I’ve had some run-ins with the Foos for years now… I was a part of their music video for “Times Like These” back in 2003, saw them live in Oakland a few months later, saw them in Berkeley during their acoustic tour, and earlier this year I landed a VIP entry to their secret show at Spaceland in LA.

But given the fact that I’m a photographer, I thought it was weird that I had never shot one of their shows. That is, until last night at Oracle Arena.

The Foo Fighters’ photo release has been subject of controversy lately due to it’s strict policy and rights-grabbing language. Many photographers are refusing to sign this contract and avoiding the show altogether.

Coulda fooled me, as I found myself in the pit with SEVENTEEN photographers last night.

I chose to shoot for a few reasons: a) It was a band on my list of want-to-shoot shows, b) I do it to promote our site and drive traffic, and c) it gets my name out there, attached to bigger acts. I traded emails with their publicist and they were totally fine with what I wanted to use these photos for (also noting that although the contract language is harsh, in actuality it’s not as bad as it sounds).

So, check out the photos in our gallery! Enjoy.

-Clay Lancaster (www.claylancaster.com)