The Foo...

I'm still pissed that I didn't get to shoot the Foo Fighters at the SB Bowl a few years back. Due to the band's management company, Nasty Little Man, and their bogus "rights grabbing" photo release... I had to walk from the show. I was especially bummed because I was looking forward to seeing the Foo for the first time.

Well... last night, myself and 299 other lucky people got to see the Foo Fighters live at the little club that could, Velvet Jones, here in Santa Barbara. Starting things off by playing their new, yet to be released, album in it's entirety... the Foo rocked out from the very first guitar lick. The second half of the show was spent dishing out all of the classics you love and know, never losing momentum until the show was over.

I rank this easily in the top five most rocking shows I have ever seen and... I was even able grab a shot for posterity!...

Slash at the Velvet Jones in SB...

Not it person though... just one of my 40X60 inch prints that ended up hanging on the walls of the Velvet Jones here in Santa Barbara. I have three images that size (Willie Nelson and Jam Master Jay are the other two) hanging there and finally made it by to check them out. It was during a show though, so it was dark in the venue... Slash was the only one that had enough light on it to grab a quick shot. I'll have to go back when it's not business hours and document them properly...

Love, Hope, Strenght...

Well... I don't shoot for the SB Bowl anymore (see previous post) but I'm not dead in the water either. My buddy, Tim Bramlette, who manages Seth Pettersen and is Donavon Frankenrieter's "merch guy," recently helped Sanuk produce a free show at the Slide Bar in Fullerton, CA.

The show was put on as a benefit for the Love Hope Strength foundation featuring performances by, none other than, Seth and Donavon. The show consisted of sets by both performers and then a nice little jam with all of the band members for the encore song. I was stoked to be invited by Tim to go down and shoot the show and super happy to see Seth Pettersen get some more of the recognition he deserves...

MC Bramlette

  

This Is The End...

And I'm not talking about a Doors song either. I have officially put in my resignation as house photographer for the Santa Barbara Bowl. It wasn't an easy thing to do... but it had to be done. It has come time for my wife and I to move on from Santa Barbara and seek greener pastures on the East Coast where she is originally from. Buying a home in Santa Barbara just isn't an option and that is on our list of things to do... to become adults, ha!

It is a step that makes for difficult decisions such as letting go of my position at The Bowl and saying good-bye to all of our good friends that we've made here over the past decade and a half. The good news is... Amy will be running her business here remotely and there will be plenty of reasons for us to return often. I am leaving The Bowl on good terms and they say I can just slip right back in to my spot if I ever return permanently. And... if I make visits to town, they will leave room for me in the pit as a "guest photographer."

I had big dreams of having a grand photo exhibit of my work taken during the ten concert seasons at the venue, one that I intended on making happen before I left town. I have found that time for making money to survive and pack have become of the essence and I will have to put that plan on the back burner. I vow to return to SB and have a showing of the work before another ten concert seasons slip by. I don't know if I will be able to obtain a position as a house photographer on the East Coast but I plan to look into it. Even a theater or large club will do.

I don't know when my next concert shoot will even be at this time but I hope to squeeze in a couple here in my stomping grounds before heading out. This blog may sit stagnant for a while but I will post ANY news as it comes to me. Until then... see ya!