Train Live at Royal Albert Hall
Some venues are special, and then there’s the Royal Albert Hall. It’s a venue that is steeped in history and many of my musical heroes have performed there. It is also visually beautiful, so when I got to photograph Train Live at Royal Albert Hall, I knew I was in for something unforgettable. .
In April 2024, I was part of the Crashburn film crew as they filmed Train Live at Royal Albert Hall.
In over 25 years of playing in London, this was the first time that Train had played at the Royal Albert Hall and they wanted to document the moment. This was a multi-cam live show film directed by Ryan Mackfall and I was initially brought in for Behind the Scenes Photography of the film crew.
Then a few weeks before the show, I was approached by Trains management with the opportunity to document the band for the day. So along with covering the BTS of the film crew, I documented the band through soundcheck, fan meet & greet, backstage and the entire show from all angles of the Royal Albert Hall.
The Royal Albert Hall is a venue that demands respect. Not just from the artists, but from the photographers and film-makers tasked with capturing its essence.
Arriving early at the Royal Albert Hall, we were able to take in the venue and for the crew to decide on camera positions.This came with a challenge as it was a seated show and you can’t block the view of any of the audience from seeing the show. But it was a challenge that gave the filming of the show a unique perspective and a cinematic feel.
Ryan said, ‘The venue has been filmed a thousand times, but I wanted to try and bring my own flair to the project, so we made some camera position choices that others wouldn’t necessarily have picked’.
As you can see from the trailer below for Train Live at Royal Albert Hall, the finished film was a mix of grand, sweeping stage & venue shots and intimate, emotional close-ups. Each one gives you the feeling that you were there.
Train Live at Royal Albert Hall
Train first appeared on my radar back in 2001 when I was travelling in Australia and went to watch them at a small venue in Sydney. ‘Drops of Jupiter‘ had been released a few months earlier and that song catapulted the band internationally.
So photographing Train Live at Royal Albert Hall was more than just another gig, it was an experience and part of a journey that began almost 25 years ago on the other side of the world.
For most of the Live Music that I photograph, you only get to shoot the first three songs. So having full access to photograph and document the band was another level. It gave me so much opportunity for the pictures that you see here. Not to mention, following the band and singer Pat Monahan as they walked out onto the Royal Albert Hall stage is an experience that I’ll never forget!
The sheer scale of the Royal Albert Hall adds a sense of ‘epic’ to every shot. The circular seating and symmetry design of the venue creates a striking background to every shot.
Photographing alongside a film crew helped me lean into my cinematic style. I wanted the pictures to marry up to what you see in the film and make you feel like you were there.
You can watch the show on VEEPS, and take a look at the video clip for ‘Drops of Jupiter’ below.
Thanks again to Ryan, the Crashburn crew and of course Train.
