Rock The Castle 2017 | Official Event Photography at Pembroke Castle | Beverley Thomas Photography

The Fratellis and Top Loader Headline Rock the Castle at Pembroke Castle

Rock The Castle 2017 transformed Pembroke Castle into one of Pembrokeshire's most exciting live entertainment venues, featuring music, theatre and family performances across an unforgettable weekend. As Official Event Photographer, I was invited to document the performances, backstage moments and atmosphere that brought thousands of visitors together in one of Wales' most iconic historic locations.

Headlined by The Fratellis, alongside Toploader, WE-ARE-Z and local band Vicetrack, the event transformed the historic castle grounds into one of Wales’ most unique outdoor concert venues.

As Official Event Photographer for Pembroke Castle, I was invited to document the performances, atmosphere and excitement throughout the festival.

Photographing Live Music at Pembroke Castle

From energetic crowd scenes to dramatic stage performances, the weekend offered countless opportunities to capture the spirit of live music against the spectacular backdrop of Pembroke Castle.

Photographing live events requires anticipation, timing and the ability to react quickly to constantly changing light and movement. My aim was to capture not only the artists on stage, but also the experience shared by everyone attending the event.

The Fratellis Live

The Fratellis delivered a memorable headline performance, entertaining a packed audience beneath the castle walls. Their energy on stage and connection with the crowd created some of my favourite photographs from the weekend.

A Weekend to Remember

Rock The Castle remains one of the most enjoyable events I have photographed. Combining music, history and community spirit, it showcased everything that makes events in Pembrokeshire so special.

Toploader Live at Rock The Castle

Toploader brought their unmistakable energy to the Rock The Castle stage, delivering a crowd-pleasing performance that had festival-goers singing along from start to finish.

As the evening light faded and the stage lighting intensified, the performance provided fantastic opportunities to capture the atmosphere of a live music festival inside the historic surroundings of Pembroke Castle.

From dramatic lighting and crowd reactions to the musicians’ connection with the audience, these photographs aim to preserve the excitement and emotion of the performance rather than simply document it.

WE-ARE-Z

WE-ARE-Z brought something completely different to the Rock The Castle line-up. Their energetic stage presence, colourful personalities and distinctive style made them one of the most visually engaging acts of the weekend.

From dramatic stage lighting and expressive performances to candid backstage moments, they provided endless photographic opportunities throughout their set.

One of my favourite moments came after their performance when I had the chance to photograph the band together against the backdrop of historic Pembroke Castle, creating a portrait that perfectly captured the spirit of the festival.

The Bootleg Beatles at Pembroke Castle

Saturday evening saw The Bootleg Beatles take to the stage at Rock The Castle, bringing a celebration of one of the world’s most iconic bands to the heart of Pembroke Castle.

From a photographer’s perspective, the performance was a dream to capture. The attention to detail in the costumes, instruments and stage presentation created images that instantly transported the audience back to the 1960s.

As daylight faded and the stage lights illuminated the castle walls, the atmosphere became electric. The combination of live music, historic surroundings and an enthusiastic crowd created some of the most memorable photographs of the weekend.

One of my favourite images from the event is the black and white photograph below, which captures both the energy of the performance and the scale of the audience gathered inside the castle grounds.

The Bootleg Beach Boys

Opening the evening alongside The Bootleg Beatles, The Bootleg Beach Boys brought sunshine, colour and a completely different atmosphere to Pembroke Castle.

Their vibrant stage outfits, energetic performance and interaction with the audience made them a fantastic subject to photograph. Against the backdrop of the medieval castle walls, the contrast between California-inspired beach culture and one of Wales’ most historic landmarks created a unique visual story.

Throughout the performance, the crowd embraced the feel-good atmosphere, singing along and enjoying a nostalgic celebration of some of the most recognisable music ever written.

One of my favourite images from the evening was this portrait taken backstage, capturing the band together moments before returning to the stage.

Photographing Horrible Histories

As Official Photographer for Rock The Castle 2017, photographing Horrible Histories Live on Stage provided a completely different challenge from the music performances that filled the rest of the weekend.

The colourful costumes, theatrical expressions and fast-moving action demanded quick reactions and careful timing to capture the humour and personality of each scene.

With Pembroke Castle providing a fitting historical backdrop, the performance created a wonderful combination of education, entertainment and visual storytelling that translated beautifully through the camera

Last but not least Preseli Pete and the Merrymakers Band, A unique band with a unique look. Playing a blend of skiffle, comedy numbers, reimagined pop sings and original material Preseli Pete and the Merrymakers Band feature tea chest bass, kazoos, washboard, melodica, guitar, bass and four part harmony vocals, they certainly had the crowd entertained.

Rock The Castle 2017 – A Weekend To Remember

Set within the spectacular surroundings of Pembroke Castle, Rock The Castle 2017 brought together live music, theatre, history and thousands of visitors for an unforgettable weekend.

As Official Photographer for the event, I had the privilege of documenting everything from headline performances and backstage moments to crowd reactions and the atmosphere that made the festival so special.

What struck me most was the incredible amount of work undertaken behind the scenes. From event organisers and stage crews to security staff, performers and volunteers, countless people contributed to creating a safe and memorable experience for everyone attending.

The images featured throughout this gallery represent just a small selection of the photographs captured across the weekend. Together they tell the story of an event that celebrated music, entertainment and community within one of Wales’ most iconic landmarks.

I remain incredibly grateful to Pembroke Castle and the event organisers for inviting me to be part of such a fantastic occasion.

Beverley Thomas

Official Event Photographer – Rock The Castle 2017

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Featured In The Tenby Observer

Following the success of Rock The Castle 2017, a selection of my photographs appeared in a Tenby Observer feature covering the event.

The article below showcases some of the images captured during the weekend and highlights the atmosphere, performances and community spirit that made Rock The Castle such a memorable occasion.

Below is the official Press Release from The Tenby Observer http://tenbyobserver.co.uk

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As the official photographer for Rock The Castle at Pembroke Castle, I captured live music, crowd atmosphere and behind-the-scene moments throughout this unforgettable weekend in Pembrokeshire.