Editor’s Note: Eddy Leiva was everywhere. The beloved music photographer, who passed away suddenly over the weekend at the age of 35, has left a void not only here on this website but in the Boston music scene and live music circuit. On any given night you could find him at the various venues around town, often making multiple stops to catch bands and document their shows, from locals playing the Middle East and Great Ssott to touring acts filling Royale, The Orpheum, and The House of Blues. He was in the photo pits, the balconies, and in the crowd; he was in Cambridge, Somerville, and all over Allston. He was everywhere, always armed with his trusted Canon, ready to capture that one killer shot. Leiva contributed dozens of photo galleries for Vanyaland, but his work ethic and hustle forced us to create a new series just for him; we called it “Upstaged”, where we’d post a single shot or three or four to our social media accounts, furthering his ongoing documentation on what went down last night, every night. Ironically, last night (November 14), he was set to cover Slowdive at the Paradise. As the show bloomed, Leiva’s name would be placed up on the marquee overlooking Commonwealth Avenue, one of the many tributes that sprung up as news of his passing made the rounds. Eddy Leiva lived what he loved, and he loved how he lived, capturing the beauty, passion, and sometimes raw power of others through his lens. As Vanyaland continues to mourn a colleague, a friend, and just simply one incredibly loving and compassionate person, we’ve compiled some of our favorite photos taken by Leiva over the years. We’ve selected 50, but we could have selected 500. Because Eddy Leiva was everywhere. And we are devastated that he’s no longer here with us. — Michael Marotta
Joyce Manor at the Paradise Rock Club