Savages ~ Madison, WI 9.18.13

As a photographer I wanted to scream out "Stand still!" as Savages ripped through a dozen songs at The High Noon Saloon in Madison, Wisconsin. The lighting was as dim as your parent's basement and my cameras were doing their best to suck up as much light as they could.

As a fan of this UK quartet, I was torn between capturing shots of the night and putting the camera away so that nothing would stand between me and their frenetic "post-punk" onslaught.

The intense song "Husbands" introduced us to the band and then their full-length album Silence Yourself introduced us to Jehnny Beth (vocals), Gemma Thompson (guitars), Ayse Hassan (bass), and Fay Milton (drums) of Savages.

Produced by Pop Noire co-founder Johnny Hostile, Silence Yourself displays gems like "Shut Up", "She Will" and the controversial "Hit Me".

What is most impressive about Savages is that each member makes a strong contribution to this tight unit. There is no way you can just focus on Jehnny's strong vocals and her prowling of the stage, because they you realize that Fay Milton's drumming is second to none in terms of rhythm and ferocity. And if that isn't enough, Gemma Thompson slices through each song like a well-oiled saw as she helps build the mood and structure. Standing calmly  to Jehnny's left is Ayse Hassan, who makes you want to hock a good chunk of your worldly possessions, quit your job and become a bassist.

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