Behind the Scenes of the Music Scene : Within the Walls of the Westcott

Concert-goers are some of the strongest willed people you will meet. They stand out in freezing temperatures for hours only to get to the middle of the crowd with their general admission ticket. Friday, November 8th was no different at a chilling 26 degrees outside the Westcott Theatre. Traffic backups were horrible as I hurled myself out of my friend Desiree’s barely stopped car. It was an hour before doors and the line was already stretching down the block, but luckily my friends Kaitlyn and Sadie I met at a previous concert were nestled towards the front of the line and let me in. A homeless man with a guitar started playing down the block, I was getting texts that Desiree’s car was stuck in the mud and my feet were slowly going numb in my Converse shoes.

Tonight’s concert was Clairo, otherwise known as Claire Cottrill, a previous Syracuse University student. It was a big deal for the community that she would return to the place of her alma mater, even though she dropped out to pursue her widely successful music career. She swiftly made her way down Westcott street with hardly anyone taking notice before she started her VIP Meet and Greets that night. About thirty minutes after this public appearance, the doors of the Westcott opened and tens of teen boys and girls filed in, anxious to claim first or second row from the stage. It was my first time shooting photos at a concert and tensions were running high within my own mind.

I stepped away from the hustle and bustle of the incoming fans and talked to Pat from After Dark, “Upstate New York’s largest independent concert promoter”, who issued me my media pass. I was not entirely sure what to do with it so I filed in with the incoming crowd and assumed I would be stuck in the tulmotous crowd. We secured about third row, stage left, which wasn’t bad for a Clairo concert, but bad for my photography, I immediately plummeted into disappointment. “Hey you look like Clairo.”I whirled around and was faced by a fan offering gum and posing for my camera. I later discovered his name was Vincent. He was telling us that he had just met Clairo before the concert, which he shared so nonchalantly we thought he was joking until he showed us his picture with her. I knew I had to get closer to the stage.

I noticed a security guard and begged Kaitlyn to get his attention so I could ask what my media pass granted me. He slipped away from the crowd to find out as I stood pressed between bodies, hoping I didn’t break the camera as it no longer had a lens cap. Five minutes later, he reappeared and beckoned me out of the crowd. He towered above me as I clutched the camera in my hands. I’m not sure what expression crept across my face, but it was likely one of concern. He explained to me my media pass granted me the ability to take pictures for the first three songs of each individual set and walked me towards the front of the stage, in the pit before the barrier. I quickly realized my dream to be front and center at the center of a chaotic concert was coming true.

A whirring of guitars came floating through my ears and I noticed the first opening act Hello Yello was prepping the stage. Dan, the security guard, shot a look of confidence at me which urged me to get up close and personal (as far as a photographer could) to the stage. Sound infiltarted my system more clearly than before. Before any concert I go to, I research and learn how to connect to the music so I gain a total understanding of what I am taking in. Because of this I noticed Daniel Wiggins, the lead singer shared the stage with his brother Jaden and childhood friend Martin Rodriques. It was amazing to witness a primarily Black group dominate the art of Rock n Roll, which shifted a stereotypical White narrative. I began snapping pictures left and right, shimmying to one side of the stage and back. I narrowed in a focus on Jaden’s bass guitar as well as an angled shot of Daniel playing his unique electric guitar called a “Kerry King “ or “Speed V”. Down the aisle I spotted Sham, the friend and primary photographer of Hello Yello. He was taking pictures on a disposable camera and hyping up the crowd by dancing around.

My next move was to be able to talk to him as Dan motioned me to exit the pit and take pictures from the shoot and move around the venue. I noticed Sham accompany me on the left side stage as he began shouting things like, “Open up the pit!”, as Beabadoobee the second opening act entered the stage. Prior to this, I noticed Bea and her entourage featuring Louis Semlekan-Faith on drums and bassist Eliana Sewell walking down said shoot as I remained starstruck. I remember wanting to pull them aside and ask for a picture, but remembered what I was doing and the position I was in. I had to remain professional and keep my composure even if it meant not expelling my wound up excitement.

Beabadoobee or Beatrice Laus was signed under the record label Dirty Hit, which many of my other favorite artists like the 1975 and the Japanese House were also signed to. Because of this I aimed to interview Bea before or after the show and I had been in contact with her manager Chris prior to the show that evening. This did not end up coming to fruition, but I spotted Chris making his way down the shoot and knew I needed to throw him a hello and thank you for even entertaining my idea. Because of Chris, I had my media pass for the show so I owed a bit of my success to his kindness. We exchanged a hug while he made sure I had my pass and was able to take pictures for Bea’s set. He beamed an assuring smiled and disappeared around the curtain.

Round two approached so I walked my way back down the aisle and positioned myself for Bea’s set. She opened up her set with electricity as the crowd behind me exclaimed for her presence on stage. As a U.K. based band, it was quite an accomplishment for not only the band, but the Westcott to have international talent in the house. Ceilings, my favorite song of hers, began to be played and I got amazing shots of Bea and Louis during this. Ones that Louis even later went on to post on his Instagram platform. It was a notable and awe inspiring step for me in terms of how much of an amateur I am when it comes to photography. Once again I exited the stage and had Sham magically appear next to me as if he never even left. He talked to me about taking photos and to “Get all the angles”, as many photographers can fail by focusing in on a repetitive point.

The whole Hello Yello clique joined the cluster of security, Sham and I as Bea finished up her set. It was then that I was gestured to make room by Dan as equipment came barreling down the side of the stage. Not only that, but Clairo swept past me as we held brief eye contact and smiled at one another. For Clairo’s set it seemed as if a surge of photographers came out of nowhere ; one notably juggled prisms in one hand to capture kaleidoscope-esque images, another balancing two cameras on his body, a college student with braids, Emma (a photographer I previously met during Hello Yello’s set) and me with my dinky teddy bear hat and school lent camera up against dinosaur sized ones.

Clairo’s set was a blur of mystic white light and ethereal vocal chords. I believe at one point she gently urged me to turn off the flash, but honestly it did not faze me, I was lost in the moment. Being lightly scolded by Clairo is better than not being recognized at all I suppose. The atmosphere was magical as she sang her heart out for her alma mater. The night ended with a requested moshpit, basically a bunch of young adults slamming into each other and dancing in a pit, as Clairo audibly giggled from the mic stand. Stampedes of listeners filed out of the venue as she closed her set, obviously emotional as she wept while looking out at the crowd.

That was my night. It was exclusive and fascinating and all fantastic emotions in between. Because of this I began to realize my love of music and journalism was colliding perfectly. Thank you to the Westcott and everyone involved for opening my eyes and encouraging me with copious opportunities to continue this love of mine.