It’s been a while since my last gig. Too long! It seems though that photography restrictions at big concerts are increasing by the day – more ‘no agency’ contracts, more mixing desk shoots and contracts attempting to force photographers to forego their copyright (would you ever ask an artist to give you all rights to their next hit for free!?!)

Tonight therefore couldn’t have been a better tonic. I’ve never shot a gig at the London Palladium, and it’s a fabulous venue. The lighting was some of the best I’ve worked with in a long time. Better still I was the only accredited photographer and I was shooting the whole show, with the freedom to shoot from anywhere in the auditorium.

I chose to shoot much of it on the magnificent Nikon 300mm f/2.8 lens, simply the most ruthlessly sharp lens I’ve ever used, and I was delighted with the results, especially when Kerry rocked out with Brian May on ‘Crazy Little Thing Called Love’. What a great night!

There were four artists on the bill today but everyone was focused on Carrie Underwood (above during the photo call) and LeAnn Rimes. Ironically they were the artists we had to shoot from the mixing desk which was a real shame. The desk at the O2 is almost at the back of the arena which never makes for good shots, but all four artist were very obliging during the photo call. Opener Brantley Gilbert was fantastic – he started playing Guns n’ Roses and looked and sounded like he should be singing heavy metal not country music. He outclassed Darius Rucker.

What could have been a long day actually went pretty quickly in the end and even the shots from the mixing desk turned out okay because the light was so good.

It’s almost four years since I first photographed Ne-Yo – supporting the Pussycat Dolls of all people but for once I was particularly interested in the support acts.

Up first was Tulisa. What a let down. Playing to a half empty stadium, the vocals were poor and she decided to have a pop at the ‘paps’ as she called us. She was seriously upstaged by all the other artists tonight. Up next, Sonna Rele, who performed one song beautifully having just been signed by Ne-Yo. Mark my words she will be selling out her own tours soon.

Conor Maynard was a revelation. Not knowing his stuff I’d assumed he’d be another dreary pop boy. How wrong I was. He owned the stage, sang brilliantly and was a joy to shoot.

The production for Ne-Yo was amazing. Some of the best lighting I’ve seen in a long time and a far cry from his modest set in the same venue four years ago. Joining us in the pit was a videographer who’d just graduated from Idiot School. Even though the pit wasn’t crowded, he spent the entire time forcibly shoving photographers out of his way and getting in the way which was a real shame. Other than that it was a good night at the office.

Shooting from the back of any arena isn’t fun, but the Royal Albert Hall is a special place and the mixing desk isn’t too far back. Still I’d have preferred to have been up at the front but the lighting was fantastic which really helped.

This is Olivia Newton-John’s first tour over here in about 30 years, and my in laws were in the audience which perhaps says something about the variety of the shows I’m now shooting! Indeed I’m photographing Ne Yo on Friday and Carrie Underwood on Sunday – what a varied week!

Some shows are magical, and this was one of them. It’s been well documented that Wilko has declined chemotherapy for cancer, so these are his farewell shows. And boy the man can play a guitar! The Koko is a nightmare venue to shoot in – the light is pretty heavily backlit and usually (although not tonight) the pit is smaller than Justin Bieber’s brain, so I really didn’t know what to expect.

Thanks to Peter Noble of Noble PR we were allowed to shoot the whole show, a rare privilege in our game, and a privilege it most definitely was. No gimicks, no egos, just a great night of good old fashioned rock n’ roll.  It was odd knowing that I’ll never photograph this awesome guitarist again and it was clearly an emotional evening for many including the great man himself. Wilko we salute you and wish you well.

I only found out about this one off show to promote tiger conservation yesterday because I commute through St Pancras every day. Having done the Sunflower Jam charity show with them back in September as well as several Queen shows over the years I wasn’t going to miss the opportunity.

They played a half hour set to about 300 people who’d gathered around a tiny stage. There were a lot of press photographers there and we were able to shoot the whole show. I specifically wanted to get this elevated shot of the whole station during the performance so did about 10 minutes at the front of the stage and then headed off to the private members club at the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel as I’d arranged access in advance - you can just about spot Brian and Kerry in the bottom of the shot!!

There are some artists I’d photograph every time they come to London. Paloma Faith is one of them. Every show is different and her costumes, wild hair and unique poses make her a dream to shoot.

What wasn’t a dream was getting to the Apollo in time. I’d been in Jersey for the day (not as glamorous as it sounds!) and cut it a little fine getting from Gatwick Airport to the venue.

While it was admittedly very straight forward to shoot, this show was different to the previous two I’d photographed. She stood behind the microphone stand for songs 2 and 3 and didn’t move away from it. We’d not been allowed to shoot the first song when she was holding an enormous fan which looked very dramatic. Why I’ve no idea. So because she didn’t walk around the stage as she usually does, the songs I saw felt tense and stilted and to an extent I think that reflected in the photos.

Rita seems to have only been around for 5 minutes and yet is already a phenomenon – being compared to Rihanna. For reasons unknown, agencies are not permitted to photograph Rita, and as I usually shoot for Redferns / Getty Images, getting my pass was harder than usual.

The show was odd really. Don’t get me wrong, she’s very good and I sincerely hope I get to shoot her shows again, but for the whole first song she sang behind a plastic sheet and in song five she stood in a 6 foot high photo frame! Mind you it was a refreshing change to have five songs and be one of only four people in the pit.