Did Odd Future Member Left Brain Slap A Female Photographer? One Witness Says No

By Andrea Domanick Mon., Oct. 31 2011 at 7:08 PM

Andrea Domanick

Left Brain performs with Odd Future at the House of Blues in June

11/7 UPDATE: Photographer Amy Harris has decided to press charges against Left Brain. He faces six months in jail and fines of up to $1000.

10/31 UPDATE: A photographer at the event named Skip Bolen says that Left Brain did, in fact, hit Amy Harris, as well as another photographer. A representative from the festival has also issued an apology to the assembled media.

A female photographer has accused Odd Future member Left Brain of slapping her in the face and knocking her to the ground during the collective's performance in New Orleans yesterday.

Left Brain, a producer whose real name is Vyron Turner, admits to "swiping" at cameras during the show. Further, Louisiana television station NBC33 reports that he was throwing water at pit photographers. Odd Future's publicist, however, denies that Left Brain slapped the woman, whose name is Amy Harris.

Now, a photographer who says he witnessed the scene has corroborated the act's account.

Writes Nate "Igor" Smith, in a statement released by Odd Future.

"I was RIGHT next to that woman and she didn't get hit in the face. Her camera got slapped right after another MALE photographers camera got slapped. The three of us were the closest to the stage after the water incident and that is why he targeted those two photographers. I have a feeling the only reason he didn't slap my camera is because I was clearly enjoying the show." [sic]

Smith adds that Left Brain, one-half of the Odd Future sub-group Mellowhype, was indeed pouring water on photographers at the event -- called the Voodoo Experience -- but contends that was just part of the fun.

When they poured water on the crowd photographers they were specifically targeting me. I got hit right in the face. The photogs on either side barely got wet. I was soaked...This is what rock and roll should be all about."

The full statement from Odd Future regarding the incident is below, and we will stay with this story as it develops.

Tags:

Andrea Domanick, beefin', Left Brain, Odd Future, OFWGKTA, Tyler the Creator, VooDoo Festival

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What a clear, concise, valuable post.Good Work. I am very happy to read this article. THIS article must be given ALL STARTS!!!!

Dave Brooks

I'm defending the woman who was attacked, you guys are whitewashing the attack on Amy and suddenly I'm the prick. Thanks for writing two lines about eye witness accounts detailing the attack and then running long statements from Heath and Igor (who you totally took out of context). I'm Heath will get you an your friends free drinks at the next Peanut Butter Wolf show. Gross!

West Coast Sound

Everyone else under the sun wrote about Amy's version. We've advanced the story while also giving both sides. As for the journalistic dick measuring, I'll let you do that alone with your tiny ruler.

Dave Brooks

The tiny ruler makes it look huge!

Sucka

Nothing new here. At SXSW Odd Future drew photographer blood and broke a lens: http://www.papermag.com/2011/0...

Dave Brooks

WSC - I don't mean to be harsh, but a simple Google of your name and the band Odd Future pops up tons of results of you gushing over the band. Try a little harder to hide your obvious bias next time.

West Coast Sound

Wait, so you're apologizing for being a prick by being more of a prick? What part of the story did we fail to report here?

Dave Brooks

WSC - No, I'm not apologizing. You're just pandering to the band so you can get on the guest list the next time they play a secret show at Low End Theory. You don't care about finding the truth — you're just looking for your next photo pass.

sega

Dude, they're an L.A. band. LA Weekly is supposed to heavily cover LA bands.... google their name and any other up-and-coming band from this city and you get the same thing. Or google LA Times and odd future. It's called a beat. chill out man.

Dave Brooks

I am Amy's editor. Although Igor does minimize the attack, the quote you use is misleading and not in full context. Igor acknowledges that Amy was hit...he just doesn't think there's anything wrong with Left Brain hitting her. We obviously totally disagree with that — but he doesn't corroborate the statements of Berru and Left Brain. And there are other statements from photographers who do tell the same story as Amy. Just look at the Music Photographers page on Facebook. Did you see the video on Vimeo? At the 1:20 mark in the song, we thinks thats when he swung at her. And the festival has issued a statement apologizing for the attack. Do you think they would do that if nothing happened? Come on....do your homework and don't rely on retweets by Berru.

West Coast Sound

Pretty harsh words, considering this info came to light after we published the post. In any case, it has now been updated at the top.

sega

sorry, but a camera getting slapped IS different from someone's face getting slapped

Little Nicky

When the camera is placed up against your eye in the viewfiender and the camera gets slapped, the photographer feels it too.

Jazz

I was there in the photo-pit - there was another photographer between Amy and myself when the incident happened but I saw three attempts by LeftBrain attacking photographers. First, I saw LeftBrain kick at photographers and I was later told that kick was at a video camera and crew - that happened about 15 feet off to my right - there were quite a few photographers between myself and that incident. Then secondly, I saw LeftBrain take a swing at a photographer about 10 feet to my right - and later, I spoke to that photographer - LeftBrain hit his lens and camera hard enough that his Nikon 70-200mm lens was no longer working - it takes quite a smack to take out a lens. Then LeftBrain took a swing at Amy - those photos that I took are posted at WireImage.com showing LeftBrain bending over and taking a swing - unfortunately Amy is not in those photos. All three times LeftBrain made a physical action to aggressively move towards photographers and take a kick or a swing - it was clearly assault and battery when LeftBrain connected with each photographer. When a photographer is shooting - the camera, face and lens are practically one - any attempt to hit a lens and camera is still hitting one in the face. I later saw Amy's face - it was red.

All the while, LeftBrain was shouting his vile dislike of photographers and how they get to be in the photo-pit for free while their fans pay to see the show. Leftbrain's hostile attempts and what he was shouting was affecting the crowd in close proximity to me - they too all of a sudden started screaming at the photographers to get the f*ck out. Personally, I felt VERY threatened every time I was pointing my camera at LeftBrain and we made eye contact.

Voodoo Fest Security was not doing anything which was very perplexing. If Odd Future does not want photographers in the photo-pit, it can be easily remedied by including it in their contract beforehand like other bands such as the Foo Fighters.

nate dion

They want to be famous but they are bitter at the media that made them explode? When will you journalists stop feeding into their drama and forget about them like they deserve to be forgotten?