Beach Fossils at The Well

It's about time I photographed Tom Gardner's band Beach Fossils. Of course lead singer Dustin Payseur gets most of the attention for some reason. Repeatedly stage diving might have something to do with that.

Posted: 9/2/2013 at 9:53pm     Tags: Beach Fossils  The Well 

The Dwarves at le Poisson Rouge

So here is the story of how Blag Dahlia ended up sitting on my face. Actually, your imagination is probably more interesting than the real story so feel free to stop reading.

The real story is just this. He was crowdsurfing as lead singers are wont to do (especially when they have wireless mics) and was moving or being moved back towards the stage. I was standing right near the stage, no surprise there, I'm a photographer. He came towards the stage with his legs apart and I kind of reacted too slowly. I got trapped, tried to move away but the stage was right there, and ended up bent backwards over a monitor on the stage with this guy half-standing over me. He skeedaddled real quickly.

Thank goodness I didn't get sat on by He Who Can Not Be Named.

Now, I hadn't stretched before the show. Honestly I'm not sure that I have ever stretched before a show. Bending that far backwards wasn't too comfortable but I suvived. For that matter I kept shooting. It was no big deal. However I was sore enough after the show (for various reasons, almost as many as there were audience members) that I skipped their "secret" show at The Grand Victory later that night. That'll, uh, show them?

Posted: 9/2/2013 at 12:03am     Tags: le Poisson Rouge  Scenic Presents  The Dwarves 

The Queers at le Poisson Rouge

Although I have been to le Poisson Rouge before I have never taken pictures there. The lights, they're everywhere! I mean holy crap, they have lights just to illuminate the stairs which lead up to the stage.

Now for a quick review of The Queers. Tthe arms, they're everywhere! Grabbing, grasping, elbowing, reaching around my neck to get leverage to jump onstage. Ow, and damn, this was a punk show wasn't it? The Queers are one of the great early American punk rock bands. Even with a substitute bassist they still killed it, which of course inspired the audience to act like they wanted to kill one another. Can I get another "ow"? Thank you.

Posted: 9/1/2013 at 4:32pm     Tags: le Poisson Rouge  The Queers 

The Nuclears at Bowery Electric

I could have sworn that The Nuclears had one lead singer last time I saw them. This may be a permanent lineup change, I don't know and it doesn't really matter. Even if the lineup is new they still play the same ballsy hard rock mixed with the occasional bluesy number and they do it really well. And look at this, a bunch of guys actually having fun on stage! It's nice to see that once in a while.

Here are The Nuclears on Facebook (where they are surprisingly hard to find) and Bandcamp. Be sure to check out their post-apocalyptic Christmas song.

Posted: 8/31/2013 at 4:54pm     Tags: Bowery Electric  The Nuclears 

The Heavy at Brooklyn Bowl

I didn't realize quite how popular these guys are. The Heavy's video for How You Like Me Now? is approaching nine million views. Check 'em out on Facebook too.

Posted: 8/25/2013 at 3:12pm     Tags: AfroPunk Fest Afterparty  Brooklyn Bowl  The Heavy