The first big gig for me this year and a very unexpected one to be honest. It was exciting for sure. All I knew of them beforehand was that they are known for “After Dark” which was featured in a Tarantino movie. So we have the usual “I don’t really know the band but will go anyway” kind of deal. Works every time.

Even though I have been living close to Erfurt for over a year now and am a bit of a regular visitor at the Museumskeller I haven’t been at the next door venue, the HsD. When the day finally came and I got approved to shoot Tito & Tarantula there, I was more than happy also as I didn’t expect an answer whatsoever. But with that excitement the nervousness also came along. Didn’t know the band. Didn’t know the venue. Three song rule.

After a lovely day of roaming the streets of Erfurt and enjoying the Erfurter Oktoberfest with some french fries I accompanied my mother to the HsD where we later met up with my father. This was the first time I think we actually all went to a concert together. The entry process went smoothly and I was ready to go

Unorganized and uninformed me wasn’t aware that I wouldn’t be able to enter the photo pit for whatever reason. It really made things high pressure and stressful as I still only had three songs to work with AND had to fight my way through a crowd in order to change my position. You decide if I still did a good job or not.

So the concert started with one of my favourite songs: “Strange Face” which made me even more hyped for the gig. While panickly making my way through the crowd trying to get a good shot I started to get hypnotised by the sounds coming from the stage.

After the three songs I finally had the time to focus on the music. It reminded me of desert sand and tequila on a warm summer night. The musician played so precise and passionately you couldn’t help but be drawn towards them. Every single one of them were just that good. Especially the two powerful women on stage caught my attention, the bassist being Tito’s daughter. They both had such a strong presence and energy surrounding them full of confidence and badassery. It is a bit sad that you don’t often see that at a gig these days which just made it more impressive to me. I couldn’t take my eyes of them watching their hands glide so fearless over their instruments. The band surrounding Tito was just fabulous. Everything felt perfectly timed, harmonic and balanced despite the obviously rough style choices.

I found myself getting lost in the riffs and mostly rapid beats of the songs while recognizing a few of them. No one seemed to be able to escape that high energy Tito and his band brought to the HsD. It felt like they never did anything else in their lives but this. Just so much passion, energy and heart. Even I had to dance a tiny bit.

Tito & Tarantula really know how to get the attention of a crowd and everyone who only knows them from the songs that have been used in popular movies should really dive deeper into what they have to offer. I am definitley sold.