Traveling from Pittsburgh, PA to Washington DC for a concert is something that’s totally normal to me now. For this trip, I was able to attend Declan Mckenna’s sold out show at The 9:30 Club for his Zeros Tour. Mckenna is a UK artist who announced a handful of tour dates in the US this past summer, and when I saw he was coming to the 9:30 Club, I knew I had to be there. I became a fan during my highschool days, and I remember singing along with my friends to his music.
Usually, photographers have the typical “First 3” photo policy. This show’s photo policy was for the encore only, which was a shock, but also a nice change of scene. I can understand for some photographers it may be inconvenient due to the late nights and needing to get home to begin editing. In my opinion, I think it makes the show more enjoyable at the start rather than stressing about the images right away. You can get a feel for the artist’s performance and know what kind of stage lighting to adjust for. Being in the photo pit towards the end of the show, gives you more time to prepare for your shots.
The screams at this show were some of the loudest I’ve ever heard. Mckenna’s fans were over the moon to finally see him perform, since covid and travel restrictions prevented him from touring in the US. Declan McKenna played hits from both albums Zeros and What Do You Think About the Car? At this show, I realized how much of his music and lyrics I actually knew. His performance was outstanding, and I would suggest seeing him live if you ever get the chance!
Write up and images by Madalyn Schaller (@madalyns.photos via instagram)
Live from the Pitt 