Meet the Team… James Warman

Hello there James! How the devil are thee?

Great thanks! Just got back from a weekend photographing a festival in Cheshire, so I’m a combination of exhausted and exhilarated!

Splendid. Now, tell us about your role at Loopfest?

I’m one of the festivals’ photographers, our job is to capture all the fun, excitement and atmosphere of the festival through our images. That includes what’s happening on stage, in the audience, and across the town. Our images help to spread the word about what an amazing festival this is, how it benefits the town, and helps promote Loopfest going forward.

Sounds interesting…how did you get involved with the festival?

Photography and music have been hugely influential in my life so as a freelance photographer to be able to combine these two passions of mine by photographing concerts is a dream come true. And it was as a freelancer that I did some work for Jamie (Smith) at Albert’s Shed in Shrewsbury. So being involved in Loopfest just kind of followed on from that.

You’ve taken many a photo, at many a Loopfest gig. What was your favourite band or artist you’ve seen?

I’m into guitar-based bands so it’s tough to pick just one! The great thing about this festival is you get to see so many bands and you always come away with a little a cache of personal new discoveries! But for me, because of my love of Ska, reggae, and post-punk music bands like ‘Zen Baseballbat’ and ‘Smoke Like a Fish’, stood out for me. Great to listen to, they really put on a show so fantastic to shoot, and the crowd loved them!

What would you say to those people who are umming and ahhing about becoming a volunteer?

What are you waiting for?! This is an opportunity to get free access to a great festival, see some incredible acts, and work alongside some lovely people. It doesn’t matter if you haven’t got a particular skill, there’s all sorts of roles available, and who knows, you may even learn a new skill as a result! It’s going to look great on your CV, you’ll have fun, and let’s be honest, Loopfest isn’t going away and will just grow year-on-year, so wouldn’t it be good to say ‘I was there in the early days.’