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:

JEFF the Brotherhood at the Echo: May 11, 2011

I was told I didn't have to stay for the evening's headliners, The Greenhornes. If I had had more energy (or just lived closer), I would have stayed to check it out, and I was still debating on it, too.

When the first of *FOUR* bands for the evening took the stage, I slowly realized in my head I was getting a little too old for this. A bunch of kids quickly took to pushing and dancing, prompting another photographer to actually call security to get them thrown out.

I hadn't heard JEFF the Brotherhood before, but I was able to see photos, and I knew that it would be a pretty wild evening. There was still dancing and some pushing, which meant I lost my spot right smack in the middle and ended up off to the side. The band even asked for the house lights to go up briefly because the crowd was getting "a little aggro."

Not surprisingly, I was stepped on and shoved, and little did I know, I would later have a small chunk of my hair ripped out. Seriously. Not strands, but a small *CHUNK*.

Some photos from the evening:

Charles Bradley and The Menahan Street Band at the Echo: May 4, 2011

When asked by music blog Rollo and Grady to shoot Charles Bradley at the Echo this past Wednesday night, I had no idea who he was. This is often the case these days when I'm sent out on a music shoot. Frankly, the name sounded like it could belong to a basketball player. I did find out later through some research that there was a former Boston Celtics player of the same name, so I wasn't too far off. But upon finding out Charles Bradley's record label was a subset of Daptone Records, it was all I needed to know I would be in for a treat.

Living a lot farther from Los Angeles than I used to be, plus just being plain older, makes one less apt and able to grab the camera equipment for a late evening of music. With no true opener except for a DJ, I arrived plenty early to secure a spot up front for the show.

Finally taking the stage 30 minutes after he was scheduled to, the band put on a fierce, sweaty, show for the young crowd. Charles Bradley seemed genuinely moved and touched by everyone in the venue, and expressed his love several times throughout the evening.

Reminding me of James Brown, Bradley shook all that he had and then some, so much so that his knee started to bleed through his white pants!

It was completely captivating. How can you not smile when you see a man in his 60s decides to stage dive into the crowd for his finale??

Some shots from the evening: