Demon Hunter Brought the Heat to a Sold-Out Goldfield
By Christopher Crone – Buy us a Coffee on Ko-fi https://ko-fi.com/capitalchaostv
There’s hot, there’s crowded, and then there’s shooting a sold-out show at Goldfield. I’ve been going to concerts for more than 40 years, but by the time the first band finished, I was already soaked. Add two cameras and a crowd that made getting around a challenge, and I knew this was going to be a night to remember. Thankfully, the music was delivered, and my new 24mm lens was ready for its first real test.
Bloodlines
Bloodlines got the night started with heavy riffs, aggressive vocals, and a sound that hit hard right out of the gate. As the opening band, they had the job of getting the crowd moving, and their mix of modern metal and crushing guitar work gave the night a solid start. I was still getting settled into the show and looking for those first good frames, but the energy onstage was already there. The room was packed, the humidity was building, and I still had two bands to shoot. So much for easing into the evening!
Wolves at the Gate
Wolves at the Gate brought a different kind of heaviness, mixing melodic vocals and soaring choruses with screamed vocals, thick riffs, and metalcore breakdowns. I liked the contrast in their sound. They could pull things back with a melodic passage and then hit hard again without losing the crowd. Photographing a sold-out show is always a balancing act but getting around Goldfield that night was a challenge of its own. After more than 40 years of going to concerts, I’ve learned how to deal with packed venues, but moving through that room with all my gear was something else. Wolves at the Gate kept the night moving, and with Demon Hunter still to come, the crowd wasn’t going anywhere.
Demon Hunter
Demon Hunter got a huge response when they took the stage to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Storm the Gates of Hell, playing the album from beginning to end. This was a special set for fans who have lived with these songs for two decades, and you could see that connection in the crowd. Ryan Clark’s vocals and the band’s combination of groove-heavy riffs, melodic hooks, and punishing rhythms brought the record back to life. Their familiar horned demon skull showed up in the stage visuals, keeping that unmistakable Demon Hunter identity front and center. For me, it was great seeing the fans singing along to an entire album rather than just waiting for a couple of familiar hits. This was a celebration of a record that still means something to the people standing in that room.
The photo pit was another big win for me. Getting those first three songs with each band gave me the chance to get close and capture some great shots before heading back into the crowd. I was also breaking in my new Canon EF 24mm f/1.4L II lens for the first time, and I’d bought it specifically for Goldfield’s tight photo pit. I wanted to get close to the performers without losing the bigger picture, and the lens did exactly what I hoped it would. I came away with some frames I was genuinely happy with, which is always a good feeling when you’re trying out new gear at a live show.
Once I was out of the pit, it was back to working my way through the crowd, camera in hand and trying to keep everything under control. Across the street, a protester was making their presence known with a megaphone, adding an unexpected sideshow to the evening.
Between Bloodlines getting things started, Wolves at the Gate bringing the melodic heaviness, and Demon Hunter celebrating an album that’s been around for 20 years, there was plenty to take in. I got to put my new lens through its paces, came away with shots I was happy with, and survived a sold-out Goldfield that felt like a sauna. After more than four decades of concerts, I’m still chasing that next great shot. That’s what keeps me coming back for Capital Chaos TV.
Categories: Concert Photography, demon hunter
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