VJ Benton C. Bainbridge has been doing a solid amount of experimental live video work for 20+ years (see his site for huge array of clips, projects, + quirky vintage video hardware), and was recently in Melbourne to VJ for the Beastie Boys at the Good Vibrations festival. Benton was kind enough to put me on the guest list and invited me sidestage to take footage with one of his video cameras. Which meant for great close-up views of both the Beasties and a Snoop Dog performance.
Random thoughts on the show :
Benton had to work really hard, lotsa set-up, lotsa scheduled clips and camera changes to suit different songs, was very, very busy the entire set. Black & White fish-eye travels through New York never seemed more appropriate. The L.E.D. screens used were super-bright ( Benton: “It’s the only time I’ve had to ask to have a screen brightness turned down.”). Snoop Dog’s entrance, slinking across the stage, had me hunching over with laughter – he seemed like such a cartoon character in the flesh (reinforced by the size of his diamond crusted microphone and the clouds of smoke trailing behind him ). Beasties put on a good party set, swapping between beat-driven brat-hop, and wah-wah percussion fuelled distorto pop. Fun, but felt a bit dated too. Something is lost, something is gained with events of this scale. Photos from side-stage.