In what was ultimately far less of a hectic affair compared to my Canadian Music Week adventures, NXNE is done for another year! Overall it was a great festival, with a number of bands and artists who I was eager to see, and even more that I had yet to discover. Not only did I get to hear some great music, but meet some awesome people in the process – Kevin Drew and GZA amongst them. And now, the fruits of my labours – NXNE 2009 in pictures.

Wednesday – The Arts & Crafts Showcase, Day One @ The Courthouse.
Wednesday – Broken Social Scene, special guest @ The Courthouse.
Thursday – Melissa Auf der Mar and The Black Lips @ Yonge Dundas Square.
Sunday – GZA with King Khan @ Yonge Dundas Square.

Also, the entire NXNE collection is here on Flickr, if that suits you better.

GZA was particularly fun to watch, and a suitable closer for the end of the festival. Not only did he perform a killer set, with more than enough Liquid Swords throughout, he actually asked the media to stay beyond the usual three-song limit, giving me the chance to spend the entire performance mere feet from the hip-hop legend. Incredibly nice gesture, if you ask me, though a calculated PR move I’m sure.

Alas, so ends another year of NXNE – so long, and thanks for all the fish.

I’ve finally sorted through the 700 pictures sitting in my Lightroom queue, and the result is a nice album of pictures to show for it! So, if you haven’t already stumbled upon my Flickr or Facebook links, you should take a trip over to Flickr and check out my pictures from the Arts & Crafts showcase, this past Wednesday at The Courthouse.

You’ll enjoy them, I swear. And if you don’t, well…there’s a frightening, bearded Indian man prepared to “deal” with you.

NXNE is looking to be even more hectic than my Canadian Music week experience of a few months back (from a photography standpoint, at least). Only two days in thus far, here are a couple things I’ve learned and encountered during my venue-hopping travels…

1. Mussolini may have made the trains run on time, but GO Transit sure as hell can’t. More specifically, my issue was with my commute down by bus. It seems I always manage to get that one GO driver who insists on taking the longest route possible to reach the highway. The result was a two-hour bus ride, crippled by traffic, rain and a grumpy Matthew.
2. When organizing something like NXNE, try and hand out your press credentials before your festival begins. Wednesday’s opening night Arts & Crafts showcase was operating on a purely guest list basis. This was both a curse and a blessing, because while the amount of people limited to the venue was a good size, trying to prove you’re actually a member of the press without a red wristband is a different story altogether. Which brings me to my next point…
3. Blackberries are wonderful devices. With no ID in hand, and neither a red wristband on my arm, my entrance to The Courthouse was thankfully made possible by the countless accreditation emails stowed away on my Blackberry. Technology to the rescue.
4. When venue hopping, please make sure you remember to eat. A shout-out to fellow concertgoer Bobby from Winnipeg, who blacked-out briefly in front of Jason Collett’s amp from lack of blood sugar. This was just the sort of situation that justified all those years of lifeguard and first-aid training, as I quickly jumped in and carried him off to the side of the venue. Luckily, he was fine, but remember kids – don’t go 10 hours without food!
5. But if you do feel the need to black out at a concert showcase, make sure it’s hosted by Arts & Crafts. Not only were the venue and label staff totally helpful and supportive in getting him some food and drink, Kevin Drew actually popped by and chatted with us for a bit, just to make sure everything was all right. He even pulled a wad of cash out of his pocket, giving Bobby $20 to go grab himself some pizza. That, people, is the mark of an awesome man.
6. Once you’re inside, a press pass means nothing – you’re simply just another fan. At most club and bar-type venues, be prepared to arrive early if you want a nice position at the front of the stage. I mean, you could probably nab some reasonable shots from the balcony with your 300mm L-glass lens, but in my opinion, nothing beats being a foot away from the entire band.
7. Earplugs are indispensable. Up until now, I’ve been subjecting my ears to all types of torture, choosing to deal with the unpleasant side effects of a few days ringing, instead of protecting one of my most important senses. Luckily for me, there were some half-decent earplugs included in my NXNE swag bag, which means I’ll be able to happily shoot in front of whatever amp stack I choose, without all that unfortunate ringing.
8. Wide Angle lenses are great, until you realize that, sometimes, bands actually play outside. Madness, I know. But shooting Thursday night’s set at Yonge and Dundas square was a stern reminder not to rely so vehemently on my 17-355mm, particularly when you’ve got a good deal of space between you and the stage.
9. Media pits are both a curse and a blessing. It’s great having unfettered access to move and shoot without being jostled by the crowd. What’s not so great is having the overly exuberant guitarist of the Black Lips being close enough to spit on you, numerous times. Also, no, drunk blonde girl, I will not hand the band members pieces of your clothing.
10. Get sleep. Lots of it. You know you’re in for a rough festival experience when you get back to your friend’s house so late, it’s not even worthwhile to sleep before your commute home. Arriving home at 7AM, only to go back to sleep until mid-afternoon is not something I want to make a habit of.

More to come from NXNE.