Release the Crowd

Spanning five years, five countries, and nine music festivals, this project turns the camera away from the bands and focuses on capturing the emotion of the crowd, that amorphous, vibrating creature with a thousand faces. Festivals include Big Day Out (Australia), Hellfest (France), Download (UK), Wacken (Germany), and Soundwave (Australia). Music and society have always been intimately related. When they both come together, it becomes a rite of passage for many people and just one day can create memories that will last long after the stages are dismantled. This book is exciting, evocative, and at times surreal. In time it will become an anthropological study on a scene, culture, and on humanity in a way. Based in Sydney Australia, Nic Bezzina is a portrait and documentary photographer with a dedication to long-term projects. He has exhibited his work throughout Australia and London. His work is held in public and private collections.