Concert Photography by Larry Mills (Blog)

So True...

2011-07-29T19:33:00.000-07:00

Bowl Full of Stars...

2011-07-28T18:43:00.000-07:00

The Santa Barbara Independent recently did a cover story on the Santa Barbara Bowl, in honor of its 75 years of existence. I got an email from the paper a few weeks ago stating that I was receiving the email because they felt that my history with the venue was grounds for any tidbits of information I'd like to contribute to the story (favorite shows, memorable experiences, etc.)

I shared the story of discovering one of my favorite bands while shooting there during my first concert season as house shooter in 1999. Check out the quote section from the article below where you'll see my comments and... check out some of the names they lumped me in with. I guess my ten years as house photographer gave me a wee bit of clout...

Click the SB Indi link above and be sure to read the full article as well!

Congrats Donavon F...

2011-07-26T15:24:00.000-07:00

Good news for Donavon Frankenrieter who recently became an official Ambassador of Martin Guitar products. The good new for me is... Martin Guitar used one of my live shots from a gig at SOhO in Santa Barbara, CA in a e-card blast and on their website to make the announcement.

It's a nice feeling to be associated with such a great musician and an equally great guitar company...

(Click to make it bigger... my live shot is the color one...)

East Coast First...

2011-07-22T18:55:00.000-07:00

Here I am... long time no post. No reason to really... haven't had the time to get myself hooked-up shooting shows. But... just last week, my opportunity arrived from the West Coast. My pal, Tim Bramlette, who is the "Merch Guy" for Donavon Frankenrieter set me up with a pass to shoot his performance at StageOne in Fairfield, CT.

The BIG bonus?... my other pal, Seth Pettersen was on the bus! He's opening up for all of Donavon's East Coast stops. So... I was lucky to see my two buddies, see Seth play, see Donavon and his amazing band play, and hang out all day on the bus like a rock star.

The BIG downer?... the mirror fell out of my Canon 5D half way through Donavon's set. Yes, I am part rookie and showed up to the gig with one camera body. So... I thought, hell with it, I'll shoot from the hip with a wide lens. Nope... the 5D's mirror assists in auto focus.

So... I just got pretty buzzed and hung out with a bunch of cool folks. Below are some of the shots I took before my camera shit the bed...

Thanks to Tim, Seth, Donavon and his band for letting me hang...

Fold in the Wind...

2011-04-05T16:08:00.001-07:00

This just in from the West Coast... My pal, Rey, a.k.a. House of Wolves, has a new album out. You can check out FOLD IN THE WIND, and buy it, right here.

Some love from Seth...

2011-02-05T00:52:00.000-08:00

One of the greatest emerging musicians... and coolest mo fos I know, Seth Pettersen, shared some kind and funny words about me on his website recently, in regards to my upcoming move to the East Coast.

If you have yet to discover Seth and his music... do your ears and soul a favor by clicking on his name above and visit his website...

Thanks Seth!

The Foo...

2011-01-29T13:45:00.000-08:00

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...

2011-01-24T20:22:00.000-08:00

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...

2011-01-21T12:13:00.000-08:00

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...

2011-01-13T14:07:00.000-08:00

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!

Massive Thievery...

2010-11-07T15:10:00.000-08:00

That's it!... the SB Bowl season has come to an end. It's always a bitter sweet thing. I hate to think that I won't be shooting there for a few months, but I'm excited to see what the next season brings.

Massive Attack and Thievery Corporation were an excellent way to end things... it was a dance party! Honestly, I had never heard either band before, but I've found that I have serious liking to Thievery Corporation. Besides cranking out some heavy bass and good vibes... they let the photographers shoot the whole set.

By looking at my photos from Thievery's performance, (compared to those of Massive Attack) you may notice what happens when photographers (me) are allowed to shoot more than the usual three songs. You get more first off, the are composed better and the moments are more exciting...

(As alwasy, click 'em to make 'em bigger)

Massive Attack

Thievery Corporation

Donavon Frankenrieter @ SOhO...

2010-11-06T11:30:00.000-07:00

My days of shooting shows at SOhO, here in SB, have been few and far between lately. My latest dry spell was recently broken when Donavon Frankerierter came to town to play the humble venue.

I've always joked that I am the "Unofficial House Photographer" for the venue and usually acquire photo passes by simply using the barter system with the owner. Well, this time I made my way in using another avenue, a new connection with band.

My good buddy, Tim Bramlette, was recently picked up as Donavon's new "Merch Guy" and is on the road with band for their current tour. So... he was my easy insider on making the guest list and getting the camera ok'd. Getting permission to shoot a few songs these days almost seems comical since everyone at shows lately, especially in smaller venues, are right up front with their little gadgets... shooting stills and video the whole time.

None the less... here's a few that I took...

2nd to last...

2010-11-04T10:33:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow night I will be shooting the last show of the 2010 concert season at the SB Bowl. Thievery Corporation and Massive Attack will have the honor of closing things out.

Coming in at 2nd to last was Stone Temple Pilots with Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and Jetstream for support. It was a rocking show, needless to say, and here's a few pics from it...

Jetstream
B.R.M.C.
Stone Temple Pilots

Say it isn't so...

2010-10-25T16:23:00.000-07:00

I was the recipient of the dreaded mass email from Nederlander's publicist today. I was hoping there would be some last minute announcements but...

Shakira...

2010-10-24T14:37:00.001-07:00

Probably the biggest production I've seen at the Santa Barbara Bowl to date...
I don't think I see one hand in the audience of this last shot, without some piece of technology in it.

Jack Johnson...

2010-10-24T13:58:00.000-07:00

Here's a few pics from two nights worth of sold-out shows at the Santa Barbara Bowl. G-Love and Special Sauce opened one night and ALO opened the other. Zee Avi was an opening act both nights.

Also, Jack and friends, including G-Love, Zach Gill and Paula Fuga, performed mini concerts in the SB Bowl's, Jerry Garcia Glen, on both nights as well...

Zee Avi
G-Love & Special Sauce
ALO
Jack Johnson

Jason Mraz & Christina Perri...

2010-10-24T13:51:00.001-07:00

Jason Mraz

Christina Perri

Maroon 5, OneRepublic & Ry Cuming...

2010-10-24T13:33:00.001-07:00

Maroon 5
OneRepublic

Ry Cuming

Seth Pettersen and the Undertow...

2010-10-02T20:31:00.000-07:00

Last night I drove down to Ventura, CA to shoot Seth Pettersen and the Undertow at the Majestic Vetura Theater. Be sure to check out the band's link I've provided... it's high time you tuned in to some damn good music.

As a bonus... my buddy Tim Bramlette, who manages the band, lost a bet with a staff member at the venue (where he was once the house photographer) and was forced to shave his, what I like to call, "Indie Rock Beard." We did a quick before and after photo session of that as well...

(Cick to make em' bigger)Beard elimination...

West Beach Music Festival...

2010-09-28T11:46:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, I photographed the West Beach Music Festival for the SB local favorite rag, The Santa Barbara Independent.

Click HERE to view the online gallery they posted... use the thumbnails to the right of the first picture to navigate through the images...

Willie Nelson & Ryan Bingham - SB Bowl...

2010-09-27T18:52:00.000-07:00

Furthur...

2010-09-27T18:41:00.000-07:00

Ten minute jams made the "First 3 Songs no Flash" rule for photography painless for this show...

Pheonix & Neon Indian - SB Bowl...

2010-09-27T18:31:00.000-07:00

Neon Indian

Pheonix

It's that time of year again...

2010-09-24T10:05:00.000-07:00

After it was nearly nipped in the bud... the twiins pulled a rabbit outta their hat and the West Beach Music Festival goes on. But it's actually more like the East Beach Music Festival this year and it will only be for two days instead of three, with a max capacity of eight thousand concert goers.

The nearly fourteen thousand people who showed up last year had some of the local business people, near the original location of the event, up in arms. This year, the event will move about a half mile east and be on the grass near the beach, instead of the sand.

None the less, the event hosts some pretty sweet bands and usually treats media like royalty... so I'm looking forward to shooting and seeing how things turn out.

Dead Confederate & Alberta Cross...

2010-09-12T17:37:00.000-07:00

Club Mercy has been doing a damn good job of shaking things up in the Santa Barbara music scene lately. They have been promoting shows of bands I've never heard of, that always draw big crowds... ones I have heard of but never took the time to pay attention to (and wished I had)... and others that make me wonder how the hell they got such a big name to play such a small venue.

The Alberta Cross & Dead Confederate show, which took place the other night at club SOhO, was no exception and this old geezer (me) was stoked that he stayed up way passed his bed time.

Hats off to Jeffrey and the rest of the gang at Club Mercy!...

Dead Confederate
Alberta Cross

What I've been up to lately...

2010-09-06T18:51:00.000-07:00

(Click them so they get bigger)

Corrine Bailey Rae

Norah Jones
Tift Merritt

Ray LaMontagne
David Gray

Pitcher's mound... to the photo pit...

2010-08-27T11:16:00.000-07:00

I was taking a look at some live photos from Soundgarden's recent performance at Lollapalooza and took notice of some nice shots. They were watermarked with the name, Randy Johnson, so I Googled it and found out some interesting news.

Turns out... it's the Randy Johnson of major league baseball fame. Seems as though the retired pitcher is a man of many talents and photography is on the list. Being friends with the band certainly helps for access to the special shots but... he undoubtedly has an eye for composition and and a ticker for the right moment to press the trigger.

Check out the story/interview and some of his photos on SPIN.com here.

R.I.P. Herman Leonard...

2010-08-17T10:34:00.000-07:00

Another great music photography legend has left the the smokey jazz hall. Thanks for taking the pictures that often have me thinking I should just hang it up... but inspiring me to do better at the same time...

Herman Leonard - Self-Portrait

Primus & Wolfmother...

2010-08-16T17:28:00.001-07:00

A great show by two great bands...

Been a while...

2010-08-09T17:32:00.000-07:00

Took some time off from this blog to prepare for a solo photo exhibit I did in Portland. Besides live music, I have a host of other things I like to point my camera at. Car Culture (for a lack of a better term) is one of them and was the subject matter for my recent show. If you want the skinny on that, go here and here.

Since my last post, I photographed Los Lobos, Steve Miller and Stevie Nicks. Nothing super special as far as the photos go... I was stuck at the sound-board for most of them. Los Lobos did deliver the goods though and... they let us up close for their set.

Here's some pics to see none the less...This last pic is of Mia Dyson who opened for Stevie... she played a nice little set.

KJEE Summer Round-Up 2010...

2010-06-16T09:38:00.001-07:00

Psuperbrain
Dead Country
Dirty Heads
Cage the Elephant

Iration
Sublime with Rome

30 Seconds To Mars...

2010-05-15T16:47:00.000-07:00

Here's some pics from last nights show at the SB Bowl including opening acts, Mutemath and Street Drum Corps...

(Click for larger view)

Fat Daddy, Jim Marshall & Johnny Cash...

2010-05-09T12:07:00.000-07:00

That's who it took to put this little ditty together. I recently attended the Viva Las Vegas hot rod show at the Orleans Hotel in Nevada. While I was walking around taking some pics, I noticed this add on the side of a hot rod ice cream truck...I thought it was a witty and tasteful usage of the classic shot that Jim Marshall took of Johnny Cash at San Quentin State Prison. A nice gentlemen who goes by, Fat Daddy, runs the operational ice cream truck and claims to have designed it himself... copyright infringement?

I almost wanna guess that Jim would have liked it...

Primus Sucks! at the SB Bowl...

2010-05-03T12:03:00.000-07:00

The good new is... Primus has announced their first headlining tour in four years. The better news is... I was just cruzing JamBase.com and discovered that the SB Bowl made the list of venues.

Photo by: Jay Blakesberg

I've seen Les Claypool in his side projects, Oysterhead and Colonel Claypool's Bucket of Bernie Brains. I've also seen him sit in with Gov't Mule, but I've never had the chance to see Primus. This should be a great show.

Check-in, shoot, serve coffee...

2010-04-29T15:27:00.000-07:00

I am currently residing at the Presidio Motel here in Santa Barbara, where my wife and I are the night managers. Sometimes we run the show during the day, for extra income, when the owners are out of town. Taking on such duties as... making reservations and checking in guests.

The other day we were doing such, when I had the pleasure of checking in Vonda Shepard, who was scheduled as the opening act for Sugarland at the SB Bowl. Later that evening I photographed her performance and the next morning provided her with coffee and muffins as she checked out of her room.

It was kind of weird to have this much interaction with someone who doesn't even know I exist. Here are a few shots from her set...

Sugar-Bowl...

2010-04-28T18:14:00.000-07:00

Here are some pics from the Sugarland concert at the SB Bowl. Though it wasn't really my style of music, they put on an excellent show that was a blast to shoot...

Atoms for Peace...

2010-04-19T17:32:00.000-07:00

I personally found this shoot difficult. Lighting was tough, lots of photographers and Flea was jumping around like... well, a Flea. I took it upon myself to keep my attention on the two people who mattered to me the most, Thom Yorke and... Flea. Here's a bit of what I got...

Here's a few of the opening act, Autolux...

Going BIG...

2010-04-14T10:42:00.000-07:00

Craig Jenkins, owner of the club, Velvet Jones, recently approached me for some live music artwork to hang on the walls of the venue. He wanted the images to cover a variety of music genres, as the Velvet Jones has no discrimination when it comes to booking shows. After weeding through my archive... we narrowed the selection down to shots of Jam Master Jay, Henry Rollins, Slash and Willie Nelson.

With a vast amount of wall space it only made sense to go BIG with the images... a whopping 40x60 inches. Only one image was shot digitally with my Canon 5D (Slash) which held up surprisingly well. I took it upon myself to hi-rez scan the film shots using the Imacon Flextight 848 virtual drum scanner. They all turned out even better than the digital, but it was the shot of Jam Master Jay that blew me away. It was taken on Kodak TMY 400 and hand processed by yours truly over ten years ago. Scanned as a 16bit TIFF at 6300 dpi, the grain turned out beautiful, even at this size.

Here's a shot of me & two of the final products just before final trimming...

(click for lager view)Photo by Troy Hamilton

Printing, mounting & laminating by Samy's Camera

Alicia Keys...

2010-04-13T15:48:00.000-07:00

I'm late to post these due to a failed graphics card on my computer. Now that my machine is back home, I can share a few images from Alicia Keys' season opening performance at the Santa Barbara Bowl...

Here's a shot of opening act, Melanie Fiona...

Tis the season...

2010-04-07T11:12:00.001-07:00

Today marks the beginning of the 2010 SB Bowl concert season, Alicia Keys will have the honors of kicking things off. I am happy to find that, unlike last season, I will be able to spend my first night shooting from the pit vs. the soundboard.

Also... as a fresh start to a new season... the Bowl launched their new website today. They used a handful of my images as a "banner" slide show on the homepage, which turned out great.

Click the image below to check it out...

Seth Petterson...

2010-03-26T11:35:00.000-07:00

My buddy, Tim Bramlette, punk rock photographer, recently took another step through the music industry door. After gaining experience on the road with the Street Dogs for a couple of tours, Tim has decided to take a stab at band management.

Actually, it's more like musician management. Under the name, Rose Park Management, Tim will help bring the likes of, Seth Petterson, to the good people of the world. It's no wonder why either, after spending an evening with him recently, I found myself growing fond of his personable demeanor and soulful music.

I met up with Seth, also the front man of the band Franklin for Short, at club Velvet Jones here in SB. I took a few snaps of the sound check for his solo performance (plus drummer, Trevor). From there we moved on to a nearby alley way and then a corner liquor store for a quick promo/"thank you" shoot. Seth recently picked up sponsorship from the Innes clothing company and Tim wanted to send thank you shots to them. From there it was back to the Velvet where Seth and I tossed back a couple of cold ones and got to know each other a little better, he's a truly genuine guy. His set was nothing short of amazing to me, and I highly recommend anyone reading this (all 3 of you) to check him out...

R.I.P. Jim Marshall...

2010-03-25T12:30:00.000-07:00

You were a HUGE inspiration to me.

Feb. 3rd, 1936 - Mar. 24th, 2010

Photo by: Tim Mantoani

Living Room Session...

2010-03-08T15:11:00.000-08:00

I recently shot a little bit of live music, for the first time in a while. My friend, Rey Villalobos, who seems to be a resident of both Portland and Santa Barbara these days, was in town rehearsing for a gig at the Mercury Lounge .

It turns out, he needed a fill-in drummer for the show and I came to learn that my other buddy, Chris, who owns the Presidio Motel had talent in that department. Though he doesn't typically play for audiences in public, Chris still agreed to sit in. So... they got together and the rehearsal took place in Chris's living room at the motel. It just so happens that I now live at the Presidio Motel too, where my wife and I are the night managers. It was only natural that I grab my camera and walk down stairs to witness and document Chris prepping for his big gig.

I opted to shoot large jpg (instead of RAW) and do it all in on the monochrome setting, a.k.a. black & white. It seemed fitting for the vibe of the music and location. Plus... I get tired of all the post processing, I just wanted to keep it simple...

And so it begins...

2010-02-25T21:34:00.000-08:00

The SB Bowl has already begun to announce shows for the 2010 season. It looks like it's going to be an early one, with the first show being Alicia Keys on April 7th. I am a bit late making this post as some of these shows were announced a week or two ago.

But... the SB Bowl's big announcement today, Thom Yorke with his new band, Atoms for Peace on April 17th, got me in gear to start posting my upcoming dates again.Can't wait to see how my 10th year shooting for the venue shapes up!

The Sun Came Out at the SBIFF...

2010-02-13T00:23:00.000-08:00

Tonight was only my second time, after living in SB for 16 years, that I made it out to see a movie at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. The first time was only a few years back when I went to see the Metallica documentary, "Some Kind of Monster."

This time I went and saw "The Sun Came Out," which is a documentary about the making of the album bearing the same name, which was released by Neil Finn for the benefit of Oxfam. The list of musicians who contributed to this album is nothing short of stellar, to learn more... click the image below.

Separated At Birth...

2010-02-07T12:39:00.001-08:00

Say hello to my latest art purchase. For quite a while, I have wanted to begin collecting artwork that had the theme of "music" in it and this is to be the first. It was created by my friend/artist, Dan Levin, several years ago and was showed at the opening where I was to see his work for the first time. I fell in love with this particular piece, it was the perfect mix of assemblage and one of the most shocking celebrity photos circulating at the time. Unfortunately, I couldn't afford to buy.

Last night, while attending another one of his openings, I was pleasantly surprised to find that it hadn't sold in the past and was re-introduced from his archives. With the recent passing of Michael Jackson and my new found opportunity, I didn't let it slip away...

"Separated At Birth" by Dan Levin

Black Eyed PLEASE!...

2010-02-05T13:25:00.000-08:00

It appears that another good band is slipping into the shallows of the mainstream. Below is one of several images I found in Rolling Stone's "Photo" section today. Sorry Fergie... I think it's been done already...

Sarah Brightman, 1999 - Photo: myconcertphotography.com

Crazy good...

2010-01-24T01:10:00.000-08:00

Tonight I went and saw Santa Barbara local boy, Jeff Bridges', new movie, Crazy Heart. His character was nothing short of totally believable and this is the kind of movie that makes me laugh at over-produced Hollywood block busters that are loaded with CG.

I thought I'd share a couple of pics that I took of the man right after the release of his first album back in 2000. It was taken at an Earthday festival at Santa Barbara City College and I think it may have been one of, if not the, first public appearances as a musician on stage. Please correct me if I'm wrong...

Also, for those of you who may not know... the Dude is also quite an accomplished photographer. Claiming the Widelux as his weapon of choice, he produces much of his work while on the sets of his movies. Check out some of his work here.

The best music news in years...

2010-01-04T17:07:00.000-08:00

Knights of the Soundtable ride again!...

Still no news...

2009-12-28T20:36:00.000-08:00

And that's OK. I'm enjoying a break away from the music scene. Hanging with family, friends and working on my "art" photography has proven to be just as exciting. Here's a music related image that recently surfaced. I took it at a flea market in Mexico over ten years ago...Stay tuned for a recap of my favorite shot I made during the 2009 concert season.

The latest concert photo news is...

2009-12-18T00:37:00.000-08:00

Well, there isn't any! I am spending most of my time trying to figure out how to bring in a buck these days. I'm not shooting any music stuff at the moment because nobody wants to cross my palms with silver. Scanning film, retouching and tutoring in Photoshop are making my ends meet these days... so I'll stick with that til' the next good concert gig presents itself.

Until then, remember...

I Shot Rock...

2009-11-13T15:18:00.000-08:00

I'll be exhibiting three images in an upcoming, group photo show of live music photography this month. Myself and about ten other photographers will be displaying work along with a live performance by local punk band, Crying 4 Kafka, at Jensen's Main Stage here in SB. If you are reading this and in the area during the opening, go check it out. That way you can tell me how cool it was since I will be traveling at the time and won't be able to make it.

There will be quite a variety of musical genres in the show, ranging from Nine Inch Nails to the Grateful Dead. Details below...And if you can't make it... here's my three images that will be in the show, just imagine them big...

Remembering Kenny...

2009-10-23T23:35:00.000-07:00

Two posts today... I couldn't go without mentioning my buddy, Kenny Catlin, who cashed his chips in way too early... five years ago today. Kenny died in a motorcycle crash while riding fire roads in the Los Padres National forest, on the backside of the mountains here in Santa Barbara.We met while shooting live music. We actually stood next to each other and shot one show at the SB Bowl before we ever met, I even took a shot of him at that time. (posted below) It was during New Found Glory's performance at the venue in 2003. It was the first show of the season and my first show as house photographer (again) after leaving in 2000 to live in SF. I remember thinking... aahh, this guy is blocking my chance of getting a shot, as the lead singer came to the edge of the stage. Then I thought... heck, I'll just include him as part of the scene and hope for the best. I didn't give it much thought after that.Probably two or three days later, I went to the local club, Velvet Jones, to shoot the band, Blazing Haley. I got there way too early to be sure I could get a good spot next to the stage. I go through the front door of the joint and there's Kenny, leaning against the bar, the only other guy in the place... with his camera too! I told him about the picture I had taken of him, which I think raised an eyebrow, but he knew we were both live music photo geeks and we bonded right away.

I'm fortunate to have been able to shoot elbow to elbow with him for many more shows at the SB Bowl in the next year and a half that he was alive... sharing in something that we were both passionate about.

You are missed Kenny...

More Happy Endings...

2009-10-23T12:02:00.000-07:00

Ok, that's it for real this time. My official shooting season ended tonight with the Monsters of Folk show. Originally scheduled to take place at the Santa Barbara Bowl, tonight's show was moved to the newly remodeled Granada Theater in downtown SB.

And... like my last post of happy endings, another person is moving on. The publicist, Anna Suarez, for Nederlander Concerts (the company that promotes the SB Bowl shows), is climbing up the music industry's corporate ladder. Anna will be moving on to do promotions and marketing for Goldenvoice at Club Nokia in LA. Congratulations Anna, you will be missed! The good news is... she is being replaced by another Anna and, it's one I already know. I met the new Anna at club SOhO here in town, where she was doing the show bookings at one time. Welcome Anna, I look forward to working with you next season!

Speaking of SOhO, I do plan to starting hanging out there more. Now that the season is over at the SB Bowl I will be taking advantage of the fact that one can see live music there 7 nights a week. Muddy Waters Cafe and the Velvet Jones here in SB will also be on my radar as places to see and shoot shows during the winter.

Ok, here's a couple pics from the real final show of the season...

More from the Joshua Tree Music Fest...

2009-10-20T01:10:00.001-07:00

Shots I like, that didn't make it onto JamBase.com

Joshua Tree Roots Music Festival pics...

2009-10-14T23:55:00.000-07:00

A selection of my photos from the Joshua Tree Roots Music Festival are posted on JamBase.com, click HERE to check them out.

Check back in to see some of my favorites from the event, which I'll post here soon.

New sections for website coming soon...

2009-10-13T17:03:00.000-07:00

I think that keeping current work on one's website is of most importance. You want people to know what you are doing "right now" to show what you are capable of. But... what about all of the old work you've done? The stuff that shows you've been around... honing your craft for a while?

Well, I'm starting to think... that stuff is important too. I have a few classic shots in the "Portfolio" section of my website (soon to be moved), but I am preparing to add sections just for the early stuff I've shot. In the least... it'll be fun to look at.

UPDATE: I'm am indecisive as all get out. This update never happened, better enjoy the pictures below right here cuz it's the only place you're gonna see them for now.

Here's a few I have ready to go, all taken at the SB Bowl...

Happy Endings...

2009-10-13T01:14:00.000-07:00

Tonight, Blink 182 played the last show of their tour, which was the last show of the SB Bowl season, on Sam Scranton's (SB Bowl General Manager) last day working for the venue. Sam has spent the better part of two decades taking Santa Barbara's little crumbling "Bowl" and turning it into a full-blown concert venue that attracts some of the biggest names in the industry.

Enjoy retirement Sam!...Here are some shots from tonight, including opening acts, The Aquabats and The Telecasters...

So close, yet soooo far away...

2009-10-04T16:42:00.001-07:00

It's funny how things work sometimes. Last night I photographed Loggins & Messina at the SB Bowl from the soundboard, my most hated vantage point at the venue. I found myself thinking back to only a few years ago when they came through, in 2005, and how I had "All Access." Mind you, I was hired by Rhino Records to shoot stills, for possible usage as artwork, on the Live CD and DVD that were being recorded that night.

I showed up last night knowing that the Gabe Dixon Band was opening up the show, but I didn't know anything about them. Come to find out, Gabe Dixon is the keyboard player who tours with Loggins & Messina and I had also photographed him before, in 2005, when they last played.

Here's a couple of last nights pics from afar...

Gabe Dixon Band

Loggins & Messina

...and here's a couple from 2005, so close on one, I couldn't even get my shadow out of the picture...

Gabe Dixon

Loggins & Messina

Night Ranger & Journey...

2009-10-03T01:25:00.000-07:00

This show was a blast to shoot. It started out great when we photographers found out that we could shoot from the pit vs. the wings, which is where we were suppose to originally shoot from. That was followed up by good lighting and seasoned showmanship. It's a shame that the music world often forgets about talent like this and moves on to what is supposedly the next best thing.

By the way, if you are one of those people who thinks Journey is not Journey, without Steve Perry (like I thought), think again. Arnel Pineda brings it in a whole new way, and yes... he does sound just like Steve.

Have a gander...

Night Ranger
Journey

CSN...

2009-10-03T01:22:00.000-07:00

The Crosby, Stills and Nash show on Thursday was pretty much this simple...

Some New Noise...

2009-09-30T12:54:00.000-07:00

Another great music event is being put on right here in Santa Barbara, New Noise Santa Barbara is happening Oct. 8, 9 and 10. Unfortunately (and fortunately), I'll be heading out of town to shoot the Joshua Tree Roots Music Festival and will miss most of it...

More from the West Beach Music Fest...

2009-09-26T10:39:00.001-07:00

Here's another couple handfuls of shots that I dig from the Festival. Scroll down a few posts to see Days 1, 2 & 3 if you missed them...

The Last Day Saloon...

2009-09-25T00:56:00.000-07:00

In the year 2000 I moved from Santa Barbara to San Francisco. I lived in the Presidio Heights section of the city which wasn't too far from the Inner Richmond District. Being a fan of live music, particularly "Jam Bands," it didn't take me long to find a sweet little venue called, The Last Day Saloon on Clement Street.

I saw quite a few shows there before moving back to SB in 2003. Not too long after my return here, I read that the venue shut down after three decades of being in business. The saying seems true, "All good things must come to an end." I thought I'd share this brief tid bit with you as I was feeling a bit nostalgic this evening after stumbling across a couple of images I made while seeing shows there. I had prepped these files for web some time ago but they never made out of a folder which got buried on my hard drive.

There are many more images I made at shows I saw in my days of hanging out there, but I thought I'd better post these two for fun before I loose them again...

Josh Clark - Tea Leaf Green, 2000
Dana Monteith - Ominous Seapods, 2000

Maybe some day in the not-so-distant future I will pull together a nice post of the best images I made while seeing shows there. The happy ending to this story is... The Last Day Saloon in SF wasn't the only one. There is also a location in Santa Rosa which is still in operation today and offering great live music.

West Beach Music Festival - Day 3...

2009-09-20T22:53:00.001-07:00

The last 3 posts are just a handful of the images I've made over the past 3 days. Check back in the near future for more of my favorites from the event. This was the third year of the event (2nd time I've shot it) and by far the biggest. It was estimated that 12,000 people showed up on the final day.

M.C. for the event, Mike Dawson

Rebelution

Dirty Heads
Members of Loomis and the Lust backstage
Pepper

West Beach Music Festival - Day 2...

2009-09-20T13:36:00.001-07:00

Still Time

G-Love on the Kid Stage... "Milk and Cereal!"
The Bravery
G-Love and Special Sauce
Rey Fresco
Kinsella Brothers
Ben Harper and Relentless 7

West Beach Music Festival - Day 1...

2009-09-19T13:14:00.000-07:00

Loomis & The Lust
The Aggrolites

Donavon Frankenreiter

Ozomatli

Steel Pulse
Bassnectar

It's killing me...

2009-09-16T22:31:00.000-07:00

Another night at the soundboard. This is beginning to happen waaaay to often. The Killers were kind enough to let us shoot I suppose, but it's not like their old and wrinkled up? What's the hang-up? And... because of this, I had to shoot New York Dolls from there too! So not punk rock...The two remaining Dolls... "Buster" is looking a little stoney here.

Sylvain Sylvain working the crowd... these kids had no idea who the hell they were watching.

The Killers... killing me softly...

Below is a picture of Sylvain Sylvain I took about ten years ago at a little dive bar here in SB. Up close, in your face, no soundboard, no photo pass required...

West Beach Music Festival...

2009-09-16T22:16:00.000-07:00

I'm pretty stoked to have just learned that I will be shooting the West Beach Music Festival right here in Santa Barbara this Fri, Sat & Sun. I will be representing the Santa Barbara Independent who were gracious enough to be one of the sponsors for the event.

This was a nice way to fill the void the of two canceled Beastie Boys shows that were scheduled to happen this weekend at the Santa Barbra Bowl...I'm excited to shoot Ben Harper and the Relentless 7, Steel Pulse and Bass Nectar to name a few. G-Love and Ozomatli are always a good time as well...

John Legend & India.Arie...

2009-09-06T18:52:00.000-07:00

Here's a glimpse of last nights show at the SB Bowl...John Legend appeared in the middle of the audience for his opening tune...

All that Jazz...

2009-09-05T13:48:00.000-07:00

I just returned from the Mid-West where I was the "Best Man" in my buddy's wedding. Standing in front of the crowd to give my toast was extremely nerve wracking and it gave me a new found respect for musicians who take the stage in front of a live audience to pour out their souls.

So, now that I am back and catching up on tasks, I'll go ahead and post these images from the Diana Krall show I photographed just before leaving town. It was great to see former SB resident, Nate Birkey, take the stage as the evening's opening act and deliver the goods locally once again...

The show must go on...

2009-08-21T16:16:00.000-07:00

Depeche Mode is another one of those bands that had me wondering if... they've still got it? I can say that, yes... they do. Despite their recent cancellation of shows, Depeche Mode took the stage last night for a sell-out crowd at the SB Bowl and proved that they aren't too old to rock. From my vantage point, in the photo pit, it was easy to see that the band was getting into a groove and smiling all the while.

We photographers were allowed to shoot 4 songs last night, which is unheard of, and when I caught myself thinking that they were really starting to rock out... poof!... a loud pop stopped the show. Seems they were rocking too hard and blew all the power on the stage. Damn! it was only half way through the 3rd song. Since it took about 15 minutes to get things going again, the photographers were asked to just call it an evening. Bummer, but... there were plenty of shots to be had.

Here's are some including the opening band, Peter Bjorn & John, who delivered an equally as good set...

No Doubt...

2009-08-21T16:04:00.000-07:00

Finally got the OK from No Doubt's publicist to post a few images from their recent show at the SB Bowl...

Gotta Lovette...

2009-08-10T13:40:00.000-07:00

Lyle Lovette returned, once again, to the SB Bowl... which he says, "If the Flinstone's home of, Bedrock, had a concert venue, this would be it." He and his "Big Band" delivered the goods after a sweet opening set from, Madeleine Peyroux. I too returned somewhere, once again... the soundboard. Below are just a couple of the many shots I took, there's only so much you can do with a 300mm lens from there...

Blazing Haley rides again...

2009-08-03T21:22:00.000-07:00

After photographing live music for over 12 years, I've seen A LOT of live music. With that, I can honestly say that Blazing Haley... hands down... puts on one of the best live shows I've ever seen. If you live in the Santa Barbara area and have never seen them play, get your tail down to the Wildcat on Wed., Aug. 5th for their fiesta kick-off show...Don't think twice about it, you never know if you'll get another chance to catch one of their rare, legendary live performances. I'm pretty sure they go on sometime after 10PM. You can thank me later.

The Fray, Jack's Mannequin & Vedera...

2009-08-01T18:11:00.000-07:00

Here are some shots from last night at the SB Bowl. I was stuck in the wings using a 300mm lens...

Oh Annie... what have you done???

2009-07-31T17:03:00.000-07:00

Annie Leibovitz has apparently gotten in waaaay over her head, 24 million dollars over in fact. Now... someone else has their hands on her cookie jar (a.k.a. film).

Click here to get the dirt.

Beastie Boys cancel shows...

2009-07-20T10:55:00.000-07:00

The Beastie Boys have canceled a bunch of shows including their two night stand at the Santa Barbara Bowl. Adam "MCA" Yauch was recently diagnosed with cancerous tumor in his left Parotid gland and will have to undergo treatment. Watch the video for the facts...

I wish him well and the speediest of recoveries.

Incububs & the SB Bowl go Green...

2009-07-17T10:11:00.000-07:00

Some of my images were recently used on treehugger.com to accompany a story about the recent efforts by the SB Bowl and Incubus to reduce their carbon footprint...

Click image for pics and story...

Blazed & Confused...

2009-07-13T23:28:00.000-07:00

Slightly Stoopid's "Blazed & Confused" tour made it's stop at the Santa Barbara Bowl yesterday, bringing an interesting mix of music that seemed to revolve around one thing... weed.

Beardo

Mickey Avalan

Stephen MarleyThings started getting smokey during Stephen's set...
Snoop Dogg
Slightly Stoopid

Rock-A-Likes on Rolling Stone...

2009-07-13T16:18:00.000-07:00

Something cool that Rolling Stone recently published in their photo section on-line.

Click the image to check it out...

Incubus at the SB Bowl 7-10-09...

2009-07-11T15:18:00.000-07:00

The first time I saw Incubus live was in 1996. I was a rookie shooter back then and had traveled down to the S.I.R. sound stages in Los Angeles to photograph a friend's band. Incubus was up first and they blew me away with their sound and energy. I was moved to grab a couple of pics and to this day I want kick myself in the ass for not shooting more. Here's one of Brandon Boyd from that night, still sporting dreads...Last night, 13 years later, Incubus sold out the Santa Barbara Bowl; proving that their sound (though it has changed over the years) and high-energy live performance has staying power. Here's a few from last nights show...

More from the 2009 Vans Warp Tour...

2009-07-10T08:54:00.000-07:00

...at Seaside Park in Ventura, CA...

Scary Kids Scaring Kids
Ataris
Aiden
The Devil Wears Prada
Shooter Jennings
Bad Religion

I survived...

2009-06-29T02:08:00.000-07:00

Yes I got spit on, yes I got sweat flung on me and this year I was even treated to a kick in the back of the head while a crowd surfer was being pulled into the photo pit. Pretty standard day of shooting the Vans Warp Tour. I think I even caught myself having fun, I know these folks were...Here it is 2AM and I'm posting to my blog... just wanted to throw a teaser up before I head to Portland in the morning. I'll post more pics from the day when I return. See you in about 10 days!

Vans Warp Tour 2009...

2009-06-26T19:18:00.000-07:00

Last year was the first year I ever photographed the Warp Tour, I swore I wouldn't do it again.

But... what the heck!

I could you some more spit and sweat in my face while I'm moshing in the photo pit with other photographers who are scrapping to get the same exact shot...Stay tuned for 2009's images which I will post after I return from my art show in Portland next week.

American Artifact...

2009-06-25T13:04:00.000-07:00

Here's another one I can't wait to check out...

Month long break between SB Bowl shows...

2009-06-25T00:41:00.000-07:00

The SB Bowl has a month long gap between shows, so I've been posting filler material for fun to fill the hole.

Tomorrow, my wife and I are having guests come over for a BBQ which is a good thing because if we don't do stuff like this, we sit and stare at our computers for hours and hours every day and the house never gets a good cleaning! Aahh, the life of self-employed photographers.

I decided to spruce up my office which is in a state of undeniable neglect. Buried under a few forms from the CA State Board of Equalization (telling me how to start filing online), an "Out of Town Customer Measurement Form" with my tuxedo specs for a wedding I'm going to be the best man at in Milwaukee, WI, and several old price lists for artwork from shows I've been in... I found two misplaced rolls of developed B&W film from concerts I shot last year.

Hey, something to blog about! They were from three shows... George Clinton, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and STP. So, I did quickie scans of my favorite shot from each performance and here they are...And hey... they are all smoking. Well, you don't see George smoking but we all know he was.

Photo assistants...

2009-06-23T19:03:00.000-07:00

Back in the day I was able to bring an assistant to shows with me at the SB Bowl. Really, it was just someone to watch my bag while I had my back turned (there was no real photo pit back then) and then hang out with the person for the rest of the show after shooting.

Here is my brother, Tyrum, keeping an eye on my camera at a Beck show in 2000. Doesn't he look thrilled to be there? This was when the SB Bowl was called the "County Bowl" and it still had lawn and trees.

Familiar face...

2009-06-23T01:30:00.001-07:00

So... I recently photographed NIN at the Santa Barbara Bowl. The "open photo policy" afforded me the time to pay more attention to whom I was photographing and let faces sink in a little more. As I was shooting, I remember thinking that the bass player looked awfully familiar...I was at the show that night with someone who is a big NIN fan, he mentioned to me that the bass player was fairly new with the band and that he thought the guy was somehow tied in with Beck. Then it hit me, he was the honky with the big afro who played bass with Beck when I photographed him at the venue nearly ten years earlier...In case you didn't already know (like me), his name is Justin Meldal-Johnsen. You've come a long way baby.

It Might Get Loud...

2009-06-19T23:55:00.000-07:00

and I can't wait!...

Glasvegas @ SOhO...

2009-06-11T01:58:00.000-07:00

A small club, filled to capacity, means no room to move around and shoot. Loud music means finger in ear, forgot my ear plugs. Quick strobe lighting means hard to time shooting. No room to move, finger in ear, shooting one handed and unpredictable lighting means I'm feeling lucky I got something this evening. Good music means great show, fun to shoot...I don't know much about today's stage lighting technology (I probably should learn) but colors I saw coming out of the strobes lights weren't anything like what my camera sensor recorded. I tried to dial it back to how I remembered in post but to no avail. Black and white was in order.

311 & The Expendables...

2009-06-06T15:24:00.001-07:00

The SB Bowl was smokin' last night...

The Expendables
311

Wagatail...

2009-06-05T00:37:00.000-07:00

I met Ben Baruch when I showed up to shoot Honkytonk Homeslice at a dive bar here in SB. He approached me and mentioned that he was promoting the show and was hoping to check out some of the pics.

I came to found out that not only was Ben a talented musician (percussionist for the band , Underground Orchestra), but he is also the brains behind Wagatail Productions. I noticed tonight that the Wagatail website has had a complete makeover and thought I'd share it with you. If you are in the Southern, CA... Boulder, CO... Lafayette, LA or Savannah, GA areas and are a fan of "Jam" music, click the image above and see where some of your favorite bands might be playing.

Jackie Greene @ SOhO...

2009-06-03T23:58:00.000-07:00

Tonight's show was supported by a gentleman named, Johnzo West... soon after, a bearded Jackie Greene and his band took the stage and delivered the goods...

Johnzo West
Jackie Greene

Little Joy @ SOhO in SB...

2009-06-03T01:14:00.000-07:00

This night of music was the kick-off show for the bands current tour. No shots of Fabrizio... appearently has been replaced for the summer leg.

War...

2009-05-25T20:15:00.000-07:00

...the band that is.

Here are few shots from the War concert at the SB Bowl last night. I was stuck in the wings which is like shooting from the soundboard distance wise, only it's from the sides of the stage. My longest lens is a 300mm, so I just hung out with that all evening and tried to wait for good moments.

Once in a blue moon...

2009-05-24T11:33:00.000-07:00

Sam Scranton, Gereral Manager for the SB Bowl hit me up the other day. He needed another copy of a picture I took of him, Johnny Ramone (RIP) and Eddie Vedder before Pearl Jam's performance at the venue in 2003. The show was a benefit for Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, where Johnny was being treated for prostate cancer at the time.

This was one of two times (the other was Loggins & Messina in 2005) that I was able to shoot in the backstage area at a show. The Bowl is good about keeping the area free of riff-raff, which I guess I can understand. I was a bit nervous, even though I had full permission, about taking pictures that night. Johnny was sick and very mellow, I didn't want to pop a flash in his face (or anyone else's for that matter), so I kept it turned off. All of my shots came out a bit under and everyone had raccoon eyes. Shucks.

I'll chalk it up to a learning lesson for the next time I get the opportunity to shoot backstage again... I wish it would happen more often.Johnny Ramone, Eddie Vedder (that's Jeff Ament over Eddie's shoulder) & Sam Scranton backstage at the SB Bowl.

Street Sweeper, NIN & Jane's Addiction...

2009-05-22T23:53:00.000-07:00

Less words this time, it's this simple:

Killer music + open photo policy = sweet pics.

It was hard to edit down...

Street Sweeper Social Club
NIN
Jane's Addiction

Huh?...

2009-05-21T10:36:00.000-07:00

How come all of the new, younger bands are starting to look exactly the same? These are promo shots from bands that are all on the same record label...

KJEE Summer Round-Up...

2009-05-18T23:25:00.000-07:00

YES!, there are pictures that accompany all the chatter below. So, scroll down or... read on!

Yesterday I photographed the the KJEE (local radio station) "Summer Round-Up." This year Kings of Leon headlined the event but, as you may have read in a previous post, they denied me a photo pass. Rumor has it their reasoning is because someone in the past took images and made merch for sale. I guess I can sort of understand but, at the same time, give me a break. Is it money that is so damn important, they are gonna let one a-hole spoil it for other honest photographers out there? I doubt that any member of the band is going to be standing in an un-employment line anytime soon. Maybe it was their image they were worried about? Well, eventually we're all getting older, surely uglier and eventually push up a daisy or two. None of that stuff is gonna make a squirt of difference in the end, so... get over it. I'm sure the band affords a pretty savvy lawyer, sue the guilty party and move on. Am I jaded? Ya, a little. Guess I still can't understand? Oh well.

Seems I didn't miss much either. A good friend who was shooting for the press (news papers and magazines were allowed to shoot) emailed me later and said they were forced to stay at the sides of the stage. And if they leaned on it, some fat guy with the band would run up and push you away. How's that for good publicity?

Anyway, the bands... Iration (SB locals), Far, White Lies and Toxic Airborne Event were happy to have me shoot and I had a good time doing so. It was my first opportunity to get in the photo pit this season. As expected, I was shooting half the time under mid-day sun without any house lights. The rest of the time was muddy afternoon light mixed with house lights that were too dim to make a difference. I made the best of it and worked what magic I could in post production.

Took make the pictures a little more interesting (I think), I downloaded a trial version of Alien Skin's new Bokeh. It's a plug-in filter for PS that allows one to manipulate the plane of focus and depth of field in an image. It's pretty fun and I'd say give it a try since it is free for 30 days. I highly recommend (and own) their software, Exposure 2 as well. If you were one of those folks who had (or is having) a hard time letting go of film (like me) and making the switch to digital... this plug-in is for you!

Some pics from yesterdays show...

Iration

Far

White Lies
Airborne Toxic Event