"Crowd Control" at PhillaMOCA

Music and photography mesh together in the upcoming event featuring a Lintroller darling, Alyssa Tanchajja. Taking place at PhilaMOCA the event will feature bands and photographers involved in the DIY, hardcore culture.

 The energy at concerts comes not just from the band but also from the audience. It’s that crazed, churning mass of a spectacle that takes the music and turns it into something that is absolutely transcending. Being part of the audience and engaging the music and musicians is what absolutely creates the experience. This is especially true at DIY-type shows, where there is no barrier – physical or emotional – between the band and audience.

But if you look at documentation of shows, more often than not it’s completely focused on the band, with everything else relegated to the background if it’s there at all. Instead of trying to capture the energy of the concert, the looks of elation on people’s faces while they sing along to their favorite song, you’ll instead find close-ups of the musicians playing their instruments.

Those types of pictures cut everything out of the equation but the ego of the band: not only is the reaction of the audience not present, but oftentimes you can’t even tell where the picture was taken. There is absolutely no context given and as a result these pictures are completely interchangeable, especially when you consider that a great majority of people playing music are unfortunately still white men, even when their audience is certainly not.

This exhibition is an effort to reclaim that context.

For more details check out their Facebook event.