Central Machine Works has been on my radar for a while, and Y'all Out Boy's first show there gave me the perfect excuse to finally drag my gear through those doors. Spoiler: it did not disappoint. The place was absolutely packed, the energy was through the roof, and I'm pretty sure I could feel the bass in my fillings. As a concert photographer in Austin, I'm always chasing that room where the crowd and the band are locked into the same frequency, and this was one of those nights. Also, whoever is running the beer program there deserves a raise. Just putting that out there.
Now, I'll be honest with you. I was doing my job, getting into position, working the angles, doing all the responsible photographer things, when a mosh pit broke out. And look, I tried to be professional about it. I got my shots. Documented it thoroughly. And then I put my camera somewhere safe and absolutely threw myself into it, because what kind of person just watches a mosh pit from the sidelines? Not this one. In my defense, it's called being thorough. I was gathering experiential data. The Vinyl Lens is a full-service operation.
Y'all Out Boy brought the heat for their CMW debut and the crowd matched every bit of it. This was one of those nights that reminds me why I love shooting live music in Austin. If you've got a show, a residency, a release party, or just a band that's ready to make some noise, I want to be in that room with a camera. Hit me up and let's make it happen.
When: May 2nd, 2026
Where: Central Machine Works, Austin, TX