IMIRE: RHINO & WILDLIFE CONSERVANCY

My time at IMIRE was a cacophony of experiences packed into two weeks that saw me experiencing more life in 14 days than I have in many, many years
I grew up in Zimbabwe and have pined after returning for many years - ESPECIALLY to an area focused on wildlife - so to find an opportunity to not only return but to take part in some eco-tourism was like striking gold. 
From misty mornings where one can’t see 6 feet in front of your face to blistering sunlight just 4 hours later to utterly stunning sunsets daily and a myriad of activities mixed into it I found my senses stimulated, my imagination dilated and my life energy replenished in ways I didn’t know possible. I may write more on it someday but for now; as you know there are some experiences in this life that one cannot properly translate to someone else who wasn’t there - this is something that remains locked in one’s mind’s eye for as long as you can recall….

This is why I wanted to share a full set of images from my time there to not only help you see what I saw but also to share some things with the people I had this experience with can relate to.

I’ve included a few here with this small blog post but will link you to the full gallery on my website here if you feel like going through 376 images haha;

https://www.fiazfarrelly.com/imire-zimbabwe-the-full-experience-may-2024
Wishing you a good day,

Fiaz Farrelly July 2024

My dear friend Brendan Giles is no longer with us in this realm… I’ve not had the time to process hearing this news this morning via his mother Marilyn who had been trying to contact me since his passing in March. MARCH. I am beating myself up here for not knowing earlier.. I have no excuse.. life has been so stressful, so crazy lately that despite us last corresponding on the 8th of March, 2023 I hadn’t reached out since… To think he was gone 9 days later is just too hard a thought to maintain for the fear of breaking down or ending up in a cyclical thought process that won’t help. I want to celebrate his life as well as his presence in my life and what it did. 

My little brother in a lot of ways… I first met Brendan on the Machine Head forum wayyyy back in the early 2000s. He was 14.. I had seen someone on there attacking him and I liked this kid’s energy, his way of conversing and his obsession with Machine Head at the time. I leapt to his defence without question.. we began chatting not long after for it to only develop further into a friend whom I hold and always will hold dear. I can’t believe you’re gone from this world. A beautiful soul who deserved so very much more. So much more. 

If I’m not mistaken we first met up properly in June of 2007 when I was going over to Machine Head in Glasgow at The Academy. This was the night that would change my life forever and Brendan was there, with me, in one of my most precious moments, meeting the band for the first time. I took that photo of him with Robb Flynn. He took one of me with Robb but that is lost to the ether. Thankfully I still have this image for it is my favourite photo of Brendan… his happiness jumping from the image… Robb was so good to him that night and I’m choking up here thinking about it. 

He was with me later that year in Dublin, Ireland when I met the band again and was able to give them some personalised t-shirts I’d made. He was there in Paris the night things started to align… He was always there, if even at a distance. 

He was one of the first I told when I got the gig to go travel with Machine Head.. his encouragement and good will only served to elevate me… Over the years we remained in touch whereby I would see him wherever possible on the road… I have him forever immortalised in the live footage clip I cut to Machine Head’s Volatile which can be found here; 
https://youtu.be/ofrYISoFVlQ - He is at the 2:41 mark in his much loved PHRYME hoody. Ah man, I miss you so much. Grateful for those days we spent together then.. and that I was able to get you to meet up with Robb again in Manchester before the world went sideways a year and a half later. 

I am not sure what I am telling you this for but it feels good to write down. My friend’s memory will be here forever and that is a good thing. I want anyone who reads this to know that our world lost another decent, GOOD soul. I love and miss you my brother.

I’ve included some of my favourite photos of us because they’re such beautiful memories… 

 
Have a good flight out of here,
Rest in peace brother,
Fiaz 

There are few things in this life as rewarding and cathartic as a live performance from the gargantuan musical entity known as Gojira. At least for me and without a doubt the hordes of enthusiastic fans waiting outside the venue. I hadn’t seen them now since the summer of 2019 which, when you sit and try and think on it I can’t quite figure out… has this much time passed already? So much has happened yet it feels like nothing has and I saw them yesterday. Certainly something to think on.. or not to be honest because from the second Born For One Thing kicked off we are there, in the moment. I won’t detail the setlist because anyone can search it out if they feel compelled.. but what I will say is there were two songs played from my personal favourite album “The Way Of All Flesh” on this night and boy, did they raise the roof (more so) with these two surprises.. These two being “The Art Of Dying” and “The Way Of All Flesh”. The trance like state I end up in during the outro of the latter is something only Gojira can achieve. It is as close as one can get to achieving true oneness with the very air around you. 

The energy in the room… can we talk about that? It’s another thing I’ve only ever experienced at Gojira shows. There is this almost a symbiotic nature between band and audience. It transcends what a gig is, really.. weaving and waving before morphing into an auditory and visual beating. In the best possible way. Jean-Michel always says thanks to me for my energy but in truth, I had none arriving.. or at least felt none there. I was barely standing (maybe a slight exaggeration) initially but once the first notes kicked in something welled up deep inside stirs and I allow it out. I have no real control over whatever it is but I’ve noticed you just have to let it flow through you and give over to it for the rewards are more than one can put into mere words. I go through all emotions, I head bang, I dance, I work, I smile, I grimace, I jump up and down, flail about and in truth it’s some of my freest moments, pure abandon enveloped by these sonic explosions going off all around me bring into my existence. God, it feels GOOD! The show flew by in what felt like a matter of minutes … I find myself leaning against the wall post show covered in sweat, panting, ears ringing knowing everything will hurt tomorrow but at the same time, overcome with gratitude. It’s not something I can express.. it’s not just about the music.. 

It’s the culmination of so much work, so much personal sacrifice, so many obstacles, so much joy, so much sadness, anger, you name it - that brings ME in this body to this point, this moment in time. From Bulawayo, Zimbabwe playing in the mud watching ants do their thing to this. What a trip. Money could never buy this. The purity of it and the connection I share with this band, the humans they are, the people they have around them and the music they create. It truly is “A Sight To Behold”. 

Taylor, Gojira’s tour manager, a stand up human being, a friend and a relentless force of focus and organisation, thank you as always for always being so hospitable and for the conversations brother. Good to know you. 

To Joe, Mario, Jean-Michel and Christian, I wish you godspeed always. You guys deserve everything that comes your way in this business and life for what you give is also worth so much more than money. Thank you for all the times now and in the future. I, Fiaz Farrelly have enjoyed every second and (I really should mention my work haha) I’m beyond ecstatic that not only my work and yours have crossed paths but also resonated with each other. This too, is worth more than any money in this world to me. I can’t wait for one more show… this time, in London at the Alexandra Palace. I would love to come to more but life is telling me I can’t right now so I accept as it’s more than I can ask for and will soak up every goddamn second. 

If you read this far, thank you too. I am adding a small gallery of my favourite photographs I was able to capture on this special night in our country’s capital, Dublin here in Ireland. I hope you like them as much as I do! 

Until next time, and as Jerry Springer always put it; “Take care of yourself, and each other”.

Much love and respect,

Fiaz, February 2023