Dave Flewwelling’s concert photographs pulsate with the energy and passion of the rock and roots acts he’s captured across North America.
The Red Deer owner of Moloich Photography Ltd. is showing 29 music-related images at the white gallery adjoining Sunworks. The glossy photos in his Views From the Pit exhibit reflect their subjects’ gritty personalities and brilliant showmanship.
They also capture the sense of danger that sometimes makes for a thrilling concert experience. For instance, musicians of the American metal band Gwar are shown in ominous doomsday drag, with a saw-like stage prop shooting simulated sparks at the audience. “It’s like an apocalyptic baptism,” said Flewwelling. “They’re like KISS times 10.”
There’s also a searing shot of scraggly-bearded Chi Pig (Ken Chinn) of the Edmonton hardcore punk band SNFU in full-holler at The Vat. And one of chain-wearing Kerry King from speed-metal band Slayer playing his axe, legs spread in guitar god mode.
(Some of the scariest-seeming people are the nicest, maintained Flewwelling, who learned you can’t judge artists by their stage personas.)
His photos capture humanity (87-year-old Delta blues man Lee Chester Ulmer crooning into a homespun microphone made from a collared greens tin can) and delight in the colourfully bizarre (Mary Huff of the group Southern Culture on the Skids grinning at the camera from under a big, bright red, flower-ornamented bouffant.)
Flewwelling shoots across all musical genres to take diverse portraits — from new-wave group Devo’s Mark Mothersbaugh, to bluegrass artist Dr. Ralph Stanley, who helped innovate the claw-hammer style of banjo playing.
Although celebrity musician Brian Setzer (formerly of the Stray Cats) was captured in mid strut, Flewwelling is equally interested in people from the other side of the stage lights — from bearded, bandana-ed roadies, to carnival-style music festival merchants, and fans decked out with tattoos and chicken costumes.
“I wanted to show the whole scene … I am honouring where people came from,” said the 41-year-old — even from Red Deer. One image was taken during a Slumland Theatre performance of the local band Sven and the Sheepherders, featuring Dave’s brother, Mike Flewwelling, on vocals and Red Deer College’s arts dean Jason Frizzell on guitar.
In 2014, Flewwelling was invited to take a photograph of Corb Lund’s reunion with his former group, The Smalls. “It was my favourite band when I was growing up,” he recalled. Flewwelling later became friends with some of the musicians who gathered to practise in Lund’s garage.
But in most cases, Flewwelling doesn’t personally know the artists he’s photographing. He just shows up with his camera and snaps away at favourite venues, such as the Muddy Roots Music Festival in Cookeville, Tenn.
“In Tennessee, I probably have more friends that I’ve made, organically, through music, than I do locally,” he said. “It’s a testament to music bringing people together.”
Being an unobtrusive photographer isn’t easy when you’re six-foot-eight, he admitted. “You’re scrunching, kneeling and crouching … after a while, your whole body hurts …” But concert photography has been Flewwelling’s passion since taking his first rock picture of the now late Lemmy (Ian Kilmister) of Motorhead in 2001.
Flewwelling, a former mortician and landscaper, is the son of former Red Deer Mayor Morris Flewwelling and his wife Hazel. He has a full-time job as a health and safety auditor in the oilfield, and takes OVERSET FOLLOWS:photos of concerts, wildlife and landscapes in his spare time.
After seeing his wide array of photographic art, white gallery curator Brenda Hucal chose his concert images, which are printed on aluminum, because of their vibrant originality.
Flewwelling approaches photography as almost a spiritual calling. He confessed he always visits Johnny Cash’s grave before going on his annual photographic pilgrimage to the Tennessee music festival.
“I’d like to foster an appreciation for music on a lesser travelled path,” he said. “You don’t just need to have the Top 40 on the radio … that’s not what Sam Phillips intended when he worked with Sun Records …”
When it comes to music, “I like more flavours … salt ‘n’ pepper ain’t the only spices in the kitchen …”
His Views From the Pit exhibit continues to May 29, with an opening reception from 6 to 8 p.m. tonight.
lmichelin@www.reddeeradvocate.com