unsceneunheard's Journals on Buzznet

WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!?!

unsceneunheard — 2009-04-16T09:32:00Z

Bank/Credit Card Fraud.

It's always one of those 'it could never happen to me' senarios. It's always something you read about or hear on the telly.

Not something that happens to yourself and five others around you - in less than a week.

Today I suffered that dreaded experience.

I guess thats what I get for shopping in River Island. (haha)

Went to buy a shirt/dress/thing that I'd been eying up, only to be told that there were 'insuficient funds' in my account when I went to pay at the till. Knowing this was not the case I asked them to put it aside and would just go get the cash from the machine outside (I know chip and pin machines can be mighty fussy so I wasn't much phased). Then I check my balance on the cash machine. Weird. NEGATIVE NUMBERS. I check my online balance. It's the same. WHAT THE HELL???

Call my dad. He tells me to go right to the bank and talk to them. Which is what I do (I guess I'm lucky that our shopping centre has everything I could ever need all under one roof!). The wonderful lady there got me a cup of not too terrible coffee and sat me down and went through all the account with me. We checked all the account activity and discovered that money has been coming off since Sunday in small batches - and while we were sitting there money was still being taken! It seems these fraudsters think if they do it in small batches (say £20-£50 at a time) that you wont notice....I think I'll notice quite easily considering there was only about £150 ($300) in the account to begin with!

Blah. Its sorted now - well as sorted as it can be. The account is on hold (no money can come out), and the fraud department will be calling me in the next week - but I won't see my monies for close to a fortnight probably. It seems the fraud team are very busy right now.

I'm sure the fraud teams at all banks and CC companies are overworked lately. Several friends have been victims within the past couple of days - some for small amounts and some, like mine, throwing them into the red and deeper and deeper in debt that isn't ours.

So...be careful kiddies (and grown ups!) Check your accounts and monitor them like a hawk; in this financial climate the crooks are steeping lower and lower.

Some articles to keep in mind: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7952598.stm

Oh and if your wondering...yes I did go back and pick up my top/dress/thing. And then I got a carmel Sundae from McDs. :D

Prints!

unsceneunheard — 2009-03-23T15:52:00Z

Running a website independantly is expensive, and getting the word out on it is even more costly. Word of mouth on the internet just isnt enough. So we've been processing pretty little badges to get the word out so we can cover even more shows!

So I wanna rasie some funding for all this (as well as any other new equipment I might need in the near future (i.e new memory cards).

I'm gonna do some offers on prints:

$10 buys you a 8x6 inch (or 9x6 if you prefer) high quality lustre print (i.e 1/2 an A4 sheet)

S15 buys you a 8x10 inch (or 8x12if you prefer) high quality lustre print (ie an A4 sheet)

This covers shipping WORLD WIDE. And I'll even do a few offers if people want multiple prints.

$15 buys TWO 8x6 inch lustre prints and $20 buys TWO 8x10 inch ones.

Other sizes and offers are of course negotiable. ANY image that you can find on www.vivalascene.com is avaliable for these prints. This includes the likes of:

Cobra Starship, Funeral For A Friend, Avenged Sevenfold, Broadway Calls, Glasvegas, Fall Out Boy, Alkaline Trio, Simple Plan, All American Rejects, From First To Last, Metro Station, The Academy Is, Rise Against, Mindless Self Indulgence, My American Heart, Anti Flag, Envy on the Coast, The Maine, Black Tide, Every Avenue, Boys Like Girls, We The Kings, Say Anything, The Get Go, Dir En Grey, All Time Low, Norma Jean, Bring Me The Horizon, Underoath, Gym Class Heroes, Relient K, The Audition, Elliott Minor...and more!

The Fringe Festival photos from 2007 (ya know, like the Clown and the Opera Singer Laydee) will also be avaliable if desired.

PRETTY EXAMPLES AHOY (the actual prints will not be watermarked - just so you know :))

Yes you could even own a copy of 'I'm Melting' an image that was used on Martins very own website!

All sales will be set up personally to order and secure and exclusively through my account on bigcartel - so they will be safe for both parties involved. And items will be dispatched the day after payment is recieved. To make an order just send me a private message here or send me a message at my aim address listed below.

Any other questions or requests message me here or hit me up on aim: hemmy daiquiri

xmas cards...

unsceneunheard — 2008-12-07T11:43:00Z

i would like to send ye all some...

repetition

unsceneunheard — 2008-11-24T02:35:00Z

This is a blog I posted here a little over a year ago. Its funny how things haven't changed with some people. It's hilarious in hindsight that some of us actually thought things could and would change. It's not really funny, maybe a little more tragic.

****************************************************************************************************************************************

Its funny how you can want things. And when you start to get them you realise you're no happier with them. You don't feel any more complete. There's still this big empty gaping hole, and a few times over you think about this and conclude that you're doing the wrong thing. You want away from these thoughts and this mediocre flow of life.

And all of a sudden you find yourself practically convinced that all you have to do is get to the next step. This is a test, its testing how much you want it. if you didn't have to fight for it it wouldn't be worth it. if you stop now you've lost. game over. But if you keep going even for a little bit it'll get better and it'll be perfect. Exactly what you want.

But it wont. never will.

Honestly? I know this made no sense.

Honestly? I have a guilt complex about being on buzznet. I came back to it for all the wrong reasons. What I did with this account, it started off as a joke. my friend Leo and I wanted to test the bounds of efame and e-popularity on this site. It was just after the Kiki drama started. No-one could see or understand how on earth they thought making her popular on their site was ever going to be a good idea. We wanted to step up the game a little.

We studied the ways of acknowledgment on buzznet. comments, buzzes, featured photos, photo of the day, journaled photos, getting into the news feed, featured members, star blogger, the whole lot.

We both joined and set up accounts to test these boundaries. tested the myspace theory of how to get as many friends as possible - added anyone we could see shared similar interests. Started posting some of our photographs (shes a gigging photographer too).

And some how it actually started to work. people were kind. they left sweet notes and comments, complemented photographs, and started talking to us, welcoming us both with open arms. This went on for a while and started to spread some. eventually leo lost interest and gave up, but i continued on. my reasons were starting to change for why I was there. the attention to my work felt rewarding. a lot of my IRL friends don't care about the photos I take at shows. This was the first place I've ever showcased them and felt as though they were actually appreciated.

Suffice to say now eight months down the line I can strike a fair few of those acknowledgments off my list. and for what? All I have is a bad taste in my mouth.

i came for all the wrong reasons. but id like to hope that i stayed for the right ones. I got to see some amazing work - stunning photographs, inspiring artwork and emotional words. I got to know some sweet people. I'm not sure I can call them friends. i'd like to but it maybe wouldn't be fair, maybe too presumptuous. it happens I guess.

I don't deserve to actually be here, or to have been acknowledged in the ways that I have. I wrote about all the right reasons to be here in my blog last week. And I've learned all that - and I stand by it. Honestly I do.

but i feel like a fraud. that i came here will ill-intent.

It wasn't with seriousness though. I'm not under some delusion that I should be famous or that I'm skilled enough to be or whatever (because we all know im def not pretty enough). I just wanted to see how easily these SQs and other people got to where they are. They talk about how much hard work they put into getting to where they are. its bullshit. this was basically my science experiment. lets see how quickly someone can become popular with few talents.

Granted I fell in love with this place. I adore some of the people here, and what we all share. I LOVE LOVE LOVE doing gig photography. but like I keep saying I'm losing hold of that now. people keep saying 'oh just start a website so you can still get press passes' yeah dude what do you think I've been trying to do the past three years? i fail at web design thats why i worked for other sites. but they all dropped me so i guess im just a failure at that too. three years of this. thats really three years too long. i wrote that buzznet was my last attempt at exposure for my work. i meant it. its this or nothing. im too old to queue all day at shows to get the front row and take photos from there now. and i wouldnt feel they were good enough either. the slr gives me much more freedom. but it takes knowing someone or being someone to get press passes. and im neither.

****************************************************************************************************************************************

Weird that the most that came from this place was 'confidence' that was swiftly taken back. I guess it at least pulled my head together enough to realise that to do anything I have to do it alone. I'm lucky that I get to now co-run a website with two of the nicest people ever. I get to shoot almost all of the shows I want. I never got the help or the connections I maybe wished I had - but I learned to do it independantly - because there was no other choice. Some people get it handed to them on a platter - but a lot of them dont deserve it and havent earned it - and it will always show. It will always be disgustingly evident who has tried and who has merely kissed the right ass - anywhere on or offline.

The other thing I learned this past year? Arrogance gets you a lot further than talent ever will - in any job or situation. Thinking you are the shit means more than actually being the shit. I dont know why - but whatever. If people get further playing that card then kudos to them - my only question is...is it anymore rewarding? Do they not have moments where they lack confidence in themselves? Or is it an element of dillusion? I'd just like to know. I'm openly asking the world this question - I have a lot of trouble understanding the human race. Cause right now it seems to me that being over-confident but under performing is better than just doing okay and being happy with it. Why make a spectacle of doing something you're no good at? I digress.

I wish I could stop rambling.

I've requested it already but nothing has been done - so again I will address it here... mods please remove ALL badges from my account. they aren't meant for someone like me - and there's no point in pretending they are. I have nothing great to bring to the table - you have pro concert photographers and amatures in your own country - I'm not required. I an not part of the top tier. I bring nothing original to the site - I'm not creatively minded to do much else. I'm okay with that - I'm okay with not playing pretend here. Please there is no point in leaving those things on my page out of obligation - you dont want anything from me and I expect less than nothing from you.

i'd like to retract my existance from here.

unsceneunheard — 2008-10-29T10:14:00Z

some of you know why, and i half expect the same thing will gradually happen with others. its all just a joke now tbh. im done playing games. thankyou and goodnight.

packed and ready to go...

unsceneunheard — 2008-10-12T11:05:00Z

Germany calls to me...

idk if I'm going to get much internet time while I'm over there (my pesky Cloud wi-fi service is oh so fickle), but I'll see what I can do - aim is just to keep anyone that is interesteed in the adventures updated via twitter. Just a heads up

xoxo.

Going it alone

unsceneunheard — 2008-08-10T09:54:00Z

It might really be time for us to part ways dear 'friend' - it can only kick punch and insult me for so long before I will start to see sense.

That day really has finally come; and its one giant slap in the face.

I feel beyond insulted. Far past used. Sick to my stomach doesn't really cover it either.

Its one thing to give and receive so little in return; but its nothing. No help, guidance, advice...just the oppertunity to watch on as those others receive it by the bucketload instead.

We're not even going to play the country card anymore.

I kept thinking to myself to let it go after this past holiday I was on. To leave it be, move on. But I just keep reading things that are so...contradictory that it kind of makes me want to punch someone. The only thing that changed my mind was meeting someone else who felt the same way - screwed over with little explaination while others were not.

So lets just read this as: Shiona whines a lot about something because its close to her heart. She tries not to let on how insulted she feels; but as per usual that old hag was dead on; this isn't the place. Things were good but maybe it really is time to just throw my cards down and walk away - lets the relationship go before it deteriorates anymore. I'm done with being used like that and having people fall short of empty and miniscule promises - especially when greater things fall on to others. Funny how that goes, huh?

Really no-one comment this, there's nothing else to say.

this is the end...

Englishtown Warped Tour, New Jersey - 28th July 2008

unsceneunheard — 2008-08-04T13:40:00Z

It's a little late hey, but I have been working, and recovering from vacation and all that stuff. I'd blog about every individual Warped but I genuinely don't have *that* much energy I wish I was a little duracell bunny, but sadly I am not. So lets just cover the final date of the Vans Warped Tour that I attended this year. It was probably the busiest days, and one of the best (because I didn't throw up - not once!)

Englishtown, NJ - 28th July 2008

Myself and the aussies head out of Manhattan in the early am with some of the 'best' googlemaps directions I've ever come across (that's not saying much), and eventually arrive a little past 11am. The queues are a million miles long, but luckily we'd managed to wrangle more vip/guestlist passes from some good friends on the tour and thankfully didn't have to hang out in the heat for too long in the wait to get inside (we were actually really lucky I don't think we hand to queue for any of the shows - horray!).

Mel, Cris, Bel and me

I run around for the first thirty minutes or so trying to find the wonderful Savannah (tryingtofindthewords), who somehow managed to acquire me a photopass for the day (the fact that no-one else could still boggles my mind; though later I actually found out that if I'd asked just *one* person, I probably could have had one for every one of the shows we'd attended - but oh well).

So yeah I'm eternally greatful to Savannah for hooking me up with that oppertunity - because it was one of the little things on my list for the year that I'd have loved to do. The full set of photos (aka the BETTER photos) I took are over at www.vivalascene.com - and if you like what ya see please let me know in the guestbook over there =D

But anyway so I meet up with Savannah and get sorted. We wander around a little while and head on over to the Alternative Press tent to say hello to the epic Luis aka Mendoza. I take stalker shots when he's not looking...naturally

Eventually Savannah and I part ways for most of the rest of the day – covering separate bands you see – plus! She was doing some epic interviews, so sadly we didn’t get to hang out too much. My mission for the day you see, was to try and cover more bands that I’d not shot before, and give myself a go with bands whose set I’m not familiar with – because naturally that’s always more of a challenge.

My first stop of the day was Norma Jean. A band I’ve heard a lot but never seen live. So I had to shoot them, clearly. Because one aussie in particular is quite the fan

She took stalker shots of me from the back of the stage…

After Norma Jeans set finished up I dashed across to the other side of the park to get in some snaps of Relient K. This is when I realised I’m actually kind of short, or something. I’d like a stepladder for shooting festivals I think

Then in passing I decided to sneak a few snaps of British “metalcore” band Bring Me The Horizon – who again, I’d never seen (and now I never hope to again). Their photopitt was crazy with photogs – slightly scary for someone who is used to only sharing with two or three people max.

Bumped into Erica (ericalovesit) briefly while trying to fight my way through the crowds. Things were set up kind of crazy in Englishtown (did anyone else notice this?!?!) and I worry that the merch tents adjacent to the Hurley.com and Smarkpunk stages suffered for it – the crowd couldn’t move, it was a claustrophobic stand still.

Eventually I wriggled my way through and dashed back to route66 to shoot one of my favourite bands in the world - The Academy Is. I hadn’t shot them since January 2006, so this was exciting, even if there were a billion ‘togs in the photopitt (some of whom had compact cameras coughIhatethat*cough*) But as per usual they put on a spectacular performance – and I’m so so excited about the new album; you can tell how excited and pleased they are with it, and that makes me happy.

Myself and the girls hung around a while backstage chatting with the tai boys…it was amusing to see Butcher wearing more clothes than usual!

Then we all wandered across to get some drinks and head over to the other main stage to watch Say Anything. They were epic. We watched from the back of the stage, and really it was energetic and fun. The crowd were super into it and everyone was kind of dancing a lil and singing along and I stood static like a goober because as much as I listen to Say Anything I don’t know all the words ☹ I think my brain is at full capacity for songs now

Mel being a happyface

Bel and I then make a quick dash across the park to catch a lil’ bit of From First To Last – I got some sweet snaps of them, and hopefully now I’ll put in to shoot them when they make there way over to the UK in October to open for The Blackout.

Sadly 10/15 minutes into their set we had to rush on over to the Hurley stage to see our buddies in Broadway Calls; some of the tours real underdogs if you will…

Brilliant set from them as always, and as usual like a complete nerd I was the only person in the somewhat pitiful crowd who was singing along with every song. I guess I’m a bit of a loser ha.

Gym Class Heroes were up next at Route66, and seeing as I’ve seen them some twenty times I figured ‘hey its probably time to shoot them’. I sadly didn’t get into the pit till the second song, and I had to run back aross the stage just one song later, so I didn’t get to devote too much time to them, but it was a fun set from what I saw – possibily played a big favourite a little too early, but I’m not really complaining.

Cobra Starship were the last band we caught on or final day out at the 2008 Vans Warped tour, and again we managed to crew on up to the back of the stage to watch them. A lot of family and friends were out at these shows on the east coast, so it was a pretty neat surprise to be able to get up on there (I suppose Gabe shouting ‘cool’ or ‘uncool’ in kids faces backstage may or may not have put them off trying a bit though, hahaha)

After the set there was some light mingling with the cobra crew behind the stage, and the girls and I got a compulsory ‘asian tourist’ photograph with Gabe.

Typically I’d then say ‘and this was a great end to a great day’; but then we were asked/commanded to attend the evenings festivities at the barbeque and of course we couldn’t say no…

Mendoza be craaaaazy

Sparks seemed to be the beverage of the night; there was dancing and singing along to cheesy 90s music and a lil bit of hip’hop too. Naturally I stood around awkwardly and occasionally played photographer. It was a lot of fun though. I got to hang out with some great people :D

Some goodbyes were the toughest, but we got our family warped tour peecture, and Mendoza did a wicked job taking it:

We did our run around the buses saying goodbye to friends old and new as the buses started their journey to the next city, and we started our drive back to the city for our final few days as the faceparty…

'epic fail'

unsceneunheard — 2008-07-31T04:36:00Z

Not really. Sorry this was a pretty huge vacation from buzznet. Actually from the whole internet. So sorry if I've not gotten back to an email or a private message, or a note or a comment - I mean to I do, but I only just arrived home from New York (without my suitcase, go figure). A few brief things: Mendoza is amazing. Words actually cannot sum up his complete awesomeness. The night at Englishtown warped was truly hilarious and I hope that video he made (and the one i made too!) make their debuts here soon. I've got a kazillion pictures from the bbq and its so so funny even just for me sizing them up right now (I will post some when I get back from picking Bel up at the airport this afternoon). Erica is freaking awesome too. For real. So cheak out all her pictures and get hella stoked for the interviews she wrangled too. =D Savannah...where do I start? SHE'S MY FREAKING HERO. Of the ten or so people who 'tried' (lose term here folks) to hook me up with a photopass she actually managed to do it. Amazing girl. She's had a lil' bit of bad luck though and one of her memory cards went awol at the show (28th @ Englishtown) if anyone came across any cards or anything then CONTACT HER, she's freaking and I sure as hell don't blame her. Worst luck :( Broadway Calls are just...wonderful. I adore them so much, they're the best dudes on the planet, and they've had a bit of a crappy time out on their first year of Warped Tour. If you've still got a show to go to then I beg you to check them out. They play the hurley stage and they have a red tent thats typically close to FTSKs one. My friends and I were pretty lucky to hang with them so many days on this giant trip and they are some of the best dudes I've ever met. I'll do a real write up of all the warped dates soon - I promise! But I have to try and salvage some photos that went missing on a memory card. I'm kind of bummed about it, but thankfully it wasn't the day I was actually shooting.

We've been keeping secrets

unsceneunheard — 2008-06-09T14:50:00Z