Taihu Midi Day 3

 

 

The last day at Taihu Midi started exactly the same as the second day, with heat and electronic music playing at both stages. However, the feel of the crowd was completely different and was more like the normal MIDI crowd you would get at a rock festival. I guess most of the fans had come to see “Children of Bodom.”

 

 

The electronic music stages seemed to run out of steam by the third day, with fewer people dancing at the stages. The DJs played throughout the day, but it was a common sight to see no one listening to the DJs, and the DJs playing to an empty stage.

 

 

 

 

At around 5:40, the grass stage switched from electronic music to rock, with the Japanese metal band GYZE taking the stage. GYZE was extremely impressive, and they rocked the stage really hard. China has always been a heaven for hard rock and metal, and the crowd responded to their very hardcore sound.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But GYZE was just the appetizer, as most people had come to see “Children of Bodom.” All the photographers were kicked out of the pit before the show started. We were all told not to shoot with flash, which was no problem for me. I almost never use a flash because I just don’t like the way photos look when you shoot with flash. However, that was a serious problem for the Chinese photographers, as they shoot with flash all the time. Before the show started, I tried to warn a few of them that they needed to shoot quickly because I was sure that after three songs, we would be booted out of the pit. I hate to say it, but I was completely on the money this time because after the third song, we were all kicked out of the pit. I was basically the only photographer to walk away with usable shots—not the greatest shots, but more than usable. I felt very sorry for the Chinese photographers, though, as some had only taken about 10 shots because they are used to shooting the entire set, so they work much slower.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once we were kicked out of the pit, I saw an opening on the security railing. So I ran around the stage, climbed up the railing, and had a great view of the show from “Children of Bodom.” They have a great live show, and I highly recommend going to watch them.

 

 

With the end of the Children of Bodom set, the festival had basically come to an end for me. I hadn’t really come for the electronic music, so I left the festival shortly afterward and went home. It was a fun festival, but very different from the normal MIDI music festival. I look forward to shooting some MIDI music festivals next year again.

Shaun.