Concerts

Deafheaven @ Empire

Deafheaven perform at Empire in Springfield, VA.

SPRINGFIELD, VA - February 20th, 2014 - San Fransisco-based metal outfit Deafheaven perform at Empire in Springfield, VA. Sunbather, the group's sophomore album released in 2013, earned critical plaudits from outlets such as Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, SPIN and many other publications. (Photo by Kyle Gustafson / For The Washington Post) (Kyle Gustafson/For The Washington Post)

The Post rarely covers metal shows, so naturally I get very excited when I see a metal show pop up on their concert schedule. Deafheaven got a ton of buzz last year with their album Sunbather, which was on pretty much every year-end Best Of list on the internet. This show was at Empire down in Springfield, VA, a venue I had only shot at once, for a not very well attended hip-hop show. I knew this show would be much different and that’s an understatement. It was packed inside, shoulder to shoulder. The club was nice enough to let me shoot from the soundboard riser, but the lack of lights during Deafheaven’s set meant that wasn’t the best place for me to shoot from. I ended up shooting most of Deafheaven’s set from the top of the venue, from the club’s administrative office. At least there I could use the background lighting a bit to balance out my exposures. It’s frustrating to shoot such an energetic (and photogenic!!) show in such lousy conditions, but you can only work with the conditions that are presented to you.

SPRINGFIELD, VA - February 20th, 2014 - George Clarke and Kerry McCoy of San Fransisco-based metal outfit Deafheaven perform at Empire in Springfield, VA. Sunbather, the group's sophomore album released in 2013, earned critical plaudits from outlets such as Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, SPIN and many other publications. (Photo by Kyle Gustafson / For The Washington Post) (Kyle Gustafson/For The Washington Post)

SPRINGFIELD, VA - February 20th, 2014 - San Fransisco-based metal outfit Deafheaven perform at Empire in Springfield, VA. Sunbather, the group's sophomore album released in 2013, earned critical plaudits from outlets such as Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, SPIN and many other publications. (Photo by Kyle Gustafson / For The Washington Post) (Kyle Gustafson/For The Washington Post)

SPRINGFIELD, VA - February 20th, 2014 - San Fransisco-based metal outfit Deafheaven perform at Empire in Springfield, VA. Sunbather, the group's sophomore album released in 2013, earned critical plaudits from outlets such as Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, SPIN and many other publications. (Photo by Kyle Gustafson / For The Washington Post) (Kyle Gustafson/For The Washington Post)

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