The Frights, The Story So Far, Hunny & Just Friends

words and photos by Julia Pistilli, October 25
@ the observatory, north park, san diego
w/ The Story So Far, The Frights, Hunny & Just Friends

☆

Shooting The Frights was quite literally a dream come true, to say the least. This was the second band I ever fell in love with. When I first found them way back in seventh grade, I had no clue who I was, what I wanted, my personal aspirations — any of that. And, way back in 2016, when I dragged myself out to You Are Going To Hate This Fest 3, was when I discovered local music. Prior, I’d only been to one show in my life — SWMRS — and I was so desperate to experience the feeling again; feet burning, ears ringing, entire body covered in sweat. But The Fright’s You Are Going To Hate This Fest 3 was the show that exposed me to true local music, and became the moment I look back on as the moment my life literally started. Local music brought me the most important people in my life, gave me a family and showed me my love of photography and self expression. It showed me how community can salvage a lost fourteen year old, and, simply, it brought me the purest happiness I’ve ever experienced.

That's why shooting this show meant so much. I hope you can feel my love of music and art through these pictures. And, if you were there, I hope this gives you a flashback to a magical night that you can now relive over and over again through snippets. That’s the real reason I love concert photography — it brings you back to the simplest moments we live for. Enjoy <3

Fun fact: I planned on shooting the whole set in colour, but my film rewind broke twenty seconds in. Thankfully, I had my crappy $5 Goodwill point and shoot tucked into my bag. I loaded the whole 36 roll into that dusty chamber and fired through it all, with no idea if any of it was gonna be focused or even lit correctly. In the end, I realised I didn’t even care. Everyone has their own definitions of “good photography”, but these pictures bring me joy, and I can feel the energy & emotions of the night through them. I brought it into the pit with me after getting kicked out of the press pit, too, and the black and white are the shots that came out.