Big Freedia @ DC9

Big Freedia @ DC9
Big Freedia @ DC9   Big Freedia @ DC9
Big Freedia @ DC9

I shot Big Freedia at DC9 for the Washington Post, one of the first shows after their re-opening, I believe. I was worried at first that it might be a low turnout, but DC crowds are expert at showing up JUSSSSST before the artist they want to see plays, and suddenly it was packed! Great show, one of the funniest I have been to this year. So much ass-shaking, which is to be expected. Freedia was really nice too, I managed to get a quick portrait before the show. I’ll always shoot a bounce show if I get a chance!

Maryland Death Fest – a photo retrospective.

EYEHATEGOD crowd @ MDF2010

For the last near-decade, Maryland Death Fest has been a Baltimore Institution, bringing the best current and historic extreme metal bands to Sonar in Baltimore to play for thousands of fans. It’s literally the best and most interesting metal related event in the US. Spanning over several days (4 this year), dozens of bands play to a crowd of thousands, who travel from all over the world to be there. Because of it’s prominence, many bands choose to reunite to play it, or have their last show there, or play for the first/last/only time in the US there. Basically, it’s an amazing event. And this year’s, the Ninth Annual, starts today and last til sunday. For a list of bands and set times, click here. Chris from DC HeavyMetal posted a great Death Fest Survival Guide here.

Below are some of the favorite photos I have taken at previous Death Fests:

Pentagram @ MDF2010
Bobby Liebling of a reunited Pentagram.

bolt thrower @ maryland death fest 2009
Bolt Thrower, who played two sets in 2009, one a surprise.

maryland death fest 2009

pig destroyer @ maryland death fest 2009
Pig Destroyer.

maryland death fest 2009

Autopsy @ MDF2010
Dan Lillker playing with Autopsy.

wolves in the throne room @ maryland death fest 2009
Wolves In The Throne Room.

Entombed @ MDF2010
Entombed.

maryland death fest 2009

Converge @ MDF2010
Converge.

napalm death @ maryland death fest 2009
Napalm Death.

Deceased @ MDF2010
Deceased.

EYEHATEGOD @ MDF2010
Jimmy Bowers of EYEHATEGOD.

maryland death fest 2009

MARYLAND DEATH FEST 2010 roof view

(personal) Best of 2010

Every year I like to pick (with a little help from friends and readers) my best photos of the year. I’m posting it a little late this year, but it’s a fun tradition and a good exercise, looking through a whole year’s worth of output. I recommend it to any creative/craft type person. It’s also a good excuse to present my newly launched photoshelter page, where you can buy prints of mine (this set is the top gallery/slideshow there).

So, that out of the way, on with the post!

lemz.
Lemz, promo photo

janelle monae @ 930 club.
Janelle Monae, 9:30 Club

Fucked Up @ RNR Hotel.
Fucked Up, RNR Hotel

DJ/Rupture @ big ears
DJ/Rupture, Big Ears Festival

North Dakota 2010
Near Croakeye, North Dakota

billy idol @ HFStival 2010
Billy Idol, HFStival

Joanna Newsom @ big ears
Joanna Newsom, Big Ears Festival

lords of acid @ bourbon st.
Lords of Acid, Bourbon Street

Andrew WK @ big ears
Andrew WK, Big Ears Festival

Usher @ OMG Tour.
Usher, Verizon Center

dope body @ whartscape 2010.
Dope Body, Whartscape

arab on radar @ whartscape 2010.
Arab On Radar, Whartscape

the Spark @ CCAS
The Spark, CCAS

Paramore @ Merriweather
Paramore, Merriweather Post Pavilion

Bmore Original crew.
Bmore Original Crew, promo photo

Deep Sugar.
Dancer, Deep Sugar

double dagger @ whartscape 2010.
Double Dagger, Whartscape

car fire in mt vernon.
Burning Car, Mount Vernon

Kerry King of Slayer.
Slayer, First Mariner Arena

lake isobelle, co.
Lake Isobel, Colorado

benny stixx.
Benny Stixx, promo shot

view the whole set on flickr.

as i mentioned above, you can buy prints of all of these at my new photoshelter site.

if you are really curious, here are all the photos i considered for inclusion here.

also, here are my best of lists from:

2009 | 2008 | 2007

2010 Round-Up : SPIN

I’m posting a series of posts gathering up alot of the stuff I did this year… I was lucky enough to shoot alot of assignments for SPIN.com, mostly with intrepid writer Michael Byrne along for the ride. Here’s a list of stories we did together (and a few I did with other writers):

  • Big Ears Music Festival in Knoxville
  • Best Moments of Virgin Free Fest 2010
  • My Top Ten Live Photos
  • Peter Hook/Unknown Pleasures Tour
  • Wham City Comedy Tour
  • The Vaselines @ 9:30 Club
  • Edward Sharpe @ 9:30 Club
  • Janelle Monae & Of Montreal @ 9:30 Club
  • The Dead Weather & Harlem @ 9:30 Club
  • Of Montreal @ Ram’s Head
  • Deakin, Jason Urick, Dan Higgs @ Ottobar
  • The Cranberries @ Rams Head

    I think that’s all of them, though I may have missed a couple!

  • 2010 Round-Up: all my Washington Post stories

    One of the best things that happened to me in 2010 was getting the chance to shoot regularly for the Washington Post. I saw so many amazing shows for them this year… many of which, I would never have had a chance or even the knowledge to go to otherwise. Big thanks go out to Chris Richards, David Malitz, Ally Schweitzer, and of course Kyle Gustafson for getting me on board. I decided to make a list of all the shows I shot, and highlight some favorite ones… here we go.

    My Faves:

    The rest after the break, and don’t forget to check out Lists: 2010, the year in concert photos which has some great photos from all of the Washington Post concert shooters, Kyle Gustafson, Brandon Wu, Evy Mages, and myself, too. A great year!
    Continue reading

    The Gift.

    The Gift
    The Gift

    Last month I took some photos for the Washington DC band The Gift. They are a great band, and comprised of three old friends. Henry was in Exosus, who I put out a record for in some mist-shrouded past, Beck was in Turboslut, and Mikey was in one of my favorite hardcore/punk bands from Maryland, Tradition Dies Here (among many other pursuits they’ve all been a part of). It was fun doing these shoots, even though making a “band photo” can sometimes be really ridiculous.

    Speaking of which, we shot the group photos in the Black Cat before they opened, and while there, the most amazing thing happened. Apparently, Henry had told Mikey previously that “nothing he did could shock him”… so Mikey thought about it, came up with something, and revealed it to Henry during the shoot. And that is how I came to be present when Mikey showed Henry that he had gotten a HUGE photo realistic tattoo of Henry’s face on his upper thigh. Wow.

    PS – Their debut record “Mostly In Sickness” comes out in January.

    See the whole The Gift photo set here.

    Dave Nada’s Moombahton Massive

    Dave Nada's Moombahton Massive

    This was awhile ago, but just now getting to it… my good friend Dave Nada just moved to LA to further his production career, and he threw a big Moombahton dance party at U Street Music Hall in DC to celebrate. They have a no-photo policy there, but I had like 10 minutes between the two sets I was shooting that night to run over and get a few quick snaps of the artists who were performing, including Matt Nordstrom, DJ Ayres, Jesse Tittsworth, Dave Nada himself and more… We literally snapped these on the street in front of U Hall, with people weaving through us on their way to go out to dinner or the clubs, then after 10 minutes I hauled ass back to 930 to shoot Die Antwoord! Fun stuff.

    Good luck in LA Dave, though I know you don’t need it!

    View all the photos from the set here | View all my photos of Dave Nada from over the years here

    Howard Yardfest w/ Wale, Doug E Fresh, Trina Da Baddest Bitch…

    Lola Monroe @ Howard YardFest
    Howard YardFest    Chopper @ Howard YardFest
    Wale @ Howard YardFest
    Doug E Fresh @ Howard YardFest    Howard YardFest
    Mr Vegas @ Howard YardFest

    This was a lot of fun. Wale, Doug E Fresh, Trina, Choppa, Mr Vegas, the beautiful Lola Monroe, Black Cobain, and about a million more artists performed. I had to file twice from the event, which was a wild experience fraught with bad wifi connections and dying laptop batteries, but I did it. At one point a mini stampede of people literally jumped over me, on girl kicking my laptop (where I was filing photos), but I made it through and on deadline! I won’t be able to review the show better than Chris Richards, so check out the two stories from the Washington Post:

    Read the Washington Post Review | Read another Washington Post blog post

    View the whole Yardfest set here

    November Assignment Round-up: Kristofferson, Shinedown, Maita.

    Kris Kristofferson.

    Kris Kristofferson at the Music Center at Strathmore. This was a fun little show, also one of the rare ones where I was probably the youngest person there… the room at Strathmore has great acoustics and it was really cool to see Kristofferson live. He is pretty damn old but was still a strong performer and had plenty of anecdotes about all the songs. It was also cool to see him perform stripped down, just him, no backing band.

    See more photos in my Nov. Shows set | Read the Washington Post review

    Shinedown @ Warner Theater.

    I had honestly never even heard of Shinedown before I shot their show at Warner Theater in DC, they are apparently sort of a arena-style rock band. This was an “acoustic” performance of their material, which apparently is alot heavier normally than this was. They told earnest stories about the writing of each song, and the crowd seemed to love it.

    See more photos in my Nov. Shows set | Read the Washington Post review

    Luisa Maita @ Bohemian Caverns.

    Luisa Maita at the Bohemian Caverns. I love the Bohemian Caverns and am glad I finally got a chance to shoot there! If you’ve never been and you live in DC, find the time to go. Great, intimate venue, and a historical landmark to boot. Luisa Maita’s music isn’t what I’d normally listen too but it was a good performance, she has a great voice and a really good way with the crowd, especially at an intimate venue like this.

    View the whole Luisa Maita photo set | Read the Washington Post review

    Whartscape 2010.

    double dagger @ whartscape 2010.
    Dan Deacon Ensemble @ whartscape 2010.   Ed Schrader @ whartscape 2010.
    Sick Weapons @ whartscape 2010.
    Gravebangers @ whartscape 2010.   beach house @ whartscape 2010.
    dope body @ whartscape 2010.
    universal order of armageddon @ whartscape 2010.   Wye Oak @ whartscape 2010.
    arab on radar @ whartscape 2010.

    I finally uploaded the last of my pics from Whartscape 2010! This year (probably the last) was great fun, even with a few setbacks – probably my favorite one so far. Arab on Radar, the Oxes (who I missed), and Universal Order of Armageddon all did reunions. Lil B the Based God played. So much sweat was excuded and so many beverages were consumed.

    Click here to see all of my Whartscape 2010 photos. (newest ones at the top)