Day Three- Music by Train... we can see the light at the end of the tunnel

Sunday Night- Train. This is the night we've all been looking forward to. It was a sold out show. I'm not sure about the actual number, because every time I spoke with someone else the number kept going up. I first heard 6500 people, then 8,000, then 10,000! So I'm not sure what to believe. All I know is that it was quite a crowd, and it looked amazing from the stage

The band was pretty good, and they get extra points in my book because they actually let us shoot for three (yes, 3!) whole songs. There were twice as many photographers trying to get into the pit area. I do have some admiration for the high school kids who manage to talk their way in by claiming that they're shooting for their school paper. But I tell each of them to please stay out of my way or I will run them the hell over. And bless them, they do.


It's a good thing they stayed out of my way. The lead singer was one of the more active front men I've photographed. He ran back and forth on that stage like his pants were on fire. It was difficult to find that perfect position because he didn't stay in one place for more than a second or two. Luckily I had three whole songs to figure it out.


The sponsor tent was so crowded that I decided to roam around the festival and see what else was going on. I was hanging out with some friends at the other Entertainment stage when I got a phone call. Apparently the Jaycees were going to get some photos with Train right after the show, and the show was about to end. So I hightailed it through the park to the backstage area again- the whole time thinking how glad I was that I brought my flash. I had been cursing the extra weight, but now it was worth the trouble.

The guys in the band were actually pretty decent and friendly. I think we stressed out their manager a bit... but managers are easy to stress out.


But enough about that! Because, the last big night concert was finally over and it was time to kick back and have some fun. My friend Stacy celebrated by demonstrating the techniques that she hopes will win an award at next year's Strongman competition.
And then we blew off some steam like only the Jaycees can do. I'm not sure what that kid's doing there... pretend that he's writing a report, or doing research for some homework assignment.

Last Fling - Day Two. Part Two - Jason Aldean

In a matter of minutes my status went from "No pictures!" to "You can take shoot for the first three songs only, but you have to shoot from out in the crowd." Now, the last thing I want to do is take my two cameras and all my gear out in a crowd of drunken suburbanites pretending to be rednecks for an evening (yes, I'm generalizing. There were one or two sober suburbanites.) Still, if that's where I have to be to get the best shot, then that's where I have to be.

As me and two other photographers were moving through the crowd to find the best position, the phone calls started coming in from Jaycees people behind the stage. Luckily one of them convinced Jason Aldean's people to let us be up by the stage for the first song. So we quickly ran up front and settled in again.




The story for me this night was the crowd. The place was packed! I think it was very close to being sold out. And for the most part everyone had a great time.

Last Fling 2009- Day 1

Before I even took my first photo, I somehow managed to do something that has never happened to me in over 10 years of photographing events. My beloved 15mm lens managed to fall right off one of the cameras hanging on my shoulder. I can't even imagine the series of events that had to take place for that to happen. Somehow the release button would have to be bumped in such a way that it was pressed in, and the lens rotated in order for it to drop off.

It's dinged up pretty well, and I haven't had the chance to test out it's sharpness. I'm hoping for the best.

But I bravely marched on. Friday night is the easiest night for me. All I was really needed to cover was the bands.

First up was blues legend Lonnie Brooks


The weather was absolutely perfect, and the crowd was really into Brooks


Finally it was time for Robert Cray. There were two things that happened that made it difficult to get a good photograph (besides the usual sketchy concert lighting). First, as was confirmed by a friend that was shooting for another magazine, the stage was about 8 - 10 inches taller than it was last year. It was very difficult to see the whole band and the whole stage from the photographer pit. Secondly, Robert Cray played about halfway back from the front of the stage. I'm glad I'm tall, but I could still really only see him from the waist up. I took a few shots by reaching up and resting the camera on the stage to get a better angle.

The music was good, but to be honest I thought it should have been a little louder. Over in the sponsor tent it was difficult to hear it. I remember really ~feeling~ it the past few years. It wasn't a real rockin' & jumpin' show. BUT, it was the busiest Friday night concert I think we've had for years. I'm guessing that it was a good night as far as the fund raising went.

One last thing- I was happy that unlike Rib Fest this year, at least I was allowed near the stage to get some good images. Robert Cray's management only let me shoot during the first song, but it's better than nothing :)

Here we are sliding down the back half of summer. Summer concerts are still all around us, though. Lollapalooza just wrapped up tonight in Chicago. I've been shooting some of the shows that we've had out in the 'burbs. I photographed most of the bands that played in Naperville's Ribfest for a local magazine. And I recently I was hired by a local venue to photograph the great Smokey Robinson.

It's a great place to catch a show-

Everyone really enjoyed the show, and luckily the bad weather just missed us. There was another concert going on in downtown Naperville and my friends told me they got about 10 minutes of rain.
And of course Smokey is smart enough to know that even if you are a musical legend, it never hurts to bring along some ladies in colorful costumes and skin-tight lycra pants.

In a matter of weeks I'll be covering Naperville's Last Fling festival. There's two acts I'm looking forward to then- Robert Cray on Friday night, and Train on Sunday. I'm in the Jaycees, and we put on the whole festival so I have my fingers crossed for good weather!