August 21st - 27th: Impressive Opening Bands and My Four Hours at FYF Fest 2013

Had a couple of shoots during this week where I felt the opening bands, who I had no knowledge of before, really shined. So for this blog post, I'm focusing just on these non-headliners.

Pinback's only LA area date on the new tour (for now) ended up at The Observatory, a music venue that is giving me less and less reason to venture north out of my apartment due to the sheer amount of excellent acts that come through.  Serving as two venues in one, with a smaller room called The Constellation Room tucked inside, there always seems to be something noteworthy shaking in this little industrial area.  If only the lighting inside The Constellation Room were more consistent from a photography standpoint!

Octagrape played fast and furiously, like a welcomed slap in the face.  I had heard they were good, but live they were pretty spectacular.  I failed in capturing a few jump shots, but hopefully the energy can still be seen below:

So, due to a serious comedy of errors, I was at first tapped to shoot Monterey's First City Festival, then backed out to shoot FYF Fest.  Of course, once I got confirmed for FCF and subsequently turned it down for FYF, a last minute snafu prevented me from shooting FYF.  Ho hum.

Although I didn't get to attend with all my camera gear, I was able to make it for the final four hours or so on Sunday, just before sunset.  Although only on the Los Angeles State Historic Park grounds for a brief time, I still packed in a good dose of quality festival time by:

• Visiting the medical tent immediately (after tripping and falling once I parked my car) and listening to Chk Chk Chk perform "Jamie, My Intentions Are Bass" while getting bandaged up
• Wandering around both the VIP and main backstage areas, though by this time both were ghost towns
• Grabbing a tasty slice of I Love Spicy Pie, bringing back memories of how I used them for sustenance during this year's Coachella
• Singing along to Beach House and MGMT like a spazz
• Watching security guard shower concert goers with earplugs before an intense My Bloody Valentine set.

My time really makes me re-think the whole festival experience.  I skipped the long heat, sun, and dust exposure and still had an excellent time.  Although I didn't get to shoot any bands, I managed to get my camera inside the festival for a couple of "atmosphere" shots at night:

Closing out this particular week was a show by Majical Cloudz.  Normally used to a "rough and tumble" audience at the Echo, this night was particularly serene, and once more, I walked away supremely impressed by the opening bands, namely local act My Hawaii.  Using unique instrumentation and sparse vocals, My Hawaii's sound was genteel and gorgeous.  Really great stuff.  Would have bought the new album if I had a working record or cassette player.  Guess I'm just not "hipster" enough!  Some photos below:

August 15th - 20th: Southern Culture on the Skids and the Lure of Disneyland as an Adult

My first show to shoot in my "old age" was a band I loved in my high school/college days, Southern Culture on the Skids.  Already enamored by fellow Chapel Hill, NC talent like Ben Folds Five and Squirrel Nut Zippers, SCOTS was the epitome of the hillbilly party, both on record and on stage.  It had been more than a decade since I last saw the band live, a fact I mentioned to a couple of fans at the Echo, who seemed shocked because I seemed so "young."  Ha!

Although I hadn't played any SCOTS albums in years, I instantly recognized most of the setlist that night.  Even if your only frame of reference was the two major label releases on Geffen Records (1995's Dirt Track Date and the 1997 followup, Plastic Seat Sweat), it was enough to thoroughly enjoy the show.  This might imply that Southern Culture on the Skids are "stuck" in a timewarp, but that's not really fair, as the music is indeed an ode/celebration to all things Americana/country/rockabilly/surf twisted together in a retro package.  Plus, those two albums are killer classics!

As long as you're not offended by the tossing and eating of fried chicken at the show (a tradition during "Eight Piece Box"), I would definitely recommend coming out to see SCOTS if you're looking for a good, old-fashioned time.

Here are a few of my favorite shots from the Echo show on August 15th:

Despite some "hipster" tendencies with my music/food/leisure preferences, it might be surprising to know that I am a frequent visitor to the Disneyland Resort.  Armed with a ridiculously expensive "annual passport," the parks have become an alternative when one wants to do more after work besides grab dinner and a movie.  And frankly, there's still something slightly thrilling about having constant access to something that was revered as a privilege/treat as a child

Despite the Mouse House being a symbol of greed and artifice for many, I can see the beauty in it.  There are many interesting and challenging photographic subjects to discover with the camera.  Armed with a fast lens or two, I can capture unique and lovely moments at night or inside the attractions with minimal lighting.  Chalk it up to being able to work within the parameters of dim music venues and constantly moving band members.  As I visit the parks less and less with each year, and with a renewal pending in November, I am still undecided if I will keep my pass, or at least keep it at the level it is at.  I guess we'll see if there's enough Disney "magic" left these next few months to convince me. 

A handful of favorites over the years:

Here We Go Again...

So, I failed in my attempt with the 365 Project two years ago. And if you couldn't tell, I haven't updated this thing for over a year.

Going to try my best to keep this thing up. Yes, again.  Third time's the charm, right?  I hope to use this blog as a way to share behind-the-scenes insight of the various events I attend with my camera, helpful concert photography tips, and maybe answer a few of those burning questions I get at shows, like "How did you get that photo pass?"  In addition to that, there will be documentation of my wanderlust and passion for baked goods. 

So, here we go again.  Another year, another birthday, another wish to be a consistent blogger with something of interest to say.

To kick the year off, here's a shot of my beautiful red velvet birthday cake, courtesy of Porto's Bakery.  "Happy Birthday Leslie" is written with chocolate atop a piece of white chocolate over rose petals.  Gorgeous.  Glad I got a photo in before it was immediately decimated: