Over 100 concerts photographed featuring iconic acts such as The Rolling Stones, REM, Madonna, and countless others across the United States, Germany, Ireland, and the Czech Republic for various clients. My work spans a range of venues, from intimate clubs to large arenas. From capturing the action on-stage with Public Enemy to behind the scenes with iconic bands such as Stone Temple Pilots. Some of my images are available for licensing through Getty Images and Wire Image.
Presented here is a retrospective of the historic Live 8 concert in Berlin, held on July 2, 2005, at the Siegessäule (Victory Column) in Tiergarten Park. It was one of ten simultaneous concerts worldwide organized to raise awareness and pressure world leaders regarding poverty and debt relief in Africa. The Berlin event featured a mix of international and German artists and initially faced criticism for its predominantly German-language lineup. This was partially offset by the late addition of the American punk rock band Green Day, whose politically charged performance drew significant attention.
One notable aspect of the Berlin concert was the restriction on photographers: unlike the usual practice, photographers were not allowed in the ‘pit’ directly in front of the stage. Instead, we were positioned further back, making it challenging to capture close-up images without a long lens like my prized 400mm f/2.8 and a teleconverter that was used for many of these images.
Key performances included Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys, who delivered a nostalgic yet powerful set featuring classics like “God Only Knows” and “Good Vibrations.” Green Day energized the crowd with tracks from their then-recent album “American Idiot, ” including a controversial politically charged improvised lyric. Audioslave, led by singer Chris Cornell and guitarist Tom Morello (formerly of Rage Against the Machine), delivered standout performances of their material as well as RATM’s — “Killing in the Name” and “Cochise.” The English group Faithless, featuring Maxi Jazz, had the crowd of over 10,000 jumping in unison with an incredible rendition of “Insomnia” that left many speechless before Herbert Groenemeyer closed out the event.
The Berlin concert remains a memorable moment in the Live 8 series, reflecting a blend of activism and musical diversity in a historic event that has not been replicated since.
