The David Mayfield Parade dances into Jammin' Java, Frederick MD Photographer

Images from the David Mayfield Parade on Tuesday, November 8th 2011 at Jammin' Java in Vienna, Virginia.  What a talented and fun group of musicians.  They were not only a tight band but also know how to play to the audience.

I like the juxtaposition of these two images.

The Holy Ghost Tent Revival at The Folly, Frederick MD Photographer

We took our boys to their first rock concert (of their memory) at The Folly in Shepherdstown on July 13, 2011.  We forgot it was BYOB but at least we BYOJuiceBoxes.

Love the background characters.  They said this was the most unique stage they had ever played on.

Check out the drummer, Ross making friends at the beginning of the show.

It was past my boys bedtime so we had to leave part-way through, but we had fun.  In fact we may be seeing the band again tonight at Cafe Nola in Frederick.

Main Line Gravy Soppers Photo Shoot Sneak Peek, Frederick County Photographer

More from the Main Line Gravy Soppers photo shoot. Part 1 
Visit and hear their music: Main Line Gravy Soppers

Main Line Gravy Soppers Photo Shoot, Frederick County Photographer

Here is a sneak peek of a few photos from yesterday's shoot with the Main Line Gravy Soppers.  I got my own private concert.  Many more photos to come...narrowing it down is the hardest part for me. 
Rebecca Adams on banjo
Jeff Adams on guitar
Jason Miller on fiddle

Main Line Gravy Soppers, Frederick County Photographer

Main Line Gravy Soppers perform at Beans in the Belfry, Brunswick, Maryland on April 30, 2011

Lower Dens at The Black Cat

The Lower Dens at the Black Cat in DC on March 11, 2011.
Lower Dens

Wye Oak kick off their 2011 tour at The Black Cat

Oscar Night with the Stars

I took my friend Melody to see one of my favorite musicians, Garrison Starr.  Melody and I have bonded over photography so we brought our cameras.    Now we have something else in common; getting out to hear live music.  Garrison and Natalia handed out prizes for spending Oscar night with them, while Jay presented The Oscar News fresh from his laptop in real time.  Yeah, you should have come!

Garrison Starr, Natalia Zukerman, Jay Nash, Dr. Jason Kanakis  February, 27, 2011

Some of my favorite photos of the evening.

Practicing on stage.  This was the only the second time all these musicians had played together.  It is amazing that they can play along even if they had never heard the song before.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Matthew Ryan - Photo Friday, "Nightlife"

Matthew Ryan, Iota, March 12, 2010

My Music

Here is a list of what I have been listening to (and why in some cases).

Your Vegas opened for Duran Duran last year and after the show my girlfriend and I talked their ear off. Anyway, their music is what I would call Brit Pop, but my kids and husband like it so you may too. It’s lively and fun to rock out to. Plus, if you like skinny British guys in tight black pants this is the band for you!

The next set of artists is what I would consider indie music.

Last year I reconnected with one of my friend’s from middle school (really I found a lot of people from that time of my life - thank you Facebook!). He is known as Josh Joplin and I love his music and lyrics. I may be biased but again my husband likes it as well as my mom. A reviewer called him a “longtime indie-rock favorite”. Check out his stuff.

Josh lead me to his friend Garrison Starr. I don’t know how to classify her music as she has a country voice, yet lots of Rock & Roll thrown in too. A review called her a “premier alt-folk rocker”. I completely connect with her and she is a great performer as well. Her voice is like honey and you feel all that emotion and pain come through. She’s my first true girl crush.

Josh and Garrison embarked on a musical collaboration that they have been working on for the past year. Their band and debut album is called Among the Oak and Ash. They have reworked some traditional folk songs with their own bent on them. I should get a cut from all the promoting I have done for them. They are playing shows here and there so they may be in your town soon.

Garrison’s friend, Jay Nash has a voice a little like Bruce Springsteen and is a cutie. He’s the type that all kinds of women fall for. Nice love songs, but can rock out too and he is very sweet and gracious. I really like his album, A Stream Up North. He is a Labor Day baby just like me (different b-day as it is a movable holiday)!

While seeing Jay perform this past March I was introduced to Greg Laswell‘s music. Greg and Jay played an awesome show together (she my blog on it in March 2009) and I was hooked. Yeah, his music can be a bit of a downer at times, although my husband thinks it is uplifting. But Ryan is the optimist in our pairing. Anyway, just saw Greg perform again and you can tell that he and his band love making and playing music.

Pete & J headlined a show with Garrison. These two skinny guys and their band mates come on stage and boy was I surprised with their show. Who knew they had so much energy and could be so much fun?

Another group to keep your eye on is Elizabeth and the Catapults. They opened with Greg and one of her songs was featured on the latest Paste CD.

Interestingly, many of these musician’s share the same friends, bassists, and so on. The bass player from the night with Pete & J has since performed with Jay Nash. Greg Laswell promotes Pete & J and often times many of these musicians get together for benefit shows or group shows. I know there are more out there but this will get you started.

My favorite picks for what I consider more popular music and who don’t need help getting promoted from me are: Ryan Adams, Lucinda Williams, and Allison Krauss & Union Station

Isolation, Photo Friday

Trading Places

Concert

Last night I attended a concert with a friend for a Girl’s Night Out. It’s been a long time since she saw a live musical performance and this was a treat since it was a small venue and we had some eye candy too. Now I’m not a musician, so maybe this following description is not unusual

or even that great of a feat, but we were both impressed. First Jay Nash, the person who I went to see, came on by himself and played a song, just him and his guitar. This is what I expected for his entire set, yet instead for the second song he invited the drummer for Greg Laswell’s band on stage to accompany him. Then for another song he invited the guitarist for Greg Laswell’s band on too. There was a lot of talk about the four musicians traveling and touring together in the drummer’s Toyota Sienna (minivan no less!). Soon Greg Laswell was onstage to play keyboards, and it was then that I began to understand the friendship and compatibility between these musicians. They didn’t let their egos get in the way, but instead relished being onstage accompanying one another. They were able to rock out to one of Jay’s songs when he got on the electric guitar and the guitarist got on the bass and everyone looked like they were having too much fun.
I figured after Jay’s set he might sit back and view the rest of the concert, possibly joining them onstage for one song. I talked with him between sets and he asked if I was staying to see Greg’s performance-of course I was. For the second song, they invited Jay onstage to play the bass. The story goes something like this: when they found out they were touring together Jay said they had about enough musicians to make up a full band and should he bring a bass-not that any of them played bass, but it provided a good opportunity to learn. The shared bass was born. After that round Greg tried his guitar and finding it was out of tune Jay offered up his, even assisting to strap it on him. It brought a lot of laughs, but here again was an example of musicians comfortable enough to switch places, try new instruments and even offer up a favorite piece of equipment.
Of course these are seasoned performers and they know what makes for an appealing presentation. I marvel at people that can get on stage and be so natural and at ease with themselves and the audience. But last night was a lesson in sharing, something my two preschool boys could take a lesson in.

Rearview Mirror

I was talking to my friend the other day about her past and mine. She called later to let me know about something freaky that happened to her. Like it was a message sent from somewhere. It reminded me of an experience that I had on my final day of college, and thought, “I need to write about that.” Then promptly forgot about it until I was listening (and re-listening and re-listening) to a song by Garrison Starr, one of my favorite musicians of the past year.

I completed my four year college career in a remarkable four year time frame. It really was a big deal compared to most of my peers. Out of the 15 students from our freshman class photography program, only three of us graduated on time, and we were all women (and rommates).

It was the last day of school, graduation day, I guess, and my Chevette was packed and ready to pull off campus. I started to coast down the two lane road as I pulled away from all the dorms rooms I lived in, friends I made and challenged I faced. I reached the beginning of the bridge that crosses the Potomac River into Maryland, the land from which I was transplanted from. I was leaving West Virginia to go home after four years of hard work. I looked up to catch one last glimpse of Shepherd College in my rearview mirror and at the same time I must have hit a bump on that span of bridge. At that moment the rearview mirror fell, in a very undignified way, from the window to the floor. I never did catch that last look…..and to this day I remember that you can’t look back.

Here is Garrison's song that helped me remember:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTicnR-ybWo