9:30 Club Concerts

Devo @ 9:30 Club

Posted on November 17, 2009

Devo is a bit before my time but it was hard to pass up a chance to shoot such a seminal band.  Who doesn’t love “Whip It”? The original band members are mostly in their 60s now and it showed on stage.  They weren’t the spryest group of gentlemen I’ve ever photographed, but the energy from the crowd more than made up for it. Lighting for this show was fairly disappointing, mostly consisting of a deep, saturated…

Continue Reading

Black Cat Concerts

Kurt Vile @ Black Cat

Posted on November 7, 2009

Visually this was a bit of the unstoppable force meeting the immovable object.  Kurt Vile doesn’t exactly move around a lot when he performs.  In fact, he generally just stands in front of his mic with his hair in his face the entire time, and as a result I didn’t get a wide variety of shots from his show. The lights in the Backstage room at the Black cat are always a bit of a crap shoot,…

Continue Reading

Best Of Concerts Festivals Merriweather Post Pavilion

Public Enemy @ 2009 Virgin Freefest

Posted on November 4, 2009

I spent most of my time in high school listening to Public Enemy so I was obviously very excited to get the chance to shoot them at the 2009 Virgin Mobile Fest.  They were on the bill at the Roots Picnic earlier in the summer, but they went on as the sun was setting and I really didn’t get any shots I was happy with.  So I was determined to get some keepers during my second chance.…

Continue Reading

Events

2009 Corcoran Fall Fete

Posted on October 28, 2009

Even though concert photography is my first love, I’m really starting to enjoy covering events like the Corcoran Fall Fete. It’s a great opportunity to meet some new people as well as break out of the low-light/no flash ghetto that concert photography can be. Corcoran’s Fall Fete is an event catering to the museum’s younger members, giving them a chance to dress up, have a few drinks, do a little dancing and also check out the art…

Continue Reading

Concerts Festivals Merriweather Post Pavilion

Paramore @ MTV Ulalume Festival

Posted on October 27, 2009

I’ve seen (and shot) Paramore three times in the last two years and I’ve always come away a bit underwhelmed by them musically, but something about their performance struck me as different on Friday. They seemed more confident and focused on their music instead of simply trying to run around the stage like madmen. It’s clear that the band learned quite a lot on their opening stint for No Doubt this summer. I have to say I…

Continue Reading

Concerts Festivals Merriweather Post Pavilion

Dead By Sunrise @ MTV Ulalume Festival

Posted on October 26, 2009

Dead By Sunrise is a side project from Linkin Park’s Chester Bennington. Although his singing style is the same in this band, the music is a bit more rock oriented and less rap-rock.  The band is touring behind their debut album, Out Of Ashes, which was released a week or so ago. But you’d never have known it.  All the kids up front were singing along to every song. I started off this set with my 70-200/2.8…

Continue Reading

Concerts Festivals Merriweather Post Pavilion

Kid Cudi @ MTV Ulalume Festival

Posted on October 25, 2009

Last Friday MTV taped their Halloween special, christened the Ulalume Festival, a week early.  Kid Cudi, Dead By Sunrise, AFI and Paramore played a concert to a wet but enthusiastic crowd at Merriweather Post Pavilion and yours truly was on hand to cover the event for the Washington Post. Rapper Kid Cudi was the night’s opening act and did a good job getting the crowd to forget about the crappy weather.  He’s a bit laid back on…

Continue Reading

Concerts Warner Theater

Lenny Kravitz @ Warner Theater

Posted on October 22, 2009

I jumped at the chance to shoot Lenny Kravitz at the intimate Warner Theater here in Washington DC.  I’ve shot at the Warner a few times before and always come away with some great shots but that was not to be on this night. To make a long story short, whoever was running the lights did a really bad job.  Lenny basically played his first song in the dark with some strobes in the background.  Song number…

Continue Reading