Photos: Dir en grey
Every time I see Dir en grey perform, it feels like a spectacle. Even though they’re touring regularly now in the States (or at least ever other year), their US fans seem so starved for Dir en grey’s performances that these shows have a quivering fervor in the air, with every finale capping a catharsis. [...]
Discussion: 12 Comments »
Photos: Lee DeWyze, American Idols Live
Headlining the American Idols Live 2010 tour, season 9 winner Lee DeWyze rocked the Scottrade Center and capped off a night full of big performances from the year’s finalists. As one would expect from the Idol brand, the production on this tour was great, with bright lights and a huge LED wall at the back [...]
Discussion: 20 Comments »
Photos: Black Eyed Peas, The E.N.D. World Tour
Rocking the E.N.D. World Tour, the Black Eyed Peas delivered a fantastically photogenic performance, including big lights, great costumes, and an arena-fill stage presence. If anything, there was so much going on at any given moment that it was tough to choose one’s subject – a great problem to have for any music photographer.
Discussion: 20 Comments »
Photos: Phoenix
Phoenix sounded fantastic in their first appearance at The Pageant, a show I’d been looking forward to ever since it was announced. How’d they look, though? As long as the lights were up, the band looked great, but this set was a huge challenge with a mixture of strobes, projection, uplighting, and just about everything [...]
Discussion: 16 Comments »
Photos: Adam Lambert, Glam Nation Tour
Adam Lambert’s “Glam Nation Tour” might as well have been titled “Salacious Delights Tour,” because that’s what the American Idol alum treated fans to in a raucously fun sold-out show at The Pageant. With a full-entourage of dancers, a live band, great production, and a pompadour that would make Elvis jealous, Lambert was a treat [...]
Discussion: 114 Comments »
Photos: Korn @ Mayhem Fest
Capping the metal Mayhem Fest, nu metal pioneers Korn stormed the main stage in what was one of the most challenging – and rewarding – sets of the day. Spastic lights, heavy thrashing, and a line of imposing monitors at the front of the stage meant press had to bring their A-game for this intense [...]
Discussion: 19 Comments »
Photos: Rob Zombie @ Mayhem Fest
Love him or hate him, Rob Zombie is an undeniable showman, and his performance at Mayhem Fest 2010 was the perfect showcase for his twisted circus. With plenty of pyrotechnics, theatrics, and the one and only John 5 as his lead axeman, Zombie was guaranteed crowd-pleaser for Mayhem.
Discussion: 13 Comments »
Preview: Mayhem Fest 2010
Just a preview shot of guitarist John 5, performing with Rob Zombie at Mayhem Fest 2010. As always, John 5 was a treat to photograph, and, I dare say, a better subject than Rob Zombie himself during their performance at the festival.
Discussion: 4 Comments »
Photos: Semi Precious Weapons
Opening up for the ubiquitous Lady Gaga, Semi Precious proved their arena chops with a big dose of real rock ‘n roll. I’ve photographed a few bands in my time, but I have yet to see or shoot a band that I’ve had more fun shooting than SPW’s raw, unapologetic, and crassly fun live set. [...]
Discussion: 30 Comments »
Photos: Lady Gaga
“27 tour buses and trucks. Fans rocking glitter paint. Monster claws. And 600mm of glass.” That’s what I posted on Twitter before photographing Lady Gaga’s set. With a seemingly notorious photography policy that barred press from her last North American tour and a guaranteed soundboard position for this show, I had to wonder – how [...]
Discussion: 35 Comments »
Point & Shoot Cameras For Concert Photography
Everyone has to start somewhere, and countless music photographers working in the photo pits started out as fans in the crowd. Point & shoot cameras have the advantage of being compact, unobtrusive, and relatively inexpensive. Here’s a look at three quality point and shoots for the budding live music photographer.
Discussion: 80 Comments »
Scott Kelby Loves ishootshows.com
Just a quick link to say that your truly was featured on Photoshop guru Scott Kelby’s Kelby TV for the current episode of D-Town.
Discussion: 6 Comments »
Photos: Band Of Skulls
UK rockers Band of Skulls opened up for Black Rebel Motorcycle Club with a foot-stomping, high-energy set of bluesy garage rock under dark and moody lights and plenty of haze. In other words, a great way to start the night.
Discussion: 7 Comments »
Photos: Michael Franti & Spearhead
Opening up for John Mayer on the Battle Studies Tour 2010, Michael Franti & Spearhead delivered an explosive performance on stage in the way any great opener delivers. With bright, colored lights and a bevy of interesting subjects on stage, I loved photographing this energetic group as a prelude to Mayer’s more contained set.
Discussion: 10 Comments »
Photos: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club are one band who I’ve always seen interesting images of, with a feast or famine mentality to the lighting design. Though the band did have some color to their lighting design, the overall takeaway was nearly monochromatic, thanks to the use of programmable spots blasting white light from the back and [...]
Discussion: 23 Comments »
Keller Williams
Performing in a solo show, one-man-jam-band Keller Williams brought his whole bag of tricks to the big stage of the Pageant. And while one might think that such an assignment might be dull from a photography perspective, with just one musician in the middle of a lonely stsage, Keller’s engaging personality made it a thoroughly [...]
Discussion: 12 Comments »
Anvil!
In a triumphant performance played with uncontainable zeal, Canadian heavy metal band Anvil rocked a rabid and earnestly appreciative crowd at the Pageant on the Anvil Experience Tour. For this music photographer, it felt like an honor to photograph these rock legends, and I had a blast.
Discussion: 17 Comments »
Dave Matthews & Willie Nelson @ Farm Aid
Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds performed cozy-feeling acoustic set at Farm Aid, joined by special guest Willie Nelson for the 2009 benefit concert.
Discussion: 16 Comments »
New World Spirits
11-years after their last show together, New World Spirits reunited on the stage of the Pageant in a tour de force performance that thrilled their die-hard fans. With the audience singing back with every song during the two and a half hour concert, this was a party a decade in the making, and no one [...]
Discussion: 11 Comments »
Catchflash
A guitar solo at the edge of the stage is just the sort of act that encourages fans to put down their beers and raise up their cameras. No frontlighting? No problem. You’ve probably seen the effect – a serendipitous contribution of flash in one of your photos from some kind stranger who happened to [...]
Discussion: 56 Comments »
AFI
On their headlining Crash Love tour, AFI stormed the Pageant in an electrifying performance that saw singer Davey Havok and his bandmates dominating the front of the stage under explosive lighting.
Discussion: 48 Comments »
A Rocket To The Moon
One shot of A Rocket To The Moon’s Nick Santino, performing with his band on the Love Drunk Tour with Cobra Starship and Boys Like Girls.
Discussion: 7 Comments »
David Cook: Preview
This one is for all the David Cook fans out there – just a preview from tonight’s show, with more to follow.
Discussion: 32 Comments »
