There is something rather satisfying about a full-circle story, particularly when it begins in a small Worcester venue and ends up taking you around some of the biggest stages and festivals in Europe.
For James Kay, the journey began around 2017, photographing live music professionally and learning his craft in the venues of his home city. Among those early assignments were smaller shows at The Marrs Bar, where he was building experience, developing his style and, perhaps most importantly, putting together the portfolio that would eventually open doors to a much bigger world.
SLAP Magazine was also part of those early years.
At a time when James was still establishing himself, SLAP provided opportunities to photograph and contribute, giving him access to shows and artists and, in turn, the material and experience needed to approach bands, publications and promoters with increasing confidence.
Nearly a decade on, the scale of the work has changed considerably.
James is now a full-time touring photographer and videographer, working across the UK, Europe and internationally. His client list has included artists from the United States, Canada, Australia and Europe, with his role increasingly extending beyond simply documenting individual concerts.
He is now regularly part of touring teams, travelling with artists for entire runs and producing photography, video, promotional content, behind-the-scenes material and wider campaign imagery along the way.
Recent work has included touring with Tyler Hilton across his 2026 UK and European tour, with James’s photography subsequently selected for Hilton’s album artwork and physical vinyl. He has also worked with Kate Voegele on touring photography, video and promotional content.
His relationship with The Dangerous Summer has developed over several years and around 40 shows, encompassing touring photography, video, merchandise imagery and design, as well as directing the official video for I Feel More Like Myself When I’m Losing It.
Other recent projects include a six-week European engagement with Return To Dust, working as tour photographer and videographer across major festivals and headline and support shows, alongside ongoing creative relationships with Lakeview, Greywind and Nick Howard.
The latter has seen James photograph approximately 50 shows across multiple UK and European tours, with his work also being used for physical vinyl artwork and digital artist branding.
And then there are the festival credentials.
The photographer who was once learning his trade in a small Worcester venue has now found himself working at some of the world’s major rock and music festivals, including Wacken Open Air, Download Festival, Hellfest, Rock am Ring, Rock im Park, Graspop Metal Meeting, Tuska, Resurrection Fest, Mystic Festival, Slam Dunk Festival and C2C: Country to Country.
Along the way, James has worked with an increasingly diverse roster of artists, including Chevelle, Malevolence, Bayside, Emarosa, Lights, Meghan Patrick, Hollow Coves, Madina Lake and The Summer Set.
The progression is perhaps best illustrated by how the job itself has evolved. What started with photographing a band on stage has become a much broader creative role – documenting tours, producing documentary and behind-the-scenes footage, shooting portraits and artwork, creating music videos and supplying material for record campaigns, merchandise, websites, press and social media.
James has also moved behind the camera in a different sense, directing official music videos for The Dangerous Summer and Greywind, while his photography has found its way onto physical records and album artwork.
Recognition came early, too, with James becoming a finalist for the Heavy Music Awards Young Photographer of the Year in 2020.
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the story, however, is that despite the international travel and increasingly impressive list of credits, Worcester has remained home.
There is a considerable distance – geographically and professionally – between photographing local bands at The Marrs Bar in 2017 and working backstage and from the photo pits at Wacken, Download, Hellfest and Rock am Ring.
The basic principle, though, remains the same: being in the right place, telling the story of the artist and capturing the moment.
For SLAP, there is an added satisfaction in revisiting James’s career. The magazine was one of the local organisations prepared to give him opportunities when he was at the beginning of that journey. Now, almost a decade later, we find ourselves writing about where that journey has taken him.
From The Marrs Bar to Wacken is quite a leap.
And it all started here in Worcester.
