Live Concerts – Page 2 – Cheryl Spelts

January 15, 2009 by Cheryl Spelts

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/

December 17, 2008 by Cheryl Spelts

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!

December 11, 2008 by Cheryl Spelts

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…

November 30, 2008 by Cheryl Spelts

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 below, 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…

November 3, 2008 by Cheryl Spelts

Backstage with L.A. Guns!

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

October 18, 2008 by Cheryl Spelts

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…

August 27, 2008 by Cheryl Spelts

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.

May 7, 2008 by Cheryl Spelts

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

April 27, 2008 by Cheryl Spelts

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.