Sneak Peak!

Last weekend I got to see a brand new band on the first night of a new tour - Tracii Guns' League of Gentlemen at the 710 Beach Club, in Pacific Beach - and it was a fun show! Some familiar music, and some unfamiliar, and some familiar music done in an unfamiliar way. If you get a chance to see them, wait until you hear one of L.A. Guns' biggest hits done in a totally new way - it's worth going, just for that one song!

I'll have more images from this show later in the week...

Michael McDermott

Almost a year ago I went to Chicago with a bunch of friends. We stayed at the Hotel Sax in a really beautiful room, saw the Lovehammers play next door at the House of Blues, went to the Saint Patrick's Day Parade the next morning and saw the river turn green for the holiday, and went to some really great Chicago restaurants. And on the last night we went to a little bar called Schuba's, to see a musician one of my friends had been raving about. His name was Michael McDermott and he was great! In fact, I enjoyed him and his band so much I spent more time watching than shooting, but I did get a few images that I thought were worth sharing...

Bang Tango at the Key Club

To take my mind off the snow which is getting deeper and deeper outside, I thought I'd post a few images from last summer that have never been seen before...

The LA Guns/Faster Pussycat/Bang Tango tour came to the Key Club in West Hollywood last August, and while my main focus was on shooting LA Guns, I did get a few shots of Bang Tango and two of the opening bands. The Dogs Divine are from Chicago and Stolen Hearts is a local Los Angles band.


Bang Tango


Bang Tango


Bang Tango


Bang Tango


Bang Tango


The Dogs Divine


The Dogs Divine


Stolen Hearts


Stolen Hearts

And if you want to see the rest of the show, go watch my slideshow of LA Guns at RBL. It's definitely the best of the best, and my favorite part of the night! http://www.rockbandlounge.com/news/2008-08-la-guns

LA Guns at Brixton South Bay, in Redondo Beach

I got to start 2009 off right with a concert!

The venue was a small club in Redondo Beach called Brixton South Bay, the band was LA Guns, and I got to meetup with some old friends and meet some new ones. It was a fun night!

It was the first time the band had played together in a couple of months, and they sounded good. I think it's safe to say that I got a little spoiled this summer and early fall - I got to see them in concert five or six times - but that was months ago, and I guess I missed them, because I really really enjoyed the show.

This particular venue wasn't that exciting, but it did have some cool lights, so it was a fun show to shoot. I got a shot with Marty Casey and Tracii Guns bathed in orange light from one side and violet from the other. I call that RBL light, for obvious reasons, and it's rare to see it, but always beautiful! But my favorite shots from the night may be the solo shots of Jeremy Guns and Alec Bauer.

I used a wide angle lens almost exclusively that night - and I really pushed the colors and textures - so the images are a little different, and a little out there - but I think they're fun!

Oh, and the poster for the event featured one of my images!

































And finally four-fifths of the band in the greenroom before the show with Darryl Boyd who owns Rock-n-Roll GangStar Apparel.

Edited to Add: A pop culture blog called Icon vs. Icon, recently named LA Guns one of the top Live Acts of 2008, and they used one of my images to accompany the article. It's a live shot from Yucaipa, back in September. I really do love to see my images turn up in the press, when I'm not expecting it. It's like an Easter Egg Hunt!
http://www.iconvsicon.com/2008/12/27/the-best-live-performances-of-2008-revealed/

Ryan Star at Anthology, San Diego

Here's the slideshow from Ryan Star's performance at the VIP pre-party for the Sophie @ 103.7's Green Christmas Event.
http://www.rockbandlounge.com/news/2008-12-ryan-star/

And I have more coming from this show - including more of Ryan - plus all the other artists who played that night!

Ryan Star | Sophie @ 103.7's Green Christmas

Last night I got to attend Sophie @ 103.7's Green Christmas - an acoustic event in San Diego, benefitting the San Diego Oceans Foundation. Ryan Star played a VIP event before the main concert, and as far as I'm concerned, it was the highlight of the night! He sounded fabulous! Maybe I've just been missing him, since this is his first gig in San Diego in over two years, but I really think he's better than ever. And with a new album on the way, it meant we got to hear all new material - with only one song from the previous CD - my old favorite, Back Of Your Car. He played up on the third floor in the Fireside Lounge - so it was a very intimate concert. I felt really privileged getting to see such a special show.

The headliner was Alanis Morissette, and Buckcherry, O.A.R., Justin Nozuka, and SafetySuit were also on the bill - so it was a great show! And it took place at my new favorite venue, Anthology on India Street, downtown. They have the best sound system I've ever experienced. I was there for soundcheck and the sound of one guitar being tuned, was so magnificent, if was heartbreaking. Even in the bathrooms the sound quality is that good. The owners have evidently sunk a lot of money into that system, and wow is it ever worth it!

I've seen Alanis in concert twice before - she's definitely one of my favorite artists - and her voice sounded better last night as well. I think it was a combination of a magic night, and a really really great venue.

I'll have a slideshow of images to post later this week - but for now let the image above serve as a teaser...

Expectations versus the Unexpected

Last month I went to a concert with exactly one goal - to get one perfect image with all five band members at the peak of action. Lofty, lofty goal. Too lofty really, but it was what I wanted. So I checked out the venue a couple of days before - a little club on the beach in Pacific Beach. The club is now 710 Beach Club, but prior to the summer of 2006 it was Blind Melons. So I knew the club - sort of - but things can change, and I really wanted that one perfect image, so it was worth a little research. Besides, how taxing is it to go check out a little bar on the beach? Not very!

On the night of the concert I had a plan, and I was ready! My expectation was that I would get that one perfect shot. But some days the universe has other plans, and no matter how much you plan and plot and no matter how clear your vision, you may get something you never expected. Maybe good, maybe bad...

So an expectation fulfilled versus something you never expected? Which is better? Can you roll with it? Can you appreciate the unexpected if it screws up an expectation?

I remember Blind Melons being a hot place for local bands to play. It was always crowded with students from SDSU and UCSD, so even a baby band with few fans could play for a full house, if they got on the bill there. And on a Friday night? Big crowd! But I'd heard rumors that things had changed. So I had zero expectations about the club itself, or about the crowd - and I was pleasantly surprised when the club was packed at midnight - just like the old days! And the crowd was enthusiastic and fun, and hell bent on having a good time. It soon became apparent that I wasn't going to be able to get the shot I had in my head - there was just no way - too many people crowded up way too close to the edge of the stage - even if I could get in front, I'd be too close to the band to get all five band members in one shot, even with my widest wide angle lens. The crowd was a mass of waving arms, and bobbing heads, so I had no choice but to join the party!

Whenever an expectation goes unfulfilled there's a moment of regret - I mean I really did want to get the image I had in my head! But at the same time, how could I reject the unexpected when it came in the form of a party? It's FUN to experience a band I love with an enthusiastic crowd. It's fun to dance with strangers and scream my head off. It's fun to just let go, and figure there will be another day, and another concert, and another chance to get that perfect shot.

Sometimes the unexpected is worth the diversion from what I expected.

So no perfect shot of L.A. Guns for me that night. I had a different kind of fun! And there is a little slideshow of that, if you're interested. It's a large file, so let it download fully, then watch it fast! It's not the same as being there, but it's a taste...

Backstage with L.A. Guns!

Have you ever wanted to see what happens behind the scenes, before a big show? I got the chance to go backstage with L.A. Guns and shoot a photo documentary last month at the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano. I think the images are beautiful, but more than that, it's fun to see a different side of some of our favorite musicians!

http://www.rockbandlounge.com/news/2008-09-la-guns/

Quietdrive at the Glass House in Pomona, California

On Tuesday one of my favorite bands, Quietdrive from Minneapolis, Minnesota, released their latest CD and launched a new tour at the Glass House in Pomona, California. The image above was shot after the show in the lobby, with a group of their fans watching - so it's more a quickie than a serious band portrait - but it's still fun!

But the real fun was shooting them live - they're a great band to see in concert! I've posted the slideshow from the concert on RBL and it's big and bold and beautiful - definitely worth watching. And if you've never seen a violin at a rock show, then you really need to look!
http://www.rockbandlounge.com/news/2008-10-quietdrive/

Quietdrive is currently on tour across the United States and the United Kingdom - so catch them if you can. Watch the slideshow above and listen to their music on MySpace, and you'll understand...

L.A. Guns, Live at the Key Club in Hollywood

When a quintessential Los Angeles band like L.A. Guns comes home, after a summer on tour, it's a big deal! And when that band has a new lead singer, and said lead singer is Marty Casey, and the band also includes Tracii Guns, and the venue is located on the Sunset Strip? Well then you know it's going to be a great show!































This is just a taste from this very sexy and intense concert....

The full slide show is at http://www.rockbandlounge.com/news/2008-08-la-guns/ - and in this case, bigger is definitely better! If you have any comments or questions, there's a discussion thread on RBL at http://rockbandlounge.com/forum/topic.asp?topic_id=8230.

Lukas Rossi and Stars Down

Last Friday night I went to see a brand new band - Stars Down - featuring one of my favorite singers, Lukas Rossi. It was their very first show, and they opened for Berlin at Crash Mansion in Los Angeles. It was great! Lukas and his new bandmates play like they've been together forever - it was a totally polished performance. Plus, I just love seeing Lukas with a full band!

Then the next night they threw a party for their families, friends and a few of their biggest fans at The Mint. I got to go because I know a few of his biggest fans, and they got me in - and I was really grateful, because it was a fun show! The images below are all from that night!













You can see more of my images on RBL at:
http://rockbandlounge.com/news/2008-05-stars-down.asp

Fallbrook Film Festival, Thieves & Liars

Local San Diego band, Thieves & Liars appears on the soundtrack for DOPE - a very personal documentary that traces the huge rise, and subsequent fall, and rise again of four world class skateboard champions.

The band played a short set before the film was screened.

Hammerfest 2008 in Chicago

When I interviewed the Lovehammers back in early 2006, I remember being impressed by the way they talked about their fans and the huge shows they put on in their hometown of Chicago. And I sort of decided then that if I ever got the chance to shoot one of those big shows, I'd take it! I've always wanted to go to Chicago...

The opportunity came last weekend - two years after that interview - some things are worth waiting for! Hammerfest is a big deal and this year it was at the House of Blues in downtown Chicago. Great venue! All brick, two balconies that circle around the floor, and it feels small and intimate yet holds a LOT of people. I went with five friends - two who live in Chicago, and three others that flew in for the weekend. We spent the whole weekend together, but they were good sports when I abandoned them during the show.

Shooting any show is always intense - but the Lovehammers multiply that intensity by ten. Their shows are incredibly passionate and vital, and there's movement and color and action everywhere. It's an amazing thing to see live - and capturing some of that magic in a still photograph is one of the most satisfying things I can think of to do. They create magic onstage, and I tired to tap into that vein, and mine some of their magic in my images. It was a blast!








This image is one of my favorites because of the orange and violet lighting - the colors of RockBandLounge - and to see Marty Casey, our RBL Ultimate Rock Star bathed in those colors was great fun!





































To see more images from the show, go to:
http://rockbandlounge.com/news/2008-03-lovehammers.asp

The List

Back in July, at the INXS concert in Barrie, Ontario, Canada, there was a TV crew shooting for an upcoming TV show. Some in the audience recognized one of the featured backup singers as she came onstage, and I vaguely remember the name of the show being The List - but since I don't live in Canada I never expected to hear anymore about it.

But thanks to the web, I got to see part of the premier episode of this new show - the episode that features an average person fulfilling a life-long dream to sing with a rock band. It's a cute show, and I love the premise. I wish it was shown here!

And it was fun to see part of that concert again. I had front row for that show - and there were cameras everywhere and I recognized a lot of people in the crowd! Then again, I knew nearly everyone in the front two rows. We'd all gone to the concert in Ottawa the night before - it was an definitely an INXS weekend!

Would I like to sing with a rock band? At one point in my life it was definitely on my list - and now it's just as definitely not. Funny how things can change. But sing with INXS? I'd do that if given the chance. They're not your typical rock band, and it would be fun. So yeah, I'd sing with INXS, but they're the only band I would even consider.

Watching the show made me think about other things on my own personal list. I've gotten to do some really fun and interesting things lately, but there are still items on my list to do yet!

The images above are screen shots from video of the show. For more on The List, see http://www.slice.ca/Shows/.

Lukas Rossi at the Viper Room

I got the opportunity to shoot Lukas Rossi at the Viper Room last night for ROCKBANDLOUNGE.COM, and it was such a great show!

Lukas is sounding better than ever. His voice has always been extremely expressive, but I think some of that got lost on TV. But live, on his own, with just a guitar and one other musician onstage, you really get the best of Lukas. It was a very memorable night!



















Discuss this Photo Essay at ROCKBANDLOUNGE.COM

INXS at Valley Center

As soon as I committed to going to Canada to see INXS in early July, they announced a handful of dates in California in late August. The very last show, for that leg of the tour was in Sault Saint Marie in July, and I was there. And the very first show, after a five week break, was August 24th at Harrah's Casino in Valley Center, and I was there too.

The two shows were very different. Sault Saint Marie was a lot of fun - it was my favorite of the Canada shows - but it wasn't that memorable. Valley Center on the other hand, was very memorable! I think time off is good for anyone, and it seemed to be be very good for INXS. Where the Sault Saint Marie show was a tiny bit slick and predictable, the Valley Center show seemed fresh. And JD was his saucy best that night. It was a serious turn on!

One of my East Coast friends came out for the concert and to spend a few days in San Diego, and we met up with some other friends at the venue. After the concert we wanted a drink, and as we headed to the bar we ran straight into Kirk and JD on their way to the elevator. Kirk made a quick exit, but JD was willing to be delayed, so I shot a few images with my iPhone as he interacted with one of my friends, but the casino was so dark, it was hard to get anything good. Other people started to notice him at this point, and a crowd was starting to form, so I wanted out - somehow being in a big crowd pushing toward a rock star is not my idea of fun! But before I went, I wanted to thank him, and he was listening intently to a guy drone on about the show. So I reached out and touched his stomach to get his attention and said "You were great tonight" and I intended then to move on, but he turned to me with this blindingly beautiful smile and said "Thank you" and then he pushed against my hand with his stomach muscles, making his abs ripple beneath my fingers. I just laughed, and said thanks, and slipped away. It was just such an aggressively flirtatious move, and it was fun! Somehow, every time I interact with JD I leave feeling really good. It's a true rock star that can make that happen!



We then made our way to the restaurant, and soon after we saw Jon wander by alone. And when a fan stopped him, he was more than willing to stop and talk. More people approached and he ended up staying about twenty minutes, talking to people in the restaurant, until the band's tour manager came and got him. I didn't talk to him, I was happy at our table, but it was fun to see him be so relaxed and willing to just chat.

It was a fun night. The concert was one of the best I've seen, and after the concert wasn't too bad either!

INXS in Canada!

Note: The first three photos in this post were shot with my iPhone - when you don't have a real camera with you, it's cool to have something, anything to shoot with - and the iPhone actually does a pretty good job! The last image was shot with a "real" camera.

As soon as my seminar in Atlantic City ended, I hopped on a plane for Ottawa. One of the members of RockBandLounge.com had arranged a BIG party at the Ottawa Bluesfest, the night INXS was headlining. She'd convinced them to give us a corporate box, complete with our own private bartenders, plus catering. I just couldn't miss that!

I wanted to see INXS, but the real draw for me was meeting the Canadian members of the forum. Over the last two years I've become really close to some of them, and it was starting to seem really odd that we'd never met in person. It was just time to make that happen! And I wasn't the only American who felt that way - we ended up with two of us from California, one from Seattle, one from Texas, and half-a-dozen from the East Coast of the United States - plus a lot of Canadians!

It was a magical night. The venue was really beautiful, and the sky though filled with storm clouds in the distance was completely clear over the concert. No rain at all! And so many people! The crowd was really huge, and soooo enthusiastic. It was my first INXS concert in over a year, so I really enjoyed it. Plus it was kind of fun to sing along to those songs with people that I shared Rock Star with - and who agonized over who INXS should choose, and would their "guy" win. They're a passionate crowd - my kind of people!



And the tickets? They were printed with RockBandLounge.com on them! How fun is that? The girls above are two of my favorite Canadians!

The audience was invited to submit text messages that scrolled by on a big billboard on one side of the stage - and there were a lot of messages about our group. It was obvious we were having a lot of fun, and people noticed! There were messages asking if any of us were single, if we wanted company, and the messages got progressively saucier as the night wore on. Anyone with a General Admission ticket couldn't get up to where we were, but people in the other corporate boxes could, and some of them left their own groups to come dance with us. It was that much fun!

Ottawa was great! We even went to high tea at the Fairmont Hotel - very, very classy!

And since I was going all the way to Canada, it made sense to go to more than one concert - there were three all within driving distance, so several of us planned to hit all three. But as the planning progressed, and the dates got closer, the thought of that much driving seemed like a bit much to some of the group, so we decided to fly instead. I was sort of looking forward to seeing more of the country, so flying wasn't my first choice, but it turned out to be a smart decision, since we then had more time in each place to explore.

It was my first time on a tiny little plane - you know the kind you have to walk out onto the runway, and then climb stairs to get to? And there are only ten rows of seats? And they go bump, bump, bump, and knock, knock, knock? At first it was a little scary, but after I got used to it, I actually enjoyed it. Especially flying over the lakes - so much water you'd swear it was an ocean.

I had a front row ticket for Barrie, Ontario, and second row for Sault Saint Marie - so I definitely got my INXS fix! All of the shows were a lot of fun, but I think the highlight of the trip (after the socializing) might be discovering Sault Saint Marie.

If it didn't get cold in Sault Saint Marie, I'd be seriously considering moving. Such a beautiful little town with a great concert venue, and a real downtown area with little shops, and lots and lots and lots of old houses that are in perfect condition, and wild flowers everywhere you look. I just have to keep telling myself that snow and ice and cold are coming, and it's not always a perfect summer day there. In San Diego, it is pretty perfect all the time, so I'm definitely spoiled! But if it was summer year-round in Sault Saint Marie, I'd be very tempted...

I finished out my trip with a couple of days in Toronto - a very nice city - but Ottawa and Sault Saint Marie are so special, it's hard for Toronto to compete in my mind!

Ryan Star at the House of Blues in San Diego

The best thing about last night? Ryan’s voice after about the third song. Before that point it was the same voice I heard on Rock Star – but a few songs in, he got looser and fuller and the way he played with the tempo felt less studied and more inspired. We got to see a lot of him this summer, but it was all one song at a time – there’s just something about seeing a full set – the minutes just add up to something entirely different – and great!

So Ryan comes out and the start is fairly low key, and he does the first three or so songs with the keys, then he gets his guitar and that’s when the show got good as far as I’m concerned. I think it’s great how Ryan can fill the stage all by himself, and create a sound that *sounds* bigger than just one guy onstage with one instrument – but if it is only one instrument I’m always going to prefer guitar to keyboards! But my big wish would be to see him with a full band – one of his friends kept pimping the big show in NYC – the homecoming show – and if there’s going to be a full band there it might be worth flying for!

There were times when Ryan would use his feet to pound the floor – an improvised drum! I loved that! Another time he forgot he was tethered to the mic stand and he came out in front and then had to sing doubly loud to make up for it – but he went for it!

As for the songs – I loved them. He played a new song "11:59" and the lyrics go over familiar ground – but Ryan’s spin on a familiar theme is so devoid of cliché, you really believe him. I think he’s gifted lyrically – but it’s the music itself that really gets me. (But I want to hear it with a full band… I know, be happy with what you get, but I really really want to hear it with a full band!)

After the show we went to Stingaree, a nightclub a few blocks away from the HOB - one of Ryan's friends was a regular on ROCKBAND.COM during Rock Star, and so invited us to join them. It's an interesting club with a great rooftop bar, but unfortunately it was raining hard, we didn't spend much time up there - but I would like to go back on a clear night!

At one point I made a comment to Ryan about "shooting him" the next time he's in San Diego or Southern California, and he nodded affirmatively, then he leaned in and half-whispered, "Don't you mean shoe me?" - which make me laugh. It's a running joke on ROCKBAND.COM that Ryan has big feet, and well, you know what that means. It totally cracked me up that he not only knew all about it, but he was also okay with it and saw the humor in it. 'Cause every reference is always made with much affection, I'm sure!

For more reviews of Ryan Star in San Diego, go to:
http://www.rockband.com/forum/topic.asp?topic_id=4457
Or go to the ROCKBAND.COM Ryan Star Lounge!

Juke Kartel at the Viper Room, Hollywood

I thought I *got* Toby Rand. He's cute, he's fun, he's wholesome, he's young, he's talented. Yeah Toby! And I did love him on the Rock Star: Supernova.

But last night? Whoa! I saw Toby with his band - Juke Kartel - and they were phenomenal. You can't help but be turned on when you watch them onstage - all of them. They just burn up the stage. It was amazing.

Toby is a monster. He just slayed the women around me. He has so much talent he never got to show on the TV show. His voice - well I always loved it - but it's better than I knew.

Tommy, the bass player really knows how to play – and how to hold a bass guitar. I loved it when TLee talked about low-slung guitars on Rock Star because it’s a huge deal with me! It’s gotta be low, or it’s just not sexy. And can Tommy play? It was active and vital playing - hard to explain, but he makes the band in some ways. He’s great! And he’s fun. And he’s fun in the way he interacts with Toby and Todd.

Todd is so cute – I love the hair. And I loved the way his guitar sounded. Talk about fullness...

Dale played a guitar solo – so he’s okay in my book! I was mere inches from his fingers. He could do no wrong after that.

I couldn’t see Eddie, the drummer much during the set, but I got to talk to him after the show, and he’s very very cute. He was completely baffled by my friends – but he was very patient with them. How can you not love that? He also told us about how he gets his hair to look that way – it’s a combination of wax and hairspray.

Oh, and one of the best parts? When Dale and Tommy sang backup on a slower song. It was beautiful.

The photo to the right was taken by a friend - it's me and Tommy after the show, in the downstairs bar. It was a fun night!

For more reviews on Juke Kartel, go to:
http://www.rockband.com/forum/topic.asp?topic_id=4351
Or go to the ROCKBAND.COM Juke Kartel Lounge!

My INXS Vacation

I actually went to five stops on the INXS tour last week - totally over the top, but so much fun! I went with a bunch of friends and we stayed at the Bel Age Hotel in LA and saw two concerts at The Greek - which is the best venue for sound. I was in the pit the first night , and further back the second night - I think it was the third row behind the pit, so still fairly close but the sound was so much better - and I thought the sound was great the first night! Seriously, The Greek is the place to go for a concert - it's beautiful and the sound is awesome! Rachel Hunter was across the aisle from me, Dave Goffin and Paul Mirkovich were right behind us. We heard Deanna Johnston was there too, but I never ran into her.

So LA was great, but that was only the first two of five concerts in one week! The next stop was Hemet and frankly I wasn't expecting as much from that show, but front row tickets were cheap. I love Hemet, but how is Hemet supposed to compete with LA? Well I was wrong. Where the shows in LA were slick and professional and totally moving, the show in Hemet was hot, hot, hot. My theory is that after two shows in the entertainment capital of the world, the guys were ready to have some fun. It was the sexiest show I've ever seen - by far!

Next up was Pala - which is just a few miles from my home. I had a press pass for Pala - the other concerts I was just there to have fun, but at Pala I was there to work! The area for press is directly in front of the front row, and at this venue it was only about three feet deep and there were six photographers, so we were definitely tripping over each other! The best positions on the right and left were both staked out by the guys shooting video for the big screens, so I started down center - I don't mind shooting straight up the band member's noses! Later I moved right and then left, but I think my favorite shots were from the very center - especially when JD and then later Kirk got really really close - the shot looking up at JD with the cigarette is one of my favorites, and I was right under him. Great show too!

The last show for my friends and I was San Diego - right on the Bay. Beautiful venue! Insane crowd though... Several friends flew in for this concert from out of state, but one had to cancel at the last minute, so I got to use her front row center ticket instead of my own third row ticket - which was very cool! My friends were all staying at Hotel Solamar, a fabulous four-star hotel in the Gaslamp District, so after the concert we went back there since they have a fabulous rooftop bar - and who showed up later? INXS. The band was there with friends and we were having a great time already, so we didn't interact much, but Kirk did come over to say hi. It was a fun evening, and a great way to cap off a great week!

INXS at Pala Casino

I finally got to shoot INXS - and it was great! JD, Kirk, and Jon all played directly to my camera - which I was not expecting at all. With all the shows these guys play, and all the photographers following them, I assumed they'd be completely blasé about it - but they're not!





























































To see this Photo Essay of INXS at Pala on 6/20/2006 at ROCKBAND.COM, go to:
http://www.rockband.com/news/2006-06-inxs-at-pala.asp