On:
In: Backstage & friends, Live photo
Tagged: ,

kd-gronaThe high point after an awesome week of  KING DIAMOND rehearsals in Denmark: the first gig on the tour! It was really hot and sunny but luckily the sun moved a bit after the couple of first songs so it didn´t shine straight on the bands faces. I had heard the whole setlist twice a day for a few days and it just grew more and more awesome (got the playlist on Spotify:)!

Loved the show!! And even more watching Håkon G., who I had the great pleasure of meeting for the first time. We were both shooting the whole gig and he was constantly switching from being a total pro photographer to a happy teen fan just dancing around and enjoying himself:) This was also Pontus (bass) first gig and he had already proved himself to be a genuinly awesome guy! He arrived to Denmark the same day as me after being contacted by the band just a couple of days before that.

He learned really fast for about 17 songs and was ready to go! He basically nailed it already on the first day of reheakd14rsals. Just some fine tuning the rest of the week:)) Livia looked stunning as always!! Håkon took a picture of us together  and I felt like a garbage  bag besides her:) Luckily she´s incredibly nice! Like every one in the KD camp.

Anyways, afterparty was held at the hotel close by where the band stayed. Really nice evening and got a ride home with a couple of Kings guys. The end of one of the best weeks in my life. I hope to do it again sometime:)

The pic to the right is taken by my friend Johanna. I´m sneaking about. Håkon is there too:))

GALLERY
» A bit  from the rehearsals in Denmark (Need to sort out some gallery at some point. Not everything is for public viewing:))

KDgronan

kdpass14

>>MORE (live clips etc)

On:
In: Backstage & friends, Misc., Travels
Tagged: ,

I was supposed to hang out w the KD people in Tokyo late 2013 but because of typhoons & stuff happened, all their gear got stucked in a Chinese harbour and never made it to Japan. So last minute cancelled trip for them:/

I was already in Japan by that time so made the best of it (with typhoon and all;)) sightseeing all over Tokyo & Yokohama, meeting up w friends and going to some gigs. So quite good trip overall.

Anyways I finally got to meet up with all of the KD people at the rehearsals for the Summer tour 2014. Kinda made up for Tokyo
Some really nice days in Denmark, 2 rehearsals a day, fun company, truly professional crew and the most awesome venue rented for the rehearsals.
In last minute there was the incident involving the former bass player and Pontus E. was asked to step in. He accepted, took the plane from Sweden the next day, rehearsed 14 songs within 24 hrs or so and played like he always been in the band. A hero!

The coffin from the 80´s was tried out the first time since…the 80´s. This time Grandma was the one to be burned. She wasn´t too happy about it xD
The first gig on the tour was in Stockholm and they did some European gigs & festivals before a tour in US later in the year.

[I need to sort out some pictures in the future which are ok for public viewing. Too many personal/private stuff for now]

 

On:
In: Live photo, Metallsvenskan 2013
Tagged: ,

msv13Last year´s show at the Sweden Rock Festival was an over the top performance so the expectations for this time were sky high. And ofc it was pure magic! Once more one of those gigs you will NEVER forget!!   Also got lucky again and got photo access for the whole show.  After the first 3 songs the pit cleared out and there were only me and the security. So loads of pics!:D Still, for some reason I found the stage at the Sweden Rock easier to photograph at…? But I´m happy with the results.

I met King and his wife Livia (Awesome woman! Very talented and a big part of everything that is KING DIAMOND!!)  very briefly before the show when their tourmanager sorted out my access & passes, but the next morning I hanged out with the royal couple until their bus leaved Örebro. Livia makes these fabulous miniatures and she gave me a tiny piece of cake as a present:D I also became a proud owner of a K.D / Andy La Rocque guitar pick which was found on the hotel room floor and handed over to me by the King himself.  Gotta frame it or something!!;) My friends in F.K.Û gave me their new CD the night before and asked me to give it to King. So I did. And took a picture to prove it!

www.facebook.com/kingdiamondofficial
metallsvenskan.com/start/

KD_msv13

kd1

>>MORE (live clips etc)

On:
In: Backstage & friends, Metallsvenskan 2013
Tagged: , , , , , ,

Waiting for the arrival of the KING with some good people…
Featuring: Hal, Andy & Mike from KING DIAMOND (1 & 2), Kacper (BIBLEBLACK, Mike´s other band) (3 & 4) & his wife Sandra (4), L.G. (ENTOMBED) (5) and Maja (Mrs Wead) (3 & 4). The fanboy pic: Simon & Vlad (VALKYRJA, ONDSKAPT) with Mike Wead.

»More random snapshots from Metallsvenskan

king2

On:
In: Live photo, Sweden Rock Festival 2012
Tagged: ,

The return of KING DIAMOND was THE happening for many people at the SRF. It was an amazing, fantastic, beautiful show and I had the opportunity to stay in the pit and just shoot away ´til the end. I was also one of the few lucky ones who got to take some photos of the band backstage before the show. Got some of them HERE. The beautiful lady is King´s wife Livia Zita. After this one I was kinda worn out, got a couple of beers and sadly missed Cannibal Corpse on the Zeppelin Stage. I love CC live and the plan was to see the gig and take some photos. So sorry, no pics on CC:(  Still, I had the best company so didn´t really mind:)


www.covenworldwide.org/
www.facebook.com/pages/King-Diamond-Mercyful-Fate
www.swedenrock.com

>>MORE (live clips etc)

On:
In: Backstage & friends, NEWS & STUFF
Tagged: , , , , , ,

Mike (Wead) & hans Maja gifte sig och vi möttes upp för en liten fotosession på stan innan dom skulle iväg på middag och kryssning. Dan efter när båten var tillbaka i Stockholms hamn hade dom en bil väntandes som körde dom iväg till The Cave där några vänner med Simon (bibleblack) i spetsen hade fixat en finfin fest för brudparet. Samme man var även ansvarig för en skitgod och livsfarlig bål med oanad styrka. Med facit i hand skulle jag ha hållit mig till min plan att endast ta ett par öl;) Tog mig hem nån gång efter midnatt men dom sista hade kommit därifrån först nån gång på förmiddan…

Hade riktigt skoj! God mat, roligt sällskap (och Findus…) och en fantastisk improviserad livejam. Och sen lite svart tårta med röda marsipanhorn på det:) Och jusstde…blev inbjuden att plåta på en festival i Transsylvanien!!!! Hur coolt är inte det!! Den krockar med Party San som jag faktiskt tänkte åka till, men allt kan hända och det är definitivt spikat till nästa år!!
P.S. Har rensat bort dom mera privata bilderna. Dom ska bara brudparet ha:)

Mike (Wead) & Maja got married and the evening after there was a great party at The Cave. Lots of food, beer, booze and music. I saved myself early enough but some of the guests left around 10AM the day after;))

»FLER BILDER