2011 - The Year in Photos

Fan's dragon fly at Flaming Lips show, Sasquatch Music Festival in Memorial Day weekend.

It's no secret that I take a lot of pictures. What's becoming less of a secret, though, is that I'm becoming less bad at it.

Having spent so long as a photo editor, I'm naturally a bit more critical of photographs -- and especially my own. But thanks to lens upgrades (purchasing a 50mm prime, renting a 70-200mm) and software (Lightroom, Picknik), I'm getting awfully close to taking photos that I can hang a hat on (and I have a lot of hats, so...).

Anyway, here's some of my favorites from a great year of live music (note: In the Summer Bonfire series collage, half taken on Samsung Focus mobile phone.)

Taylor Hawkins of Foo Fighters, Sasquatch Music Festival -- Memorial Day weekend.

TP flies over the Gorge in celebration of Black Joe Lewis at Sasquatch Music Festival -- Memorial Day weekend.

Robyn @ Sasquatch -- Memorial Day weekend.

Thurston Moore @ Capitol Hill Block Party -- July.

Les Savy Fav - AKA Tim Harrington's Wild Ride at Capitol Hill Block Party, July.

The Posies' Jon & Ken catching air at Capitol Hill Block Party -- July.

Mastodon opens for Soundgarden @ the Gorge, July.

Champagne Champagne at Doe Bay Fest -- August.

Pickwick gets some spiritual back up during "Hacienda Hotel" at Doe Bay Fest, August.

Tyler Williams (The Head & the Heart) lends a shovel to Kelli Schafer @ Doe Bay Fest, August.

Artist Home's Summer Bonfire Series -- All summer.

Mavis Staples summons a higher power at Bumbershoot, September.

Minus the Bear guitarist Dave Knudson at Bumbershoot, September.

Kaylee Cole in the spotlight at Bumbershoot, September.

Phantogram's Sarah Barthel illuminated at Bumbershoot, September.

Charles Bradley spreads the love around at Bumbershoot, September.

Previously: Favorite photos of 2009, if you don't mind looking through photos of my kids, you can find most my shots over at my Flickr site.

CHBP 2011 - Day Two

Highlights and photos from day 2 of the 2011 edition of Capitol Hill Block Party are now up over at Bumpershine.

If I could boil it down to four words, it would be: TIM. HARRINGTON. GOES. OFF. Now, go and be amazed.

CHBP 2011 - Day One

Recap and photos from the first day from the 2011 edition of Capitol Hill Block Party is now up and running over at Bumpershine, featuring Thurston Moore (pictured), Cults, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, The Fresh & Onlys, Kurt Vile and Fucked Up.

Thanks to most the action being in the dimly lit (or, at times, not lit at all) Nuemos, this day did not inspire so much on the photograph front. Days 2 & 3 have a few fun surprises, though, so look for that in the coming days.

One last tidbit from CHBP: Villagers

One of the most powerful performances from the entirety of the weekend, came in the quietest form. Conor J. O'Brien of Villagers performed a spine-tingling acoustic set in Neumo's while Mad Rad was bouncing around outside.

It was recently announced that Becoming a Jackal is a finalist for the much coveted 2010 Mercury Prize, and the set demonstrated why Villagers are in such great company. The Irishman's performance of the title track from said release sits with me more than anything else I heard at the festival.

While I loved hearing the songs stripped down, I'm hoping next time they come to town we'll get the whole band experience.

CHBP 2010 - Day One in the Books

Jaguar Love

Best view for Mahjongg

Fruit Bats

Yellow Ladies Need Text Love Too

CHBP 2010 Guide Looks Familiar

This year's cover to the official guide that The Stranger puts out every year borrows (with permission) a photo I took from last year's fest.

It's of Cole Alexander of Atlanta's Black Lips, with the photo turned and 'posterized' for effect.

Here's what the original looked like: Here's the rest of the photos from last year's CHBP. The photo also made my "Favorite Photos of 2009" entry here.

Favorite Photos of 2009

This was my first full year with an SLR at my disposal, so when you combine that with a couple passes into 'the pit' and it was a decent year for this amateur. Oddly enough, most of the shots below were taken when I was denied access and had to 'earn it.' Got a few bruises to show for it, but it was worth it.

I'm still learning, so 2010 should be an even better year. (Cue vanity parade:)

"Air Whelan" - The Wrens @ Sasquatch, Day 2 on May 24, 2009.
Fitting that the band that has my album of the decade leads off my photos of the year post. From one of my favorite sets of the year, the Wrens' Kevin Whelan jumps off of his bass cabinet to the lower riser. No wires... all air (kind how i felt trying to capture him, moving from sun to shade and back to sun so quickly). (More photos as recap from event)

"Storm Troopin'" - Audience at Animal Collective, Day 1 on May 23, 2009.
Trapped in a sea of head-bobbing fans... desperately trying to find something to photograph. (More photos and recap from event)

"Show Off" - Cole Alexander of Black Lips @ Capitol Hill Block Party, July 24, 2009.
The Lips put on quite a show, as evidenced by Alexander's acrobatic antics. (More photos and recap from event)

"No Encore" - Andy Falkous of Future of the Left @ Capitol Hill Block Party, Day 2 on July 25, 2009.
Darkest set I've ever attempted to photograph. Was just too damn hot in Neumo's for stage lights.(More photos and recap from event)

"Lean Back" - Brian King & David Prowse of Japandroids @ Capitol Hill Block Party, Day 2 on July 25, 2009.
Taken before I started getting crushed against the barricade. (video) (More photos and recap from event)


"Z, my Hat, Friday Mile" - Friday Mile @ Doe Bay Fest, Day 2 on August 15, 2009.
You knew I'd figure out a way to get one of my kids on this list.
(More photos and recap from event)

"Having a Ball" - Matt of Matt & Kim @ Bumbershoot, Day 1 on September 5, 2009.
Their set was like unicorns and cotton candy coming out of their amps... the kids lapped it up. (More photos and recap from event)

"Grapes of Wrath" - RA Scion of Common Market, Day 2, September 6, 2009.
Workers unite! Common Market performs a theme of worker oppression, and what do you know -- it works. (More photos and recap from event)

"Keep it Dark" - Mark Lanegan with Soulsavers @ Bumbershoot Day 3 on September 7, 2009.
Lanegan ask them to cut the lights on him, making it difficult to capture him. Got this one right before the last bit of light on him was shut down. Dude likes it dark. (More photos and recap from event)

Sasquatch coverage
Capitol Hill Block Party
Doe Bay Festival coverage
Bumbershoot coverage

It's raining in Vancouver, but I don't give a f...

Another Capitol Hill Block Party leftover... here's video of Japandroids great performance at CHBP day 2. Just a minute of the great song "Sovereignty," featuring the lyric in the headline. Note that I'm getting crushed against the barricade as I attempt to film... I put all cameras away immediately after this and concentrated on keeping my intestines from getting crushed.



Previously: Sure, Satan rules but that doesn't mean I can't be practical (Future of the Left video)

Sure, Satan rules, but that doesn't mean I can't be practical

One Capitol Hill Block Party highlight from day two was Future of the Left ripping apart "You Need Satan More Than He Needs You." I caught a glimpse of the set list and picked this one out to video for posterity.

The video is kind of dark because it was too hot in Neumo's so stage lighting was kept to a minimum.

CHBP - Day 2 in the books

My second day of Capitol Hill Block Party is marked by a lack of Main Stage action, which was due to the sudden denial of a press pass. So instead, I faced my biggest fears and ventured into Neumo's to try and take some flashless photos in the hot, sweaty and (more importantly) dark venue. Since it was so hot, the stage lights were kept to a minimum, leaving a lot to be desired for photography. After Future of the Left's powerful set, I moved outside to Vera's stage and was rewarded with great stage lighting for Noisettes and Japandroids' (pictured) sets.

More photos to come later, as I wade through them.

CHBP - Day 1 in the books

That's Cole Alexander of Black Lips from the Main Stage @ Capitol Hill Block Party on July 24, 2009. Still wading through some of the photos I took of Jesus Lizard, Built to Spill, Deerhunter, Micachu & the Shapes, Black Lips and Spinnerette, but here's the best of each (over at Bumpershine).

But before I do that... it's time for day 2 to commence.

Photos coming soon...

CHBP: Main Stage Parkin'

The Capitol Hill Block Party starts Friday, and this year's lineup is obviously a reaction to last year's frat-friendly line-up. The last couple years for CHBP have been trying. Not only has the fest been overcrowded and congested, but the audience themselves were problematic. I even swore I wouldn't come back, but three things have changed this year that has me thinking that it will work.

1) The main entrance and main stage are no longer right next together (FINALLY).
2) They've beefed up the perimeter to keep folks from sneaking in, thus reducing the overcrowding factor.
3) The acts booked are not the kind that will attract that crowd. You know, the ones that came for just Vampire Weekend and/or Girl Talk (The Gossip probably come the closest of this year's lineup).

Related to #3, this year's lineup has some serious plums that I'm excited for. Also, for the first time in any festival going experience, I find myself parked at the main stage on my sked breakdown. There are a couple of notable exceptions, of course, namely THE BAND I MOST WANT TO SEE: The Future of the Left (playing at Neumo's, Saturday @9PM).

Then of course, there's the chance to see legends Sonic Youth and The Jesus Lizard, along with Built to Spill, Black Lips, Deerhunter, Micachu & the Pains of Being Pure at Heart.

Playlist: Capitol Hill Block Party 2009

Photos to come in the next week... hopefully I'll get a few like this one of Tim Harrington (Les Savy Fav) from last year's festival: