If We Shout Loud Enough (Double Dagger documentary) now streaming!

Double Dagger's last show.

Gabriel Deloach‘s documentary about Double Dagger, one of the all-time great Baltimore punk bands, is finally streaming on Amazon. I am biased since I am friends with everyone involved in this project, and contributed photography which appears in the film (and was even interviewed, though I unsurprisingly did not make the cut), but I truly think this is a great music doc and worth watching even if you are somehow going in not knowing who Double Dagger was. It’s full of insightful moments and plenty of great live footage from the band’s last tour, a tour I also documented:

“An inside look at the Baltimore underground music scene through one of its most pivotal bands, Double Dagger, this intimate and entertaining portrait follows the band as they complete their final tour and album, tracing the history and growth of the band and of Baltimore’s underground music scene.”

Streaming on Amazon | Buy the physical LP+DVD

Brujeria & Cattle Decapitation @ Baltimore Soundstage.

Brujeria @ Baltimore Soundstage
Brujeria @ Baltimore Soundstage
Brujeria @ Baltimore Soundstage
Brujeria @ Baltimore Soundstage
Brujeria @ Baltimore Soundstage
Brujeria @ Baltimore Soundstage
Brujeria @ Baltimore Soundstage
BRUJERIA

Cattle Decapitation @ Baltimore Soundstage
Cattle Decapitation @ Baltimore Soundstage
Cattle Decapitation @ Baltimore Soundstage
Cattle Decapitation @ Baltimore Soundstage
Cattle Decapitation @ Baltimore Soundstage
Cattle Decapitation @ Baltimore Soundstage
Cattle Decapitation @ Baltimore Soundstage
CATTLE DECAPITATION

Another catch-up post. This was a great show, two modern classic bands that I hadn’t ever seen before somehow (or, at least I don’t recall seeing them before, anyway!) Brujeria led the crowd in a Fuck Donal Trump chant and brought out a fake Trump on stage, pretty fun antics for the election season. Cattle Decapitation showed off their ever-broadening sound, they really impressed me live, and their newest record backs those live chops up.

SEE ALL THE PHOTOS HERE
LISTEN: Cattle Decapitation | Brujeria

Pure Junk @ Ottobar (plus a cool GIF)

PURE JUNK @ the Ottobar, 2015.
PURE JUNK @ the Ottobar, 2015.
PURE JUNK @ the Ottobar, 2015.
PURE JUNK @ the Ottobar, 2015.
PURE JUNK @ the Ottobar, 2015.

Digging through the stacks on this Thanksgiving eve and finding lots of old gems I haven’t posted. Here are some photos of my pals PURE JUNK from last year, playing a show at the Ottobar. Perhaps opening for Fred & Toody of Dead Moon? This was a fun night. Look for more posts soon (I always say that, but for real this time).


Also, this GIF
!!!

SEE ALL MY PURE JUNK PHOTOS (EVER) HERE | Pure Junk

Thou @ Sidebar, 10/3/2016.

Thou @ Sidebar - 10/2016
Thou @ Sidebar - 10/2016
Thou @ Sidebar - 10/2016
Thou @ Sidebar - 10/2016
Thou @ Sidebar - 10/2016
Thou @ Sidebar - 10/2016

Managed to escape from the recent Green Day show I shot for the Washington Post and make it back to Baltimore to catch one of my favorite bands, Thou, at the Sidebar. Bryan Funck, Thou’s vocalist, is an old friend and one of the best people in punk & diy. Thou’s work ethic is really inspiring, they’ve released so many great records and toured consistently without any sort of compromises. Love seeing bands who still do it right.

SEE ALL THE THOU PHOTOS HERE

Best of 2015.

Every year I try and post a “Best Of” the year. It’s a good exercise, looking through all your work for the previous year and can only help you going forward. When I started, I would get them done in late december or early January. The last few years… it’s been more like the middle of the next year. 2015’s list is no exception! I started with a big list of photos I liked, then narrowed it down to a smaller list of photos. Maybe next year these won’t show up until 2018. Here are my final picks for 2015, in no particular order:

Matmos
Matmos

Future Islands @ FI1000
Sam Herring of Future Islands

Government Issue @ the Ottobar
John Stabb of Government Issue

Pig Destroyer @ AU 2015-04-25
Pig Destroyer fan

Baltimore March 5-01-2015
Baltimore March 5-01-2015
Freddie Gray marches

BROS Sixpack 2015
BROS

Exodus @ Housecore 2015
Exodus fans

Ryan Harvey & Son of Nun - Firebrand Records
Ryan Harvey & Son of Nun

Dan Deacon @ FI1000
Dan Deacon

Pins - Unfest 4
Pins

Tame Impala @ Echostage
Tame Impala

Dope Body @ The Compound
Dope Body

Monarch Novelties, DC.
Monarch Novelties, DC

Pharmakon @ Metro Gallery
Pharmakon

Marilyn Manson @ Fillmore Silver Spring
Marilyn Manson

Dope Body: 8 years in photos.

dope body @ whartscape 2010.

Baltimore band Dope Body played their last show this past Saturday. I’ve been following their creative output for years, having met Andrew, the vocalist years ago at Sonar and quickly became a fan of their wild live performances, as well as their sound which developed from album to album. A great group of guys who managed to capture a specific and primal sound with their band and also build a devoted following in the area. Sad to see them go, excited to see what they all come up with next. Here are some of my favorite photos of the band I’ve taken over the years, both live shots as well as band photos. UPDATE: City Paper published these as a gallery!

Dope Body @ whartscape 2010.
Dope Body
Dope Body @ SXSW 2012
Dope Body @ SXSW 2012
DopeBody @ Scapescape 2012
Dope Body @ GW
Dope Body @ GW
Dope Body @ Scapescape
Dope Body @ GW
Dope Body @ GW
Dope Body @ SXSW 2012
Dope Body @ Fraziers
Dope Body @ Fraziers
Dope Body
Dope Body @ Fraziers
dope body.
Dope Body @ The Compound
Dope Body @ The Compound
Dope Body
Dope Body @ The Compound
Dope Body @ The Compound
Dope Body's last show @ the Floristree
Dope Body's last show @ the Floristree
Dope Body's last show @ the Floristree

SEE ALL MY DOPE BODY PHOTOS HERE

Dope Body’s Last Show. Floristree. 2016/05/15.

Dope Body's last show @ the Floristree
Dope Body's last show @ the Floristree
Dope Body's last show @ the Floristree
Dope Body's last show @ the Floristree
Dope Body's last show @ the Floristree
Dope Body's last show @ the Floristree
Dope Body's last show @ the Floristree
Dope Body's last show @ the Floristree
Dope Body's last show @ the Floristree
Dope Body's last show @ the Floristree
Dope Body's last show @ the Floristree
Dope Body's last show @ the Floristree

The end of an era. RIP to one of Baltimore’s longest running bands. This was a great show at one of the city’s best DIY venues. Lots of feelings about this, but it was a really nice way for four awesome people to put a cap on eight years of creativity and musical expression. Wonderful to see so many old heads come out for this, what a good night. Go start your own band.

Also: I was going to add them to this post, but it’d be too much so check back tomorrow, when I’ll be posting a retrospective assortment of photos I’ve take over the band over the years.

SEE ALL THE PHOTOS FROM THE LAST SHOW HERE

Esperanza Spalding @ 9:30 Club

Esperanza Spalding @ 9:30 Club, DC 4/19/2016
Esperanza Spalding @ 9:30 Club, DC 4/19/2016
Esperanza Spalding @ 9:30 Club, DC 4/19/2016
Esperanza Spalding @ 9:30 Club, DC 4/19/2016

This show was great. I didn’t know much about Spalding going it but it turns out she is quite the performer – both in a musical sense and the dramatic. The concert was more like a musical stage play, performed to a absolutely sold-out 9:30 Club. If you are a fan of her music I would say don’t miss out on the chance to see her live; I thought it was great and I was just some guy off the street, essentially.

Read the Washington Post review here | See all my photos from the show here

Justin Bieber @ Verizon Center

Justin Bieber @ Verizon Center - 4/29/2016
Justin Bieber @ Verizon Center - 4/29/2016
Justin Bieber @ Verizon Center - 4/29/2016
Justin Bieber @ Verizon Center - 4/29/2016
Justin Bieber @ Verizon Center - 4/29/2016
Justin Bieber @ Verizon Center - 4/29/2016
Justin Bieber @ Verizon Center - 4/29/2016

This show was pretty tough. I’ve been to a lot of pop shows over the years and though I rarely enjoy the music, usually artists at the arena or stadium level seem to be pure entertainers, like Usher, vibing with the crowd and their fans, like Ke$ha, or in complete control of the crowd like Kylie Minogue. Not Bieber. He just seemed bored, or something. Not sure if it was an off night or what, but my only thought after walking out of this show was “man, that guy really didn’t want to be up there, did he?” Too bad, because it was a hell of a light show and stage setup, and a full house.

Read the Washington Post review of the show (which echoes much of my sentiments) | See all my photos from the show

Integrity @ Soundstage.

Integrity @ Soundstage.
Integrity @ Soundstage.
Integrity @ Soundstage.
Integrity @ Soundstage.
Integrity @ Soundstage.
Integrity @ Soundstage.
Integrity @ Soundstage.

I shot Integrity (featuring Dom Romeo from A389 Records/Pulling Teeth/etc on guitar) awhile back. Great show, as always. Integrity is one of the bands from my youth that have stuck with me. I wouldn’t have guessed in then, but I find myself listening to them just as much or more now as I did when I had first heard them. Dwid also is always a fun frontman, and obviously really gets his audience. Good show!

SEE ALL THE PHOTOS HERE

Concerts with the x100t: King Diamond, Corrosion of Conformity, Crowbar

King Diamond @ Housecore 2015

King Diamond @ Housecore 2015

KING DIAMOND
Corrosion of Conformity (w/ Pepper Keenan) @ Housecore 2015
CORROSION OF CONFORMITY (with Pepper Keenan)
Crowbar @ Housecore 2015
Crowbar @ Housecore 2015
CROWBAR

As I noted here, I’ve been shooting a LOT with my Fuji x100t lately, and have even started shooting shows with it. It’s a surprisingly robust camera, I’m liking the results. Here are some images from Housecore Horror Fest 2015 I pulled off of one my cards…

Concerts with the x100t: Watain, Mayhem.

Mayhem @ Soundstage
Mayhem @ Soundstage
Mayhem @ Soundstage
MAYHEM
Watain @ Soundstage
Watain @ Soundstage
Watain @ Soundstage
WATAIN

I’ve been using a Fuji x100t – a rangerfinder-esque camera – as my walk around camera, and also doing some concert shooting with it, with what I think are some pretty decent results. Here are some shots from the recent (and awesome) Watain & Mayhem show at Baltimore Soundstage – pretty good for a little camera, I think.

You can see more of these and compare them with my DSLR photos from the show HERE.

Big Mouth @ Windup Space

Big Mouth @ Windup Space 2016/03
Big Mouth @ Windup Space 2016/03
Big Mouth @ Windup Space 2016/03
Big Mouth @ Windup Space 2016/03
Big Mouth @ Windup Space 2016/03
Big Mouth @ Windup Space 2016/03
Big Mouth @ Windup Space 2016/03

Big Mouth is one of my absolute favorite Baltimore live bands, they hadn’t played a show for awhile before this one, so I was really stoked to go. I’ve been carrying my Fuji x100t lately, a smaller camera, and I took this show as an opportunity to try and shoot a show entirely with it. It was super challenging, but fun, and I think it came out pretty well.

SEE ALL THE PHOTOS HERE

Watain @ Soundstage : 2015/11/25

Watain @ Soundstage
Watain @ Soundstage
Mayhem @ Soundstage
Watain @ Soundstage
Watain @ Soundstage
Watain @ Soundstage
Watain @ Soundstage
Watain @ Soundstage
Watain @ Soundstage

Watain never disappoints. Always a great show, always a terrible smelling show. I had heard they wouldn’t be as vigorous with the blood and animal carcasses on this tour, but that proved to be wrong. The next day at Thanksgiving Dinner, someone asked me if I had spilled food on my jeans and I had to admit that it was congealed pig’s blood.

SEE ALL THE PHOTOS HERE

All New Ed Schrader Show, Episode 1 with Dina Kelberman & DDM!

All New Ed Schrader Show Episode 1 : 2016/02/10
All New Ed Schrader Show Episode 1 : 2016/02/10
All New Ed Schrader Show Episode 1 : 2016/02/10
All New Ed Schrader Show Episode 1 : 2016/02/10

SEE ALL THE PHOTOS HERE

This week marked the relaunch of a Baltimore institution: the Ed Schrader Show! Long before Ed helmed Ed Schrader’s Music Beat, he was known for hosting the always-unpredictable Ed Schrader Show, a live talk show held at various spots around Baltimore. The show would present various notable (and often unsung) people of Baltimore and sitting them down for a chat with Ed in his unique interview style.

After taking some time to focus on music pursuits, this week Ed brought the show back to Metro Gallery and interviewed artist Dina Kelberman (check out her project I‘m Google) and rapper DDM (who is also in the stellar group Bond Street District), both long-time members of the creative scene here in Baltimore.

It was a great show, full of funny moments as well as heartfelt, insightful ones. I’ll add a podcast link here when it goes up- this is just the first in a monthly series of new shows, so you can come to Metro Gallery in march for next month’s taping.

Dope Body @ the Compound.

Dope Body @ The Compound
Dope Body @ The Compound
Dope Body @ The Compound
Dope Body @ The Compound
Dope Body @ The Compound
Dope Body @ The Compound
Dope Body @ The Compound
Dope Body @ The Compound
Dope Body @ The Compound
Dope Body @ The Compound
Dope Body @ The Compound

Trying to catch up on posting photos after an autumnal lull due to life stuff and an ailing laptop – this is one of the more fun shows I’ve been to in awhile, it felt like a wild Baltimore rager that doesn’t seem to happen as much anymore. Dope Body shows in Baltimore are always fun as hell, but this one was an especially great night.

See all the photos here