Check out pages 36 & 40 of the September 2009 issue of New Mexico Magazine for a couple of my Black Range shots taken last spring break, 2008.

While I should be doing other things, I found this way more fascinating.  These are all the countries where people have visited this site since May 2009:

I was able to jump into one other show in Chicago on 1 August to shoot a number of artists.  My longtime friend, Laurie Stock, helped me interview them.  We requested to meet up with a member of the group Anti-Flag who sent drummer Pat Thetic to entertain our questions.

Check out pictures of Warped Tour 2009 at Chicago.

C: There's a question I've wanted to ask you guys for a while.

Thetic: Okay.

C: You’re pretty outspoken, and I'm just curious if there's anything at Warped Tour that you find controversial while you're playing for them?

Thetic: So you're asking what, ah, the things that I don't agree with about Warped Tour?

C: Yeah.

Thetic: Oh! I will throw out a lot. Now, actually, well we'll start with the things that I do agree with Warped Tour. Warped Tour has done amazing things with recycling. They've done amazing things with the non-profits. We've got Greenpeace out here, we've got PETA out here, we've got a lot of Skate 4 Cancers out here. So there's a lot of great organizations that are out here.

[Kicked out of the room into the hallway]

Thetic: So, yeah, they've done great work with that. And I've been very impressed, because we started in ‘99, I think, was the first time we've done it [Warped Tour]. And a lot of these things weren't here. And as the tour's gone on and become more successful, they've also brought in recycling programs and biodiesel and things like that, which is very good. So, those are the things that I like about [Warped Tour].

The things that I have issue with are the military booths that they have. Now, I have issue with them because I think it's crap. However, I do understand that there's, you know, we should have all types of voices being out there, which is fine. Actually, we're sort of winning on Warped Tour, which is what I like about it. But in general society, the military has [ millions] of dollars for recruitment, and it's to teach kids how to shoot people and they give them video games to make them learn how to be warriors, which I think is crap. So, outside here that's crap; inside we have much more power than they do, because we have microphones and we're significantly louder than they are. So, it's a little bit more balanced on the inside of the Warped Tour experience. But that's one of the things that is a challenge for me with Warped Tour.

But, again, the recycling and the information that they get out to young people vastly outweighs that minor annoyance of having meatheads here trying to get kids to go off and kill each other.

C: Great. So, if you want to recommend a song to somebody who's never heard Anti-Flag, what would that be?

Thetic: Um...I like the song, "Anatomy of Your Enemy." It's very loosely a song. It was on a record, I think, called "Mobilize." Not sure. I can't remember [author’s note: he’s right]. It's a very old song. And the song is about how people in power use others and use tactics of propaganda to get people to go off and fight and kill each other. And how it doesn't matter whether it was Hitler, whether it was, you know, Roosevelt, whether it was George Washington, probably, I don't know for fact. Or whether it was George Bush, and the current war in Iraq and Afghanistan. There's certain tactics that are used every time that there's a nation that wants to send young people off to kill other people. And so that song I think is sort of interesting. And once you hear the song, obviously it's not rocket science. But once you hear the song, you can see these tactics being used all over the place, and it's just an interesting experience to be like, "Oh, yeah, I see what they're doing here. It's not real. It's just a tactic that's being used."

C: As a band, do you have a mission? Like that would be your mission, fighting recruitment.

Thetic: Sure, yeah. We have a lot missions, actually. We've done a lot of work with counter-recruitment, because we think that it's a beautiful day when they try and fight a war and there's nobody there for them to fight, or nobody there for them to fight with. So, that is definitely a mission, but [that isn’t] the overall mission, but that's, you know, these little battles that we like to fight along the way that keep us engaged and keep us interested. We're also working with Amnesty International right now with a campaign to make people realize that just because you were born in Central America or you were born in Southeast Asia, you still should have the same rights as somebody born in the States. And you shouldn't be put in detention facilities and not have access to legal representation and things like that, which is what the U.S. is doing right now. They’re putting illegal immigrants into prisons, which costs the American people a lot of money and it’s very unjust to do that to people.

L: Everyone loses.

Thetic: Everyone, exactly. It’s true. Even if you’re a complete bastard and all you care about is money, there are significantly cheaper ways of taking care of illegal immigrants than putting them into prisons with other hardened criminals. But yeah, we’re doing a program with Greenpeace about trying to get Obama to go to Copenhagen to the climate summit right now, and he hasn’t agreed to go, and he needs to show some real leadership on that. So, again, little battles that we fight along the way that are fun to be involved in ‘cause there’s great people, and there’s people out there who we don’t like as much…some people who might be a little bit more conservative than we are, and if you push their buttons a little bit, it’s a lot of fun.

L: It is fun!

Thetic: It is fun! [laughs]

L: Because then you make them look like an idiot.

Thetic: Yes…well, I don’t have a monopoly on being intelligent, but I like to throw out ideas. If people hear ideas, they’re like, “That makes a lot of sense, why didn’t I act on that information?”

L: So, it seems like getting ideas out is really important to you through your songs.

Thetic: Yeah.

L: Do you find that it helps you come up with songs to match lyrics, or does it sometimes make it hard…

Thetic: It’s a little bit of both. Lots of times, just living life you see something like, “I can’t believe that’s going on. It’s fuckin’ nuts.” And so that inspires you to like, grab three chords and you make a song out of it, and lots of times that kind of stuff happens. Other times, there’s some jammin’ tours that we’re like, “Ahh...what is something that’s important to us that’s going on in the world right now?” and then we’ll fit the ideas with the music that we’ve already created. So, it kind of goes both ways. But, in the end, our best stuff is stuff that we’re most passionate about which ends up being the best songs…are the ones with really, really strong ideas that we believe in.

C: So is there something you would want readers to know about you that they wouldn’t already know?

Thetic: I have goldfish. And I love them dearly.

C: You have goldfish!

Thetic: I do.

C: I do too.

Thetic: Do you really?! High five!

C: Boca and Kosher.

Thetic: Very nice, are you Jewish?

C: No.

Thetic: No, you just like ‘kosher,’ huh? [laughs]

L: I named them. I was like, “You know, they’re actually kosher, you could probably name them kosher…” so she named one of them Kosher.

Thetic: Nice, nice. I have like, five or six of them. I have a pond in my backyard I dug up myself. It’s not very big, but I dug it myself. And I have: Chairman Mao…Chairman and Mao, those are two of my fish. And I have Butch, one is Shamu, and the little kids in the neighborhood, they gave me a little one they won at a fair one of those horrible fish that you put in a plastic bag. And they were like, “This fish is gonna die!” and I’m like, “Ok…put him in my pond…” So now he’s bigger. And his name, er, her name is Prince Caspian. Which I don’t back the name, but the kids liked it.

C: You miss them?

Thetic: I do miss them, a lot. Especially now, especially in the summertime when it’s warm out and just get on the deck I built around the pond…and you throw food to them, and they love you. Good times.

L: What’s a question you wish people would ask you in an interview?

Thetic: How’d you get so cool? That’s the question.

L: Ok…how did you get so cool?

Thetic: It is…it is amazing how…ah, there’s no question. Actually, I talk more than most people. So I get to say whatever I want. Even if you ask me a question like, “What color is your underwear?” I will take it in the direction I want it to go. I’ll be like, “Well, the interesting thing about underwear choices and the color is that…there isn’t really a problem with underwear, unless it’s manufactured with a sweat shop. When there’s dye color, especially wearing black clothes, black color is very bad for the environment, so we really need to come up with new color…” [laughs]

L: Black is bad for the environment?

Thetic: Yeah, especially jeans. The design process of black jeans is…horrible. And that’s why most of them are not made in the States. It’s very unusual to find black jeans made in the States. But I’m still wearing them. They’re cool…can’t be perfect…

[I’d been wondering this since seeing backstage at Warped Tour in Las Cruces, NM, on 1 July 2009]

C: Is it hard to be vegan on Warped Tour?

Thetic: No, especially on Warped Tour. They make delicious vegan food every day. When we go to places like Russia, it’s a challenge because they can’t understand why anybody would be vegan in the first place…then, they don’t have food options because they’re like, “Why wouldn’t you eat meat? Everybody loves to eat meat.”

L: [referring to the movie ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding’] I make lamb!

Thetic: [laughs] Yeah, exactly! “Wait, wait, ok, you don’t want that, how about chicken?” And I’m like, “No, I don’t eat chicken.” “How about fish?” and I’m like, “No…I don’t eat any of that. I’m sorry…” They gave us a lot of pickled vegetables which were really disgusting. And they were struggling…and it was great because they were trying so hard to accommodate us.

L: They meant well.

Thetic: Yeah, exactly. And it was like, “Agh…I’d love to eat that but…that’s just disgusting.” So, it’s not that hard to be a vegan, especially in the lifestyle that we have at this point, where most places we go, there’s somebody there who’ll help me find something to eat.

L: What’s your favorite band on the Tour that you get to see that you don’t normally get to see?

Thetic: I enjoy The A.K.A.s. They’re a very good band. I like a band called The Architects, who are a good band…I’d like to do some more work with them. We’ve been doing this tour for…well, we started in ’99, but we know all the bands…all the older bands we’ve done tours with and have been around forever. We know everybody. It’s funny that way. It’s like; it is a big punk rock summer camp. It’s really like a dysfunctional family reunion.

L: Cool

Thetic: Very good.

L: I think that’s all.

Thetic: Cool.

L: Thank you.

C: Nice meeting you.

Thetic: Nice meeting you, great questions, very nice.

Less Than Jake is one of my favorite bands to shoot.  The band members are all over the place, and they love interacting with the crowd.  Makes for great, fun photography.  On our down time, Laurie and I were able to grab Buddy Schaub of Less Than Jake for a pretty long interview.  Hopefully you can read his humor through the transcription.  We hit on 'serious' questions about the band and eventually touch on breakfast foods thanks to his suggestion.

Buddy: I’m Buddy from Less Than Jake. I play the trombone and I’m a total idiot.

L: Awesome. You’re photogenic!

Buddy: Oh yeah? Lookin’ at the pictures? They were all pictures of me?

L: Pretty much.

C: I shot Las Cruces…you shot everybody with a water gun.

Buddy: Yeah, did I shoot you with a water gun?

C: Almost.

Buddy: It was a little weird today shooting people with a water gun because it was raining. I felt myself a little…kinda like a dick, almost…I was like, “Hey hey, wet? Heeey, you are now!”

L: So, what’s your favorite part about Warped Tour? This isn’t your first one…

Buddy: Oh, no, this is our 855th Warped Tour.

L: So what keeps you coming back?

Buddy: Actually, we keep saying we’re not coming back, and somehow we keep getting pulled back. It is, and everyone says it all the time, but it really is like punk rock summer camp. I mean, the best part about doing it, actually, to be honest with you, is when you do the whole thing…as much as it is the worst thing, too cause it’s a long, grueling tour. But when you’re on the whole thing, you get to experience the whole ride of the Warped Tour. Which is like…a crazy, weird thing. For the first couple of weeks are like everybody’s kinda getting to know each other, or like the newbies not knowing what to do in the catering line, they’re like ‘Meeewr!’ runnin’ around all freaking out, pullin’ their hair out…they don’t know how to get ice.

L: Yeah they’re bald by the end.

Buddy: Yeah, exactly. But like by third week, you know, the barbeques start picking up after the show, and people start getting new friends, and then you have these couples start forming on the tour. So then around the fifth week, though, there’s the drama, people start breaking up, and you get some long drives again and people are kinda like, ‘Awww, no.’ People get the doldrums on the Warped Tour. Then, the last week and a half to two weeks, things start picking back up again. ‘Ohh, we might never see each other again!’ It’s like this whole grand hurrah. It’s like this weird up and down ride, like being on an elevator all summer.

L: Do you have any recording projects?

Buddy: When we get back from this, actually, we are going to start writing a new record. We’re not gonna actually start recording anything yet, but it’s gonna get interrupted unfortunately in November. We’re going to go on another tour around the U.S., a headlining tour, so that’ll be cool. But, it’s always kind of weird to start writing records and having to leave that mode and start touring…you have to kind of warm up and practice. It’ll probably be this time of year. Earliest, May it’ll be out…that’s all total rumor.

L: Total rumor, you didn’t hear from us.

Buddy: It depends on if we have any songs. “Let’s start writing!” and you look at each other, “Uhh…you writing anything?”

L: So when you do write, how does that normally work, you just jam together, does someone throw something out…?

Buddy: Usually people have some sort of like, ideas going around, well Vinnie writes all the lyrics, our drummer, which is weird – he doesn’t sing any of them. And Roger will have this shell of a song and we’ll kind of bring it out and we can all jumble it around a little bit…and perform parts and figure out what melody’s going…then we’ll toss that idea around with Roger. So it’s a big melting pot, really. Our band is like America! U.S.A.!

L: So if you have disagreements, how…”I think the punch should go this way,” and someone goes, “No, I really like my part here..”

Buddy: Whoever yells the loudest. And the most frequently, gets their way. That’s like the worst part about the writing thing, is when you butt heads ‘cause there’s five of us. It’s not like one person is like, “Here’s the sheet music, figure it out.”

L: It’s like a bunch of women in the kitchen.

Buddy: Exactly. And it’s weird ‘cause you need to be very subjective, so there is no right or wrong, there’s no such thing as playing a wrong note. It’s more like, “I don’t like that,” or “I like that,” so it can’t turn into, “Fuck you…fuck you…”

L: Have you ever thought of taking those alternatives, though, and making those into another version of the song?

Buddy: Sometimes that actually does happen; there’s the demo version that has different or more parts on it or something. But yeah, sometimes there is a different version. Once we kind of hash out what it is we all come to some sort of agreement. Either or, it works itself out in the long run. Somebody who yells the loudest finally gets their way, I guess. Or someone runs off and pouts and slams the door the most amount of times. “I’m takin’ my bat and my ball and I’m goin’ home!”

L: Who is that, normally?

Buddy: Eh, it’s a variety. Well, when it comes to music, Roger gets his way a lot.

L: So do you hope to still be doing this ten years down the road?

Buddy: Well…ten years ago, if you asked me that, I wouldn’t have thought it was still gonna happen, so I try to shoot for three months at a time. ‘Cause that’s sort of what gets planned, usually…we try to plan out a whole year but sometimes it can change. So, that’s the weirdest part about being in a band, actually, is you don’t really have any career longevity, you don’t know, there’s no job security in it. Yeah, like Roger just bangs my ex-girlfriend or something and then it’s over!

L: That’s one way to go down.

Buddy: So hopefully in ten years we’re not, you know…going out with wheelchairs and oxygen.

L: Do you think it’ll ever come to a point where you’re still performing, but it’s like…you should have stopped?

Buddy: [laughs] I hope not! Yeah, when we’re not having fun, and we’re not up there totally enjoying ourselves, I think that’ll become
obvious to not only us but the crowd. I mean, hopefully we know when to quit, but we might not…we might just be like, “We don’t know what else to do! We gotta keep doing this.”

L: So, is this what you saw yourself, you said, ten years ago this isn’t…

Buddy: No, I mean I have a degree in psychology, I thought I was gonna go get my master’s and maybe my doctorate and go teach…whatever. But you know I always wanted to something but I just didn’t think it was realistic, in this case we got lucky…not everybody gets to, but you know, we worked pretty hard to get here. Toured a lot, did a lot stuff, laid the groundwork, but even people that do that, like I know bands that toured super hard and fizzle out at some point. For us, somehow, it just keeps happening…we’re like, “I dunno why people are still listening to us, but they are!”

L: You just got lucky?

Buddy: Yeah, pretty much. Ah, but again, part luck and, you know, we definitely put in the time and effort.

L: But are you happy with it, the way it’s gone?

Buddy: Oh yeah, I’m really stoked! Are you kidding me?

L: Yep.

Buddy: Again, like I said, there’s tons of bands out there that are better musicians, and better at a lot of things. Somehow, we are where we are. And we never got that huge success that could have killed us, like there was a point where, in the late 90s when all the ska was going on, we had got like…super huge. Well, a lot of times bands get really big, and then they’re like a flash in a pan and everyone forgets. We just kinda rode that out.

L: Very cool. So, what would be your advice to a new band?

Buddy: I love this question now. ‘Cause I’ve gotten this question for like, fifteen years and I used to give the full, “Aw you should do this, you should do that…” Now I say you should probably quit. Too many bands, not enough room for you. If you haven’t started already, then just hang it up. That’s what I’m telling people. That’s my new advice. There’s too many of you! It’s easy to buy equipment and record stuff, make your demo, but it’s way easier than it used to be to be in a band…and go on tour like you have your iPhone and you’re Google Mappin’ the area. So I think that it’s too easy for bands these days, and I think that a lot of people that shouldn’t be in a band are trying to be in a band. Hang it up, all of you!

C: What do you think about Rock Band?

Buddy: Oh yeah, that’s the same thing. Those people are like, “You guys, I’m totally rippin’ on my expert level and I’m totally awesome, now I should pick up guitar and try and figure it out.”

L: Yeah but you’re pressing six buttons.

Buddy: Yeah exactly. Green, red red red, green blue, orange orange orange…

L: Yeah that doesn’t really translate.

Buddy: Nah it doesn’t. But it’s weird ‘cause it does translate the other way. If you’re a decent guitar player, and you try to play, you already have that rhythm side of it down. It’s just like figuring out the pattern of the buttons. There’s kinda some sort of thing going on already so it’s an easier jump into. Than going the other way, it’s easier. If you’re really good at Rock Band you might not be able to pick up guitar playing. A little more going on.

L: So what do you hope to do with this next album?

Buddy: We hope to put some notes, and melodies, and beats into a digital format.

L: And have fun with it.

Buddy: In the right combination of ones and zeroes. So that people can download those ones and zeroes off the internet for free. Eh, there’s no goals in that. When we go in to write, it’s not like we’re going to try and make it sound like ‘this’ this time. Like I said, we’re a melting pot, whatever comes out at the end is what it is.

C: Are you the kind of band that locks themselves in a room and play?

Buddy: Yeah that’s actually kind of convenient too, ‘cause nowadays there’s a lot of different methods. You brought up a question earlier about how we write. When we first started out, we didn’t have the luxury of Robert having a full studio going on, so when we demo’ed stuff, we would kind of come up with ideas for songs in the warehouse where we’re all kind of jamming around, but then it’s easier to start laying down those ideas and then working over the top of it. You can’t just play the rhythm guitar and then come up with the lead part on top of it. Me and JR go to my house where I have a little studio, and we sit there and kind of just hash out the horn part. Instead of being like, “Oo geez, can you play that one part again like seventeen times till we figure something out?” I just hit ‘rewind,’ spacebar, and do it again. Usually there’s a little more leeway on writing.

L: Without wearing everybody else out.

Buddy: Yeah, we kind of lock each other into separate little studios, and then we all get together sometime and figure it out.

L: What’s the question you always wished was asked in an interview?

Buddy: What…do you like to have…on your…eggs in the morning? Ok, how about, what’s your favorite breakfast? Like from top to bottom?

L: Pancakes and sausage.

Buddy: Pancakes and sausage? With syrup?

L: Oh, yeah!

Buddy: Do you put the syrup on the top and…

L: Well, I put syrup on everything. Syrup in the orange juice…

Buddy: Real sausage or fake sausage?

L: It doesn’t matter. They taste the same. What about for you?

Buddy: I don’t know, I wasn’t gonna answer my question. I’m a very breakfast-y, fanatic-y kind of guy, and I really like breakfast. I’m definitely into the typical eggs…two eggs over medium, hash browns or home-fried potatoes are better. I’m a big fan of the breakfast sandwich, too.

L: You have any other questions? [to C]

C: No.

L: You don’t have any? [to C]

C: She’s the talker. I’m the photographer.

Buddy: Yeah I got that! You two sisters?

L: No, we’re actually best friends who grew up together.

Buddy: Ah really, nice. In Chicago?

L: Yep, same town.

Buddy: Southside of Chicago? Are you guys like hard-out thugs?

C: I love the Southside, but we’re from the Northside. White Sox.

L: Cubs.

Buddy: Uh oh. Things split between you guys?

C: Sometimes. It’s scary.

Buddy: We recorded the last record here, you know. Yeah, Matt Allison [producer, recorded GNV FLA at Atlas Studios].

L: I do have one last question. What are the changes you’ve seen in the audience?

Buddy: Like when we’re on our own tour, or on the Warped Tour?

L: Either one.

Buddy: On our own tour, it’s usually a lot of the same stuff, I mean if you want to spread it more than a few years over the last ten years, some of our fans keep getting older, but they still keep coming somehow. All the sudden now there’s people at the bar where before the bartender would be like, “I’m not getting tips!” So, the age thing is kind of different I guess. But I dunno, our crowd’s always been kind of the same, a bunch of punk-rock little bastards runnin’ around with the same outfits on. Although, the fashion these days is really bad. On the Warped Tour, now, we have 3OH!3 fans and stuff which are all little thirteen-year-old girls. What I’m not a big fan of is the fashion that’s going on. I already lived through the 80s once so I don’t need to see all these bright, thick-print, fluorescent, gold crap. I hated it the first time, so I’m like, “Oh God, it’s back? How is this possible?” And that just makes me old. ‘Cause when you live through the repeat of fashion, that means you’re like, “Back in my day…” All things must pass.

L: Very cool.

Buddy: Yay!

C: Yay!

*Sorry if the pictures from the past few days don't look right.  I'm working on a monitor that isn't calibrated, so all my images look dark and blurry.

Congrats Chicago, we beat the record for most attended show with 23,000 people!

Warped was, again, hard to enter.  I didn't get the instructions email until after I left the house, but this isn't a terrible misfortune because Bethany, the press ringleader, takes care of things anyway.  But apparently the local venue can't even speak with Warped officials (?!). 

We (Laurie & I) eventually made it in the venue and got interview times for Anti-Flag and Underoath, then raced around the venue trying ridiculously hard to find the main stage.  The shear amount of people in such a small place made things pretty difficult.  No worries, though, we got to the pit in time to shoot Bouncing Souls.  Then: Underoath, Less Than Jake, Choidos. 

Took a haitus to run back to the press room and interview Pat Thetic, the Anti-Flag drummer.  A very outgoing Jason Evigan of After Midnight Project snagged us on the way back for an interview.  The guys of AMP were a fun surprise to meet - happy, energetic, really excited to talk.  New (first!) full-length album comes out 11 August. 


And then Bethany came along to offer up more artists to interview: Less Than Jake!  Pft, of course we'll interview LTJ.  I'm pretty thankful for Laurie's people skills...I'm not nearly as good at interviewing musicians as she is.  I'll sticking with shooting them.  Had a long conversation with Buddy (trombonist), who definitely had interesting stuff to talk about.  Hopefully I'll be posting the transcriptions soon.

Laurie got to interview Aaron Gillespie of Underoath.  Fantastic job, am really happy he was able to talk to someone so dedicated to their band.

Overall, am proud of the not-entirely lighthearted interviews we conducted.  While other media were asking things like 'What's your favorite color' (Laurie's anti-favorite question), we were asking relatively informed questions.

We finished the day with shooting Anti-Flag.  Amazing, as usual - I have so many airborne shots I'm not sure I know what to do with them all.  How Chris #2 gets so tangled in the air while still yielding a bass and lands on two feet is totally beyond me.  The photo pit was pretty crappy during AF though.  There was this one photog with a prime lens and a hotshoe flash.  He kept leaning way over on the stage in front of my shot to trip the flash in Justin's face.  Really not cool.  He was all over the place too - when Chris #2 jumped into the crowd like I hoped, there was the photog.  In all my photos.

Attention furture Warped photographers:  Don't use flash.  Don't use a prime lens if you don't know how to use it.  Don't be rude or pushy to other photogs (I got shoved out of the way by a girl manhandling a 70-200mm piece of glass while I was shooting, what the crap?).  Be nice to each other.


The internet here is pathetic and keeps shutting off and restarting.  The monitor isn't calibrated so all images are darkened and blurry.  I'm thinking about getting a tiny laptop tomorrow so I can properly edit photos with Picasa and check my mail when needed.

Mouth was fine all day until I ate an amazing veggie burrito at a place called Joe's.  Now the headache's back and I'm really, really cranky.  Sorry all.

As I organize the galleries I'll update the links...

SATURDAY, 18 July 2009:
The Northern Way
Rocco DeLuca & The Burden
Widespread Panic
TOOL
Incubus

SUNDAY, 19 July 2009:
Pepper
Matisyahu
DeVotchKa
Honeyhoney
Electric Touch
Big Head Todd & The Monsters
3OH!3
The Fray
Buddy Guy
Dead Confederate
Joe Pug

Mile High Music Festival photos are coming soon.  I'm pulling an all-nighter to get them edited and organized on the Examiner.  Sneak peek, Brandon Boyd of Incubus:

Cross-posted from the Examiner.

Tomorrow, my friends and I leave for an epic road trip up from Albuquerque, New Mexico, to Denver, Colorado, for the Mile High Music Festival held this weekend.

I invited you all to suggest acts to me that I should cover, and thanks to those who did so! I'll be covering everything you asked for. It's going to be a crazy-insane weekend, but I think it'll be above and beyond fun to deliver to you photos of so many great artists.

SATURDAY:

I start off early shooting the live performance of Colorado's very own The Northern Way at the Rhapsody Tent at 12 p.m. I'll stick around that tent to shoot Rocco DeLuca and the Burden at 1:15 p.m. Next up: Interviews with Big Head Todd and the Monsters, followed by a meetup with Incubus drummer Jose Pasillas, and finally Rocco DeLuca & the Burden.

Big Head Todd & the Monsters takes the Main Stage (East) at 4 p.m. From there, I wander to the Main Stage (West) to shoot Incubus at 5:30 p.m. After that show, it's on to The Black Keys at the Westword Tent at 7 p.m. Once my three song shooting time is up, I'll be heading back to the Main Stage (West) for the much anticipated Tool show at 8:45 p.m. Widespread Panic wraps up the night at 10:45 p.m. until 2 a.m. at the Main Stage (East).

12:00-12:30 p.m.: The Northern Way
1:15-2:00 p.m.: Rocco DeLuca & the Burden
4:00-5:30 p.m.: Big Head Todd & the Monsters
5:30-7:00 p.m.: Incubus
7:00-8:15 p.m.: The Black Keys
8:45-10:30 p.m.: TOOL
10:45-2:00 a.m.: Widespread Panic

Then I get some sleep. But probably not.

SUNDAY:

I'll kick off the day shooting the live set of Electric Touch on the Main Stage (West), 11:45 a.m. From there, I race over to Chicago's Joe Pug at the Firstbank Stage at 12 p.m. I'll likely meander over to Honeyhoney at 12:30 p.m. on the Main Stage (East). Next up: live set of Dead Confederate, Westword Tent, 1:30 p.m.

A slew of interviews after that: Honeyhoney, Joe Pug, Electric Touch, and Matisyahu.

I'll throw myself back into a shooting frenzy with Buddy Guy at 4 p.m., Main Stage (East). I missed 3OH!3 at Warped, so I'll try to catch them here at 5:30 p.m., Rhapsody Tent. As requested, I'll be shooting the live performance of Matisyahu at the Westword Tent, 6:45 p.m. The Fray takes the Main Stage (West) at 8:30 p.m., and Widespread Panic wraps the festival up at 9:15 p.m. on the Main Stage (East).

11:45-12:30 p.m.: Electric Touch
12:00-12:45 p.m.: Joe Pug
1:30-2:15 p.m.: Dead Confederate
4:00-5:30 p.m.: Buddy Guy
5:30-6:30 p.m.: 3OH!3
6:45-8:00 p.m.: The Fray
9:15-12:30 a.m.: Widespread Panic


And then I'll edit the 10,000-something photos. Look here for high quality galleries in the coming days.

Even though I've been working on this every day for the past few weeks, it feels like this just snuck up on me.  We leave tomorrow from Socorro, NM for Commerce City, CO, right outside of Denver for Mile High.  I'll be working under a photo pass for the Examiner, and so a storm of articles will be posted here:  Concert Photography Examiner. 

I rented that dream lens I mentioned earlier (the f/2.8 70-200mm) and it is truly a beastly piece of glass.  The extra batteries and UV filter arrived today, perfect timing as promised by Amazon.com and East Coast Photo.  I'm going to pick up some more memory cards and so...I should be good to go.  I'm planning for around 10,000-15,000 photos which is really going to make for a long night editing on Monday. 

I've been in contact with a number of band pubicists who have set up interviews and 'behind the scenes' photo shoots with these artists:

• Dead Confederate
• Rocco DeLuca
• Honeyhoney
• Electric Touch
• Joe Pug

And... Jose from Incubus.  I'm personally most excited for this interview because - it's Incubus!  They've been around for years.  Everyone knows them because they rock.  I'll be meeting up with him prior to their show.

I plan on photographing these live shows:  Tool, Incubus, Widespread Panic, The Fray, 3OH!3, Matisyahu, Electric Touch, Joe Pug, Rocc DeLuca, Dead Confederate... and who knows who else.  It'll be wild.

PHOTOS

Thrice
Warped Tour (general)
Less Than Jake
The Ataris
Anti-Flag
The Devil Wears Prada
Underoath
NOFX
Bad Religion

INTRODUCTION
Last Wednesday was so crazy, and I feel like I'm still recovering from the shock. We got to Las Cruces, NM, early to attempt to beat the crowds and make our way to the press tent, but things never really go as planned, ever.

The staff outside had no idea what we meant by 'press tent,' even though that's what we were supposed to be looking for. One group of guards turned us away. The other group on the other side of the venue's field didn't have a clue either, but let us in backstage to wander. Inside was a whole other story. Everyone knew where everything was, and we soon found the very happy Bethany at her press tent.

Slapped on press credentials wristbands, signed up for an interview with Thrice, and made our way to the main stage where Thrice, sounding beautifully rich, was warming up for a crowd of VIPs. Minutes later, the massive crowd of people waiting outside were released to charge up to the main stage.

And suddenly, for the first time ever, I was on the other side of the rail looking back at all the anxious fans. It was a surreal feeling I wouldn't feel again the entire day - I suppose because Thrice has been my favorite band for a long seven years, and nothing would stand between them and me for three songs. I did my shooting, got out, and managed to (politely) wiggle my way back to the front where Rebecca was watching. Finally, I've seen them live. Hopefully the beginning isn't the end.

The rest of the afternoon, I dived in for the first three songs of nearly all the bands on the main stage minus 3OH!3. I got a little braver, wandering back and forth in front of the stage. It was totally exhilarating.

IVY LEAGUE
At 4:15, we wandered back to the press tent. The publicist for Ivy League invited us to interview Warped's only reggae band while we waited for Thrice. IL is a group from Salt Lake City, Utah, touring with Warped in part because of the great opportunity but also because they wanted "to experience the dirtiness of a tour." They're pushing a new album Face Front which features tight, catchy music influenced by Sublime, 311, Cake, Rancid, among other groups. Warped attendees have been making Ivy League feel welcome among a sea of punk rock and ska. Check them out: Ivy League.



THRICE
We were lucky enough to get all four members of Thrice for a quick interview. The group, originally from Irvine, CA, have been going strong since 1998 producing six albums. Their work ranges from heavy, racing guitar riffs and dead-on screaming in The Illusion of Safety, to the extremely intricate and reflective Alchemy Index. Each Thrice song is a complex poem fully capable of standing alone. Combined with such detailed and catchy music, there's no resisting these tunes.

A seventh album, called Beggars, will be released in October 2009. They've been fairly secretive about the details behind this work, only performing a couple songs (The Weight; All the World is Mad) at Warped and describing the meaning behind the name 'Beggars' on their studio journal. Dustin Kensrue, the band's lead singer, reposted his quote from a press release to their studio journal on 18 June 2009:

"I think we are at most times deluded in thinking that we are totally responsible for our circumstances, but in the end almost everything is beyond our control to a high degree and we can’t even be sure we will wake up tomorrow. Whether you believe that God created you for a purpose, or that the world is governed by blind chance, everything in life is a gift at its core; we are beggars all."

The band maintains that Beggars is like nothing they've ever done before. And variety is what makes Thrice special.  Thrice members wanted to break away from Alchemy Index's and Vheissu's dream-like mood to produce something more akin to their roots: Though somewhat indecisive as a group, Beggars sounds like it'll be a mix of upbeat tunes with some darker pieces mixed in.

The two new songs played at Warped are giving us a better idea of what to expect, but I have no doubt in October we'll have our minds blown again.

BACK TO THE SHOW & WHAT HAPPENS AFTER
I had thought about what I wanted to personally say to Thrice after the interview.  How much their music has meant to me for so long, etc., but in the end, I could only blurt out "I have to say - I love you guys."  Collective 'aw' followed, with Rebecca telling them how nervous I had been (hah).  Dustin signed lyrics from Firebreather on my camera's built-in flash ("To breathe in fire and know I'm free.  Love Dustin"), while Teppei, Riley, and Eddie initialed on the body around the lens (Eddie and Riley were even nice enough to sign it twice after I rubbed the original signatures off after shooting Underoath).

So the rest of the evening went well.  I shot the rest of the bands, and we made our escape out the backstage door.  People BBQing and jamming around circles, enjoying the New Mexican "cool" weather (compared to Phoenix's)...it looked like so much fun.  I wish I band would adopt me.

One final stop before our two-hour drive home:  The tattoo parlor.  Due to limits on money and time, I only got my arm tattoo started.  It's a small Thrice symbol, about 3.5 inches down from the underside of my wrist.  It'll be the 'N' of a future compass rose.  'FLY' will be in the center, and I'm entertaining the idea of the Firebreather lyrics being placed...somewhere.  I just need the visual inspiration.

According to some sources, getting a press and/or photo pass to Warped isn't too hard.  I'm still excited.  This will be my first time shooting at a festival, and my first time in front of the rail.  I've always been lucky (or early) enough to get in front row.  Now I wonder how it'll be jockeying for a good shooting spot with the other photographers.

Thrice first led me to find out Warped is in Las Cruces this go around.  After listening to them for over seven years, I finally get to see them live AND shoot them.  This sounds a little cheesy, but it's like they've been there for me all through college, ever since I was a freshman.  The band means a lot to me, and it thrills me to no end that they're releasing a new album in the fall (Beggars). 

And for the kicker:  I'm interviewing them tomorrow.  Stay tuned...

While waiting for the D300, I haven't done much photography the past week.  I'm trying to kick out more of my thesis while I still have time.  Thanks to being contacted about a demo, I'll be testing Unified Color Technology's HDR PhotoStudio 2.12 soon and posting the results on the Examiner.  I've been really excited about trying this software out the past week, but just haven't had the time.  I'm looking forward to seeing how it does.

Cheers,
Christina

Welcome to the family.



Now... please hire me so I can feed myself, because it's going to be tricky now.  On the wishlist:


Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 VR

This one will take a very long time to save up for.

New gallery for Gaelic Storm, shot last night (18 June 2009), is online!  Some of the trickiest lighting conditions I've shot in so far.

Excellent show by Enter the Haggis at the Albuquerque Zoo on 12 June.  Wish I could see more.  Check out the gallery!

Posted two more new galleries for a live Rhythm Prophets show on 7 June, and a promo shoot for Gimme Sum out of Albuquerque.  Check em out!

On the way back from ABQ (bought a photo printer & fast lens, whoo!), the sunset was amazing.  Took a few shots, posted my favorite in the From the Road gallery.  Not too much time other than that to take photos.

Some photos from the drive home to Socorro from Farmington are posted in the *new* From the Road gallery.  By far the most spectacular verga I've ever seen. 

Am trying to print photos in time for the upcoming show this month in Albuquerque.  Horray June!!

Photos from last night's shoot at the B Lounge in Farmington, NM are posted here:  RescueSCG launches HAVOC.  Got some amazing photos of verga on the way home, to be processed now and uploaded later.

Cheers

Today I got to shoot some photos for the new EES web site.  Weather conditions were really favorable for some crazy-dramatic shots.  Check em out in the Around Socorro gallery!

This post is for Collective Soul's blog contest. (Twitter here) They are touring this year (more about that here), and happened to make a stop last Saturday (23 May 2009) at HerrinFesta Italia in Illinois.  My mom and dad, both lifetime CS fans, brought me up on your music.  Everything in your repetoire is so familiar to me, even if I don't know it all by heart.  So these two dedicated fans drove all the way from Cary, IL to Herrin which is waaaay down south from where they live just to see you all live.  I think it was their first CS concert, ever?  Check out their drive (710 total miles!):



You for SURE didn't disappoint.  I wish I could have been there with them, but plane tickets were too expensive since it was Memorial Day weekend.  But they texted me photos from the concert and updated me as the show went on - you threw a pick to my mom but either you or she missed.  Then you went out of your way to get a pick to a guy in a wheelchair.  She said your concert changed her life for the better, and I believe it - just ask me why this site launched so quickly.  I can hear her tearing up over the phone whenever she talks about the experience.  It would make them so happy if they could meet you all, and it would make me happy knowing my folks are experiencing something so amazing.

For more Collective Soul news, click!

(if they win, can I get a photo pass at their concert?  Please? :)

Got the domain name today for http://www.govolcano.net/!  Thanks to the great support at Bandzoogle.  BZ was designed for bands and musicians but it fits me perfectly.  I've seen a few other photographers' sites on here too so I know I'm not alone.

Some things I need to improve and add the within the next couple of weeks:  

• Image number for each photo
• Complete captions and resolutions
• Finish the store

I took advantage of a southerly thunderstorm passing by to photograph dramatic skies at the church down the street.  I'm happy with how they turned out.  On the way back, I stopped by the Cap (Capitol Bar).  During one shot, a guy walked out and posed for me in my first HDR image with a person.  I really need a camera with bracketing...maybe...a pro Nikon...someday?

The 6 new photos are located here: Around Socorro

Bought the site today!  Horray...now the big task is to get all my photos migrated here and in order.  Organizing categories is the trickiest part.

Today I added all the photos in Volcanoes, added a few to the Miscellaneous Events page, I organized the New Mexico page and added a ton of photos, and set up the New Hampshire & Maine 2009 gallery in a temporary home.

This is all after getting myself locked out of my house.  The key literally slipped off the keyring when I shut the door.  So what does one do when this happens?  Walk to your local coffeehouse, Manazanares Street, and get your favorite drink plus a phone book.  $10 later (locksmith cost) and a freakish reminder of how easy it is to break into one's home, I was back in business.

Now, time to kick it with the thesis.  Meanwhile, my dad is texting me photos of the concerts he and my mom are seeing right this moment, including Collective Soul.  Of all the places in the world, I would love to be there.  Photographing the bands.  Looks like excellent lighting too, a little purplish.  Eh...

I began migrating all my work from Google's Picasa to here.  I'm really liking what I see so far- this'll probably be my new home.  I'm starting to organize and dig through my massive cache of photos to upload.  My goal is to make this site both a stock photo source and a personal portfolio.

Long day today:  got a job with the EES department as a web assistant + photographer, lined up a gig in Farmington (far away!),  and was told my photos I took backpacking last March are perfect for an upcoming NM Magazine article (serendipity, it was described).  Totally worth lugging the tripod into the bush.

Now I get to spend the weekend toiling on my thesis.