Images & captions by Jeremy Sonnenburg //

Bassist Jeremy Sonnenburg takes us behind the scenes of a CCD show.

For members of bands like City Calm Down who spend a lot of time on the road both at home and abroad, finding another hobby or interest outside of music is essential to keep the creative juices bubbling and (of course) staving off boredom. For CCD bass player Jeremy Sonnenburg, film photography and music are avenues for artistic output that often overlap.

“They’re definitely entwined in some kind of weird symbiotic relationship,” he says. “Both music and photography have the ability to transport the ‘consumer’ to a different place, which I like. Both pursuits feel like a deeply personal expression of self. One visual, one sonic – together they tell a much richer story.”

Getting “semi-serious” about photography back in 2009 – roughly around the time that the band formed – it’s safe to say he’s since been afforded plenty of opportunities to travel to interesting places and shoot interesting things. You could probably use over a hundred rolls of film photographing CCD on a tour, and that’s not including the world outside of the band.

Here, we look at some pics Jeremy took of the group as they prepared for a show at Sydney’s Oxford Art Factory back in June. Chuck on their latest single ‘Visions Of Graceland’ and scroll away:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfONTWNNLJ8

A Maxi Taxi driver’s worst nightmare: this trolley, plus eight sleep-deprived musos trying to convince them that it “definitely all fits”.

Just a couple of blokes with nice hair standing around, talking about how it is exactly they keep their hair looking so damn good.

Post-show vanity mirror experimentation captured by Jon and his shining dome.

Jack [Bourke, vocals] doesn’t smile often, but when he does, he really lets you have it. Wide-eyed and rearing to send off at least 40 new emails before we board the plane at 7am (on a Saturday), this is peak JB.

Holding Will’s [touring guitarist Will Fletcher] eyes open in an attempt to discover any signs of life. Lee’s [drummer Lee Armstrong] eyes on the other hand tell us no lies. Its early, and nobody likes my flash.

I have never met a guitarist who wasn’t a left leaning, knee-crumpler.

After another testing early morning commute to Sydney, Lee returns to his happy place just in time for our sound engineer to ‘tune’ the PA. Unfazed.

Our resident saxophonist Jon Di Napoli tuning up his brassware backstage before the show.

This town ain’t big enough for the two of us: Jack grinning with glee as he emerges victorious from the afternoon’s battle over who gets to wear the orange shirt this time.

The ladder looks like a lovely prop here. Little did we know how much the venue would dislike Sam’s later attempt to ‘dance’ with the ladder into the middle of a crowded late-night dance-floor.

Attempting to debunk the myth that City Calm Down can’t look tough while leaning against brightly coloured tile walls in inner-Sydney.

Jack sharing his recent Candy Crush high scores with an enthusiastic young William. “COOL!” he replied. 

Jack extracting some sort of ‘content-based revenge’ on Will, as he suffers through the arduous task of removing his amp from its extremely snug flight-case. 

The magic moment before the dregs of Sam’s [keyboardist Sam Mullaly] traveller (beer) covered my fresh sneakers in yeasty coating.

The very talented photographer Maclay Heriot getting a taste of his own medicine after agreeing to hang out with us fools all day.

“I wonder what the weather is like in Estonia today?” ponders Sam as he ignores all responsibilities during soundcheck and dreams of an exciting river cruise in a faraway land. 

Maclay Heriot trying his best to stay focused amongst this pack of savages. Some medium-format wizardry in effect.