Archive for May, 2008

Megadeth at Mesa Amphitheater

By Patricia On May 25, 2008 In Arizona, Mesa, Music With 3 Comments Permanent Link to Megadeth at Mesa AmphitheaterPermalink

UPDATE: One more photo of Dave Mustaine that found on a second edit.

I was on assignment for the Arizona Republic this past Thursday, and got to shoot Megadeth’s performance during Gigantour’s stop here in the Valley. It was my first time shooting a show this big, with very restrictive media access. I got there almost at 8pm, just in time for Megadeth, who were the headlining band, but many photogs were there since 4pm. Boy, do I feel for them. From the back of the amphitheater, where we were instructed to wait until an appropriate representative from Livenation came and got us, the crowd of black-wearing, hard-metal fans was slightly intimidating.

The rain had been going for most of the day, and fans were wet, muddy, and probably anxious to see the main act. Once we were escorted to the front, those mega hard-core fans who were behind the barriers on the first row were being systematically pulled out so they wouldn’t get crushed by those behind them. It was quite a sight, I guess. They were all either sweating or wet, I couldn’t tell, but I did feel bad for them. Also, I can point out that those security guards at the front have real bad attitudes. Seriously, you are 6’5″ and weight 325 lbs, don’t push the girl photog out of the way, at least not unless someone or something is on fire, which is quite possible at a Megadeth concert, I’ll give you that.

I got to shoot for four songs, right by the stage with my handy earplugs in place. Megadeth was not as bad as I was expecting. Dave Mustaine did not bite a bat’s head off, nor did he roll around the floor while playing his guitar with his teeth or anything. Maybe he did all that after the first four songs? Their music, loud yes, was not too bad (remember though, I was wearing earplugs), and while there were microphones for signing, I’m not too sure anyone did any. Even if they did, the loud guitar-playing and drumming would have rendered any vocals totally useless. Could one argue that metal is not for those who care about the written word?

Dave Mustaine rocks it out.

Guitarist Chris Broderick is on fire. Good thing it was raining because with dry conditions, fire, and the amount of hair on stage, we could’ve easily had our next out-of-control wildfire.

Bassist James Lomenzo. What does the Constitution say about wearing tight leather pants after a certain age? Nothing? Really?

#57 on the ‘How to be a Rock Star” manual: point indiscriminately at the audience.


I’ve come to the conclusion that drummers are seldom very famous not because their craft is not as difficult as signing or playing the guitar, but because photographers usually don’t have good enough lighting to get a decent picture of them since they’re all the way in the back, therefore they get very little media exposure. Just a thought…

Now, your thoughts on the pictures. Good? Bad? Hairy?

Medic Droid

By Patricia On May 21, 2008 In Music, Phoenix With No Comments Permanent Link to Medic DroidPermalink

Go check out this article about local band Medic Droid, and then go check them out live this weekend: 

When: 7 p.m. Saturday, May 24, with A Cursive Memory, Chronic Future and Breathe Carolina

Where: The Brickhouse, 1 E. Jackson St., Phoenix, 85004

Admission: $10

Details: luckymanonline.com, myspace.com/themedicdroid

 

That big hole

By Patricia On May 21, 2008 In Arizona, Travels With No Comments Permanent Link to That big holePermalink

Finally made it up to the Grand Canyon this past weekend. But how can anyone manage to take good, different pictures of it, when the canyon has been photographed by so many and more intrepid photographers? So I took the requisite shots of the big hole and then moved on to play with light, surrounding things/people, angles, etc.  

PS: I realize my lens is filthy…

Anyone want to go on a mule ride down the canyon with me? 

More local music

By Patricia On May 10, 2008 In First Friday, Music, Phoenix, Random With 1 Comment Permanent Link to More local musicPermalink

I mentioned before that First Fridays is a great place to listen to some good music (and free too!). Unfortunately this past First Friday, I was too tired, after spending much of the day moving to my new apartment, so I could barely stand up long enough to enjoy many of the acts.

Static Management set up a stage outside their offices, which had been converted into a sort of art gallery just for the evening. Their offices being another of those converted houses in the Roosevelt area. I don’t remember if they said they put on shows every First Friday, but it seemed like it. One of the cool things about small shows like these, is being able to just see the bands standing on the curb with a crappy pick-up full of equipment, waiting for their turn, and then setting up everything themselves.

First up was Coats and Villa. A two-man act composed of Wayne Coats and Nick Villa. As one would expect from a very young looking duo with a guitar and a set of drum, their sound was very rough, particularly the vocals, which seemed slurred most of the time. 

They were just having a good time, I suppose. And judging by the smell coming from drummer Wayne Coats, he was not drinking water out of that red cup onstage. 

Next up was Princess Ladyfriend, whose bizarre name makes them no justice. They had a good sound, but when I was asked who they sounded like, I found myself at a lost for words. They had your usual setup, including keyboards and what seemed like other pre-recorded sounds.  If I have been able to stick around longer, I would have gotten more of a scoop on that.

Go try figure out for yourself who they sound like at their MySpace . I think if this band was to get a little more serious about it, and got someone to work with them on their lyrics, they could potentially do bigger and better gigs. 

And finally, because my brain is fried with all these lights, here are some other photos from the street party…

These people were promoting something called Spectrum (it was hard to get information out of them because they refused to talk. As you can see, though, the red fella in the bottom photo is talking on an imaginary phone).  They were handing out postcards that said Spectrum would “surprise and delight audiences transforming the street into a stage, revealing the poetry and beauty of the mundane.”

Sounds pretty cool. Check it out www.vesselproject.org

 

Cupcakes and Fights

By Patricia On May 10, 2008 In Random, Scottsdale, Tempe With 1 Comment Permanent Link to Cupcakes and FightsPermalink

Sprinkles, a Beverly Hill based cupcake store, opened it’s doors here in Scottsdale this week, and though I was dismayed by the $3.25 a pop price, I had heard so much about this place that I had to stop by there before work. Judging by the line, I wasn’t the only one curious about these celebrity-favored treats. Sure enough, they were probably the best cupcakes I’ve had, ever. It’s perfectly situated across Fashion Square, so you can drown the sorrow of not fitting into those overpriced, zero-sized jeans with some overpriced cupcakes. That’s what I would do…

Check out a video on the opening of the store at http://www.azcentral.com/video/

Changing gears dramatically here.

After a nice, low-key night out at Rula Bula on Mill Ave., we headed over to a sandwich shop where we were witnesses to one of those absurd drunken fights with nothing at stake other than manly man-ness. Some dude, who was absolutely plastered, stole some other dude’s chips and then threw them across the room… does it even matter? Here are some photos.

The guys not involved in the fighting are laughing their asses off on the sideline. Look at the poor table that got overturned… they were like a hurricane! I was cowering behind Stewart, quite ready to duck under the table if needed. The fight progressed to the back of the place, where Sharon was still waiting for her sandwich, and I remember thinking, ‘oh no, they’re heading toward Sharon!’

Good thing the popo arrived just in time to break it up. I’m not sure if anyone got arrested, but the one dude who started the fight had a really busted eye, and his blood was on the floor.  I was trying to be discreet taking the photos, since I was afraid of getting a beat down if they saw me. I think that’s probably why I didn’t major in Photojournalism.  As I wisely told Stewart: I’m small, almost a little person, and I can’t survive a beat down.

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