From The Pit 2020 Live Music Photography Exhibition Announced

Gig photographers are the unsung heroes of our community, working tirelessly to ensure Aotearoa's live music culture is documented each and every weekend, so that future generations can be inspired and informed to create their own amazing works. Designed and curated by NZ music photographers Dave Simpson (a regular contributor to UTR), Chontalle Musson (CPM photography) and Reuben Raj, the From The Pit exhibition returns for its second year to take over Tāmaki Makaurau creative hub Monster Valley, with prints available to purchase from 24th September onwards. Celebrating "the craft and art of live music photography," the exhibition is also extending down south for the very first time, venturing onto the walls of Christchurch's Penny Lane Records and Wellington's Newtown Social Club from September to October. Note the details revealed so far for these very special events below, and keep in the loop with emerging info about From The Pit via their website here...

Listen to a podcast featuring curators Dave Simpson, Reuben Raj and Chontalle Musson in conversation about their gig photography experiences here.

Press release:

2020 marks the second year the New Zealand homegrown photo exhibition will be running. This time the exhibition will be running for two weeks at K-roads Monster Valley. Opening night will be Thursday 24th September, more details to come the month before hand!

Along with this full exhibition, there will be also be exhibition of selected prints in both Christchurch and Wellington. The Christchurch exhibition will be held at Penny Lane Records from 24th September to 8th October. The Wellington exhibition will be held at Newtown Social Club from the 9th of September to 8th of October. All the information here: https://fromthepit.co.nz/

From The Pit is a curated exhibit of images of New Zealand musicians playing live in New Zealand. But more than anything it is a celebration of the craft and art of live music photography.

Each week dozens of photographers are huddled into music venues up and down the country capturing photos of New Zealand’s vibrant music scene. It’s a difficult and unpredictable environment to work in, but these photographers work tirelessly to capture the magic they see before them.

Part artists, part historians, but all music fans, they all strive to take the perfect photo which reflects how it felt to be at the concert and communicates the excitement of a live music event.

An extended remix of the print exhibition with bonus additional content will also available as an audio visual version. Along with limited runs of high quality prints in a range of different sizes, available for purchase in store at Monster Valley.

Now more than ever music lovers, and photographers alike are seeing the importance of live music. With locals gigs in full swing, venues across the country are full of happy smiling faces, gathered together once again to enjoy the musical talents of Kiwi artists.

From The Pit 2020 is designed and curated by New Zealand music photographers Dave Simpson, Chontalle Musson and Reuben Raj.