooting in these conditions was both a special pleasure and a challenge. The lighting at “Balagan” consists only of moving stage spotlights in the dark. But where there’s no difficulty, there’s no excitement. The coolest part is when you manage to capture the perfect shot despite all the challenges.
The highlight of the evening was the bow. All four musicians came to the edge of the stage, stood in a row, and from the hall came cries of “Bravo!”, “Well done!”, “Thank you!”. The applause was so long and sincere that for a second I felt like I wasn’t in a cozy Voronezh restaurant, but in a huge stadium. In those moments, I envied the guests a little, who could just dance without the fear of missing a shot. But I never regretted being on the other side of the lens for a single second.
Thank you to the band Bumazhny Zmey and personally to Mikhail Shmelev for the invitation and trust. I’m glad that the photos resonated with you and are already living their own lives.
Diary
Celebrating Maslenitsa in Voronezh
