Bandscapes

Live Concert Paintings 

by Barry Worrall

A painting compiled of a live show featuring musicians across a live stage performance.

One of life's most memorable inspirational acts is to see iconic musicians perform live on stage. We worship music lyrics, songwriters and musicians. Music Artists are the new saints/gods, the message they put across through their words and style of Play relate to the listener. They give us lots including happiness, hope, fun and love and also stir up political views and beliefs,  

I paint bandscapes from old film VHS videos. The analog quality is very cosy and familiar, reflecting a sense of movement from a certain viewpoint in time. Capturing the atmosphere from a concert is my main aim. From gathering interesting key events during a performance using screenshots, then piecing them together like a jigsaw to create a live timeline . I start to paint, using a realistic colour pallet. 

Electricity has transformed music and concerts over the past 70 years. Adding colour and ambiance to stage lighting also transforming music with the invention of Electric instruments. Lecky Guitars, bass, microphones, speakers amps, organs keyboards. Without electricity concerts would be very different. PA systems drums, speakers, amps monitors, keyboards, brass strings all appear on stage.  Woven together in a celebration of sound, uniquely compiled for each concert the tools of the trade.

Why paint concerts? Well To bring some kind of magic into people's lives, a bandscape on a living room wall is a reflection of a someones most memorable experience. Taking you transporting you to the concert everytime you are infront of the work. Like the simplest idea of painting. To create an illusion and look through a window, into a landscape, escaping from the confinement of your living space. I am taking that concept and placing you in a seat at a concert. 

The first bandscape painting I created was of a Neil Young concert I went to in 2008, in Manchester Apollo. I took the photos from the balcony seat. On a long exposure night setting. This captured lots of movement and colour. In the centre of the painting is a seated NY with his guitars and instruments surrounding him. There is a sort of heavenly out of focus look to that area of the painting which capture the first half the set. There are four different images of Neil Young and Two of each other band member. I took some great shots at the gig, the piano area to the left of the stage is where he played, Tonights the night. The long exposure caught a very animated movement swaying towards the piano, on the right side is the Electric guitar stance. There are traces of the same neck of his trademark Les Paul which show his unorthodox stage movements he is famous for. I painted the concert 3 years after I went. I used photoshop to peice together the stage. For many years I was creating Animation and I wanted something that didn't consume my creative life. I asked for a break so much of my life was taken up by creating Halewoodstock it had drove me to a few breakdowns. The bandscape concept was a masterstroke. I am still creating the same idea but using different tools. Paint and Photography instead of Animation and Sound recording. 

The Velvet Underground Painting

I used a pirate video of a concert from 1993 when they reformed. This was a break through for me in terms of capturing a composition. The camera is positioned just to the left of the stage. Taking screenshots from different times and of each band member then sticking it all together. Gave me more control over what I was to choose to incorporate into the Bandscape. Probably shot on a small camcorder you can really pick up on the detail of the band when the zoom is used.. What I love about this picture is the size of the band members. You can really see the different height of the band members, Moe Tucker and Sterling Morrisson contrast in size is striking which adds to the atmospheric presence to the image, It has a cosier feel than the Neil Young one. Possibly because of where the images were captured, at the side of the stage. 

The technical collective gathering of images, involves choosing a camera angle that scans the whole stage. The zooming in of band members gives me the chance to capture detail. I screen shot the frame and peice many of the images together to create a linier performance. Each member of the band having multiple pictures of themselves in different positions and postures across the time presence whilst on stage.

I prefare camcorder images in many situations as they have a lovely warm homely look, the strobe tracing of the lighting the way it has a wispy quality a dizzy movement captured to bring another aspect to the work. On the Prince Far I painting I used this technique to echo the very animated presence of his musical and vocal performance. Jumping about kicking his leg, moving his arms about. He covers the stage with such energy and passion. At one point in the film he moves right up towards the lense, this is what I have used together with the lighting trace which I feel represents a heavenly mood to the painting as he was tragically shot the same year in 1983. I love Prince far I, he had such a father like spiritual message. Resonating like a colourful giant a coat of many colours the voice of thunder. Very serious messages and very funny at times, I was very lucky to find such a fine example of his insanely magical vocal delivery and presence to paint from.. 

Converting the images on the computer to canvas. I use the grid technique finding a canvas or making a streacher to fit the image exactly then start painting using a green colour to sketch in the detail, a method used in renaissance times I use for my own style of painting. The green really helps stabilize the composition and it can be done really fast..

 The same feeling you get from visiting a major gallery like the National or the VandA with a modern slant. I want a painting to be displayed in the National Portrait gallery. I think the subject matter is perfect for it. A portrait of a band how they move about and perform on stage. A portait of musicianship.