This is the first in a new series here at the Live Music Blog.
I’ve tried to write conventional reviews of a show and it just doesn’t work for me. When I’m covering a show, my focus is on capturing the visuals. I’m not usually making notes on setlists and the like. My passion is the photography. Rather than writing a comprehensive review of the show, I’m going to present a more visual portrait, along with my thoughts about the show and the shots I’ve taken.
Shooting the Jammys was a treat. It was going to be a long night and there was going to be so many different people to shoot. Unlike many shows I’ve been to lately, the sound down front was great. Too many times you get blasted and cannot really hear the mix. That was not the case here.
Grace Potter and Warren Haynes opened the show.
One of the highlights of the night for me was when Leslie West sat in with Rose Hill Drive. Their “Mississippi Queen” rocked.
Very few people are as fun to shoot as Sharon Jones. SGhe brings a dynamic energy to every show that few can match. She was one of Galactic’s many guests. I’ll be catching a full set from her and the Dap-Kings at Mountain Jam in a few weeks.
Another of Galactic’s guests, Doug E. Fresh’s hip-hop medley was just fantastic and my favorite performance of the night. This was my first time shooting any hip-hop artist and it was uniquely challenging. Rappers hold the mic right up to their mouths, so it was a real challenge to get some clear shots of their faces. You can see his performance here.
On the left is Chali 2na sitting in with Galactic. To the right is Warren Haynes, co-host for the evening. Finally, Todd Park Mohr who sat in with Tea Leaf Green.
In spite of the microphone stand that is blocking some of Page’s face, I like this one alot. It catches them all laughing at something and reminded me that a big part of the band’s history was the sense of humor they brought to what they did. I was glad to be able to be there for this.
Although they didn’t play together, Trey played with the Fab Faux and Page did “Magilla” and “Cars Trucks Busses” with an all-star jazz band that included Christian McBride (above) and Roy Haynes.
Finally, the Headcount All-Stars, including Joe Russo, closed out the night with a set of four Phish songs, including Maze and Wilson. I don’t think that I enjoyed this nearly as much as everyone else seemed to.
My entire set of photos can be found here.
