All posts in Phoenix

Judas Priest @ Dodge Theatre

By Patricia On August 9, 2009 In Arizona, Music, Phoenix With 4 Comments Permanent Link to Judas Priest @ Dodge TheatrePermalink

I got a ton of great photos from the Judas Priest show on Friday. Even though it was at the Dodge Theatre, which usually doesn’t have a pit for photographers. But since it was a heavy metal show, I guess they do put a barrier and some space between the crowd and the stage. The guys worked it out with goodwill, even with our cameras right in their noses. I love shooting these type of shows. Rob Halford and company were jumping around with tons of energy, making for easy good shots. There are a ton more photos over at azcentral.com, and you can go see them (but come back!) by clicking here.

Now, I’m sure you’ve noticed the website is looking different. Love it or hate it, I just wanted to try something radically different, and it’s a proven fact that photos look better on black backgrounds, or so I vaguely remember hearing at school. At any rate, I’m sure I’ll get tired of it soon enough and try something new again. The banner was inspired by the sticker/photo pass that photographers get at every show. They’re all different, and some are pretty cool. I really liked the shape of the Judas Priest one, so I nabbed that one and Photoshoped the hell out of it.

I was excited about shooting the Bob Dylan show on Tuesday, but it was canceled because of the ‘heat’. WTF@3$%^ were the organizers expecting in an outdoor venue at 5 p.m. in AUGUST in PHOENIX? Did they think it was going to be mid-70s with a light breeze?

An open letter to Keith Urban and his ‘People’

By Patricia On August 2, 2009 In Music, Phoenix, fail With 8 Comments Permanent Link to An open letter to Keith Urban and his ‘People’Permalink

Dear Keith Urban and People,

I appreciate that you, as a music superstar or superstar associate, have the right to dictate all aspects of media relations. For example, you can determine where photographers stand during your shows, how many songs they can shoot, etc. Perhaps there are certain aspects about photography that you are unaware of, which is totally acceptable since you’re not a photographer. I’m interested in clarifying this. If you place photographers 50 rows back at the same floor level as everyone else, it makes it rather difficult if not impossible to get a decent shot of the performer that doesn’t include at least half dozen heads. Not to mention that it’s rather discriminatory to height-challenged photogs, such as myself.

Listen, maybe you do understand all that and you just don’t care. I’m not being facetious when I say that I get that maybe you just don’t care to have photographers bobbing up and down in your face at the start of your concert and you would rather have them at a considerable distance. I am, personally, completely ok with that. It is after all about the music. But give us a ledge, some stools or just let us stand on empty chairs. You can place me two miles away if you’d like but at least allow me a relatively clear view of the stage. All I’m asking is to be given a chance, some hope of at least one good picture. 

Why even invite photographers when you’re going to treat them so shabbily? You don’t invite people to your house and then make them sit in the laundry room (although I’m sure Mr. Urban’s laundry room is a palatial abode compared to most places I visit or live in).  

That said, I must praise you on the nice hi-definition screens you had at the venue. Very nice. Still and all, I must politely ask for a reimbursement of the $27.13 I spent to rent a lens that ended up being useless, it not being submarine telescope. Feel free to contact me through this website. Thanks! 

Your most humble servant,

Me

 

Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, here are some (mediocre) photos from the Blondie show @ Dodge Theatre. I freely admit I did not procure the right lenses, feeling a little burned out after the Keith Urban and Kid Cudi/Asher Roth debacles (the latter one didn’t have photo passes for me). I crossed my fingers and hoped there would be good enough lighting and unfortunately that was a major FAIL. 

American Idols Live! Tour

By Patricia On July 25, 2009 In Arizona, Music, Phoenix With 3 Comments Permanent Link to American Idols Live! TourPermalink

Very much enjoyed shooting this concert. Say what you will about the big corporate machine that is American Idol but they do manage to find some people who are really good singers and performers. I can’t say that I religiously watch the show (nor that I bother to vote) since it airs on TV, oh, around 7 p.m. while I’m still at work. Everything airs so early here in Phoenix… our theory is that stations cater to the large retired population who MUST get their nightly news in at 8 p.m. before they go to bed. Some seasons of American Idol I follow more than others, as in read the reviews and maybe try to catch the better performances online. Entertainment Weekly puts together some hilarious video recaps of each episode that are probably just as good as watching the actual show.

We ran into Kris Allen and Adam Lambert backstage, but since we technically weren’t supposed to be there, approaching the “talent” would’ve been a big no-no. Not that I would’ve anyways. I’m too chicken for that kinda stuff.

The interesting thing about this concert was that instead of shooting the first two or three songs as usual, we were allowed to shoot the last three, since those are the songs that included Kris Allen (the winner), followed by two group numbers that included everyone. Otherwise, the first few songs only include certain Idols. I also appreciated that the Media people were kind enough to take us to our spots with enough time to scope out the lighting and the overall layout of the stage (and enjoy a few songs from an awesome spot!). Downside? We were leaving at the same time as the crowd, so I had to deal with a little bit of traffic. Not too bad, since we managed to bolt from the arena pretty fast, and Jobing.com really takes care of their media people when in comes to parking.

My only complaint from a performance perspective was that the Idols were mostly just signing covers of overly-played, sugary pop culture songs, which, I know, is kinda expected with their target audience, but some of them could do much better, I’m sure. Oh well, I’ll be excited to catch Allen, Lambert and Allison Iraheta when they come out with their own stuff.

Gotta run. Going by Tempe Camera to pick up a lens, and then Keith Urban tonight if all goes well.

Rascal Flatts at Cricket Wireless Pavilion

By Patricia On March 15, 2009 In Music, Phoenix With No Comments Permanent Link to Rascal Flatts at Cricket Wireless PavilionPermalink

I think we can establish that I’m not what you would call a country music fan. But I’m more than willing to give credit where credit is due. Rascal Flatts put on a cool, energetic performance last Thursday at Cricket. They had the high-tech, giant screens, hydraulic stairs that deployed space-ship like, and show-opening pyrotechnics so unexpected that I almost died of fright.

 

I also almost died of fright when I saw lead singer Gary LeVox’s jeans…

One word: bedazzled. 

 

The guy with a fiddle, a John “Chank” Jeansonne, was pretty ridiculous in an amazing way. And I don’t even know anything about fiddles. But I felt the amazingness in my musical heart. 

Obligatory Jessica Simpson shot…

She was opening the show. And yet she made us sign a release (Rascal Flatts didn’t), we had to shoot from far away and for only one song. You can arrive at your own conclusion on how I feel about that. 

Heart

By Patricia On February 8, 2009 In Music, Phoenix With 3 Comments Permanent Link to HeartPermalink

Heart @ Celebrity Theatre

That last photo was taken at about half a second, but there’s something about it that I like, even though it’s not your usual shot from the front. It was my first time at Celebrity Theatre, and it was an overall good experience. The parking people didn’t give me any problems nor did they make me pay. Also, they have a revolving stage! 

Ann and Nancy Wilson were rocking it out, and I wish I could’ve stayed for the whole show. Granted I did have tickets (technically, I could’ve taken photos the whole time. I love it when media reps give us tickets instead of just escorting us in a out of the venue!) but I had to get back to The Dark Tower to return a lens to Manny. At which point he found out I was shooting Heart, and I believe his words were “if I had known you were shooting them, I would’ve taken that assignment from you.” I’m thinking he was joking, besides, Manny, you just came back from the SUPERBOWL!! 

Also shot some country dude called Josh Turner earlier this week. I had to wait about an hour before he came on, while listening to random country music. I can’t quite explain, but I felt it in my soul, in my bones… how much I was not digging it.  I’ll put those photos up later on. Anyone watching the Grammys?

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