Prior to Tuesday 31st of May 2022, I hadn't seen The Script live in a fair few years. Rewind 9 years, they were one of the first bands I ever saw live. I was 14, my dad kindly drove me and my friend there straight from school (and back home) to the show in Brighton (Brighton Centre). We ended up bumping into a few friends there and being second row; it was so magical. I was so excited the whole night and whole car journey ride home.. bless my poor dad who was driving! (I think he wanted me to just go to sleep ha..).
Since 2013, I have always had the band in Spotify playlists or listened to them when I was a teen on YouTube or on the radio - they have always been prominent in my music library. When I saw the tour was announced, I felt as excited as I was when I was 14 - as they were touring in cities not too far from me; Bournemouth & Brighton. As you can imagine, when the Photo-Pass application competition was announced on the band's Facebook page, I was like what if I get to actually do this? I applied for as many dates as I could possibly get to, which was 3 out of the whole tour - these were the dates that were feasible for me to get too. I then forgot about it, because I wasn't sure how much of a chance I'd have - as they are a band on a massive scale in comparison to shows I've shot before.. but hey, you know what they say - you've got to believe in yourself!
About a week before the Bournemouth International Centre date, I got an email from The Script's management saying I'd got the gig. As soon as I saw it, I just cried.. a fair bit actually before replying saying I could absolutely photograph the show (all happy tears), it was so surreal. I'd been saying for years to my friends and family it is my dream to photograph an arena show and I was being given the chance to do it.
Fast forward to the day of the show, I caught the train to Bournemouth. The train was only a little over an hour, and I went to check into my hotel. My parents then drove up and met me later on, as well as staying in the same hotel as me. I loaded up on food in a restaurant nearby and had a non-alcoholic mojito cocktail to go with my food.
I then met The Script's Marketing lady - Saoirse, inside the venue and she briefed me on the show and more detail on the setlist. I got to shoot Ella Henderson's set too, and she was amazing!
I have been to over a hundred gigs and genuinely no band comes to mind that are like The Script. They have such a special relationship with their fans, the appreciation and love for one another is equal, and you can see that first hand at the show. I can see that the fans, to the band, are family.
They also did something different in the show, I have only ever seen done one other time by another band - is that they spend the duration of a few songs in the audience. I think that you can really see the joy in the fans expressions above as a result of the band doing this!
Even with the Photographers there, including me, the interaction from the band was amazing! I was so nervous, but so excited about photographing the show and 2 years of inconsistent lockdowns definitely didn't help. But the band were so reassuring, from the smiling and eye contact when I was photographing, to the atmosphere of the live music - baby!
Their whole team were so lovely, as well as the venue staff, security and of course - the fans.
I learnt a lot from photographing that arena show and those skills that I have learnt - will definitely enhance my photography, confidence and strengthen my vision (which was inspired by the Photo-Pass competition). I count my blessings all the time and I truly believe everything happens for a reason.
Thank you so much again to The Script, The Script HQ and Bournemouth International Centre.
"You burn with the brightest flame".
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