Super Awesome Villians Forever Tour at Goshen Theater
More in the loud music / fast action / dim lighting category of challenge. Also a first I've seen of the Goshen Theater's Backstage Show style setups, nicely done! These Hearts Check them out on Facebook here Future Ghosts Check out Future Ghosts' music here Phinehas Dig some Phinehas music here To Speak of Wolves Blast some To Speak of Wolves music here Write This Down Get some Write This →
Photos off the clock – Chin Up at Generic
(1 part finding a post in the drafts folder, 1 part nostalgia for the old hangout downtown, 1 part chicken logo - shake & enjoy) What to do on the way home from shooting 10 hours of wedding fun on a hot muggy day? Stop by a sweaty hot back room hardcore band debut show at Generic downtown. (I mean at →
RIP Underground Cafe – 2 Years too Long
Closed November 14, 2009. It's been two years too long. Check out more of my live concert performance photography here Photo of Haste the Day on the Pressure the Hinges album tour, photographed in 2007 at Underground Cafe in South Bend, Indiana.
The Almost in Concert – Live Performance Photography
If you like our Facebook page these photos and more came across your feeds last November when The Almost were in town. Nothing like a good local basement venue show to get up close and personal to enjoy the music. The girls fans loved being feet away from lead singer Aaron and the band too, and I'm always a fan →
Attaboy – Everything Matters Tour – Plymouth, Indiana
When a concert promoter friend of mine texted me "man u have to see these guys' road production stuff" I grabbed a camera and headed over to check out Attaboy & News From Verona's Everything Matters Tour stop in Plymouth. The tour's free (donations welcome!) and my experience of most bands bringing gear consisted of boxes to stand on that →
Dance Performance Photography – Caught at LangLab
Reiterated confession: I'm a live performance & visual media junkie. The anticipation, nervous energy before the stage comes to life, and one-shot no retakes atmosphere gets my creativity charged up. I absolutely love the countdown to go time. Troubleshooting in a pinch to make it work and look flawless. Fast paced action all around! (These all translate just fine to wedding →
Kingston Falls Reunion
Kingston Falls was one of the first local hardcore bands I remember hearing as well as mixing at old Underground Cafe shows. It was a weekend of reminiscing with music between seeing Kingston Falls again Friday and Analecta Thursday. I've seen Analecta's bassist Calvin all around local music since the old Underground shows. Now that I've got plenty of loud →
Low light concert photography: Analecta at Generic Store
Last night I dropped by Generic in downtown South Bend to catch Analecta play a live set. Decided to play with my Nikon D700's high ISO settings in low light. I positioned myself in an open spot across from most of the moving lighting where pretty much all the light was above and behind the bassist up front. It would →
Matt’s Senior Session
I was pretty stoked while planning Matt's Senior Session that I heard he was in a band. I've been mixing audio for live, local music since the early days back in the Underground basement. Whenever I have extra crew to run things I'll grab a camera and head for the stage to photograph the energy of a live rock show. Meet →
Music Monday Wedding Remixes
It's wedding season! Two wedding weekends in a row and I've already got the Saturday night playlists stuck in my head. These videos make the weekend mix of reception music crack me up while I'm shooting. Love the Polaroid camera closing snap sound! Don't make me sing this part of the song, the lyrics are so bad we're going to skip ahead to the "single →
Hunt for RED NOVEMBER – Rockfest 6
This Saturday, November 14th is the Underground Cafe's final concert. After 8 years of local live music, concerts, and friendships the Underground Cafe is celebrating one last show on the South Side of South Bend. If you know me even a little you know this has been my second home and second family since it's beginning. My wife Sara was one →
Early 4th
Happy Fourth of July, Independence Day! I have found the paradox of alarm clocks and children. Only took me 17 months to put it in writing. In order to wake up early, set a late alarm and baby will wake you up before it goes off. However, if you need to get up early, baby will probably sleep in late, and you →
the Rendition – March 7th debut
In addition to our Gallery Debut this weekend, Saturday night will also be a night of firsts for our friends The Rendition (theRendition.com). This weekend brings their first show with the new band name, new music, and we're thrilled to share the spotlight of "debut weekend" with Jess, Jess and Aaron! From their announcement March 1st: The Jess Strantz Band has been →
Sounds of childhood Christmas – $2!
Ever since our first snow in October I've been playing Christmas music while I work. I love the wintry cheer of holiday music. My favorite songs from childhood are, without question, those on the A Charlie Brown Christmas special that aired on TV every year. My parents still have a VHS tape we made of it on TV! (Last year →
You either lose your fear or
Obsessions with self-preservation Faded when I threw my fear away It's not a thing you can imagine You either lose your fear Or spend your life with one foot in the grave - Over the Rhine, "Spark" Up way late editing, not much better than hot tea and Over the Rhine playing. This verse always sticks with me. Great song from a great live album, Live →
Jams at Ugly Mugs
Did I mention I think I found my favorite non-Chocoholic coffee shop downtown? Before it opened I even thought the name they chose would make a clever title for a coffee shop. Not kidding. With local shops like "Higher Grounds" and "Sufficient Grounds" when we started a basement venue called the "Underground Cafe" coffee connoisseurs were quick to tell me →
One lovely eve with the Ugly Mugs
Some GREAT music tonight from Jess Strantz, Elliot Evans, Oh Donahue, and Etna Green. I met some photographer, visual and musical artist friends there for a nice time relaxing and NOT running a show like last weekend's show at the Underground Cafe. It's a nice perspective and a huge relaxation when it's well mixed and illuminated and my event ADHD →
Jess Strantz at Borders
I have some pretty amazing friends. Some carry cameras, some carry paper and pen, some carry vinyl, others carry instruments, all carry their own art forms in some way. It's an expressive collection of companions I keep. Last weekend Sara and I caught up with one such creative pal, Jess Strantz. She played some acoustic and a handful of piano songs →