Archives

Flying Hair & Movie Stars Decked the Halls

30 Seconds to Mars by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com The Deck the Hall Ball, rather, the yearly 107.7 The End (KNDD) alternative Seattle music station mainstay big ass concert come holiday extravaganza…this year, it was a great show.

Visual Highlights were probably provided by all the of the crowd interaction between the two bands, Phoenix, and 30 Seconds to Mars, via their leads…

The latter, seems to be a bit, how shall I say, much critisized, likely due to their overly accessible music, and movie star lead, Jared Leto. Here’s my take on that… The music, was good…it wasn’t edgy, and it wasn’t classic, but it was pleasant…and well, accessible will be successful, if not fully appreciated by the more than a bit critical musical ears, especially in Seattle…And the “rock star” moves, playing and bantering to the crowd, as well, was much poo-poo’d by several bloggers and tweets… Well as a photographer, the lens loved the playing to the crowd, and as evidenced in the images, the crowd loved it right back…I guess the people in front were less picky about the depth of the tunes? Regardless, Leto put it all out there, he is very good looking and mugged for the more than full photo pit and masses of fans… Some said, well, he is just “acting” the rock star…Note – he is not that good of an actor! lol. I think he may have found his true calling on stage. His definitely movie star good looks as well as his ease and accessiblity in his performance are pretty darned compelling. Like his music, or not… It did not make my ears bleed, so for me, it was all good…because, well as long as you bring me the rock star in the images, I am a fan! Oh and his eyes are so blue, they glow, even from far away~

Musically, Metric and Phoenix were my faves. Image wise, Leto aside, my fave shots were of the redhead that fronted the local opener of the show, Visqueen. Curly red flying hair…gorgeous.

Muse, the headliners delivered the close of the show that had been building in the final 5th hour. For those that left half way through the show…I still stand perplexed. But to each their own. I am an observer, and if I see the crowd responding, that will always influence how I remember a show…There is an engergy that flows between the stage and crowd…if it’s there, I am always impressed, whether or not, the tunes will ever flow through my own headphones…

A selection of images are posted on Live Daily Gallery Spotlight –
http://livedaily.com/news/107-7-the-end-s-quot-deck-the-hall-ball-quot-gallery-spotlight-seattle-wa-dec-15-2009-21003.html

Visqueen Visqueen by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com

30 Seconds to Mars by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com Metric by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com

Metric by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com

Phoenix by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com Metric by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com

30 Seconds to Mars by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com 30 Seconds to Mars by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com

[miniflickr photoset_id=”72157622886878159″]

Flickr set – http://www.flickr.com/photos/emswazzu/sets/72157622886878159/show/

Archives

Foxy Shazam…

The name needs no further creative intro…

They were the first opener for the Sounds ahead of Semi Precious Weapons at the Showbox here in Seattle this past October 27th…

A quirky fun group, full of humor and energy…and having the absolute best time on stage.

I shot both the opening sets(didn’t shoot the Sounds – but probably should have – hindsight!) and treated them both with a high contrast black and white in post…

I just got to the Foxy set last night, and really am liking what I somehow got despite difficult light…they are fun, striking and charismatic…

Have a look…

Foxy Shazam

Foxy Shazam by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com Foxy Shazam by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com

Foxy Shazam by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com Foxy Shazam by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com

Foxy Shazam by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com

Foxy Shazam by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com Foxy Shazam by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com

[miniflickr photoset_id=”72157622662901203″]

Flickr set – http://www.flickr.com/photos/emswazzu/sets/72157622662901203/detail/

For more on Foxy Shazam – www.myspace.com/foxyshazam

Mudhoney tomorrow night…and going to Kiss – just for fun, not shooting, on Sunday…then off to Philly for the holiday…

xoxo

Archives

Mika in Full Color!

Gorgeous color…Mika came to the Moore, danced (on a broken foot, braced) and whirled, and enthusiastically gave to the crowd until there was nothing more…It was a *spectacular, spectacle* of balloons, lights and a party on stage…

Take a look…

Gallery Spotlight on LiveDaily.com – http://www.livedaily.com/news/mika-gallery-spotlight-seattle-wa-oct-26-2009-20533.html

Mika by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com

Mika by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com

Mika by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com Mika by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com

Mika by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com

Mika by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com

Mika

Mika by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com

[miniflickr photoset_id=”72157622568724251″]

flickr slideshow – http://www.flickr.com/photos/emswazzu/sets/72157622568724251/show/

For more on Mika
http://www.mikasounds.com/
http://www.myspace.com/mikamyspace
http://twitter.com/mikasounds

Archives

Train kicks it off live in Seattle!

TRAIN by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.comTrain…the band…

Last Tuesday, the night before I escaped for a week, I got to see, and photograph the band as they kick off their tour, supporting their new CD – Save Me San Francisco…Sounded great, looked great…was a great shoot. You never would have known, had they not told us, how sick Pat was…he was like, we cancelled last shows, and they ended up cancelling the next night in PDX, but he was like, we couldn’t cancel at home…as he harks partially from here…there were tons of local fans…everyone was super excited, most up front in the pit area had VIP passes that would earn them a Meet and Greet post show …the fans were really excited, and I can see why. There is something inherently real and authentic about this band.

Anywho, their new CD drops this week…pick it up…

A selection of the images are on Spotlight on LiveDaily.com –
http://livedaily.com/news/train-gallery-spotlight-seattle-wa-oct-20-2009-20487.html

Here’s some of my faves…even under the weather, Pat looks pretty good, just sayin;)

TRAIN by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com

TRAIN by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com TRAIN by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com

TRAIN by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com TRAIN by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com

TRAIN by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com

TRAIN by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com

TRAIN by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com

Full set on flickr – http://www.flickr.com/photos/emswazzu/sets/72157622670469296/detail/

…shooting Mika tonight, and SPW again, tomorrow, so many more images to come…along w/a special collection of Fall colors to be blogged later tonight;)

Archives

Monsters of Folk rock, or rather sway the Paramount…

They blew into town…like the reigning kings of the “it” music genre…the “Monsters of Folk” as they have branded themselves – Conor Oberst, Jim James, M. Ward, and Mike Mogis… They filled the Paramount Theatre, October 15th with their unique and powerfully heart felt musical stylings, illustrated by the vibrant colors you see here…it was a pleasure to shoot…amongst a bevvy of other Seattle shooters…great show…

Photos are on LiveDaily.com here accompanying the review of the MoF LA show – http://livedaily.com/news/monsters-of-folk-tickets-and-tour-dates-live-review-monsters-of-folk-in-los-angeles-ca-20435.html

Monsters of Folk by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com

Monsters of Folk by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com

Monsters of Folk by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com

Monsters of Folk by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com

Monsters of Folk by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com

Monsters of Folk by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com Monsters of Folk by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com

full flickr set – http://www.flickr.com/photos/emswazzu/sets/72157622604314230/detail/

Archives

Voices Carry…Aimee Mann to the Moore

Aimee Mann…with Nick Lowe…double bill, but Nick was more the 50 min set opener…

Very fun, his set…my favorite part was the song that referenced “Rick Astley” who had a hit that was kind of “ghastly” lmao…the crowd, a bunch of latter day gen Xers, etc…totally got the reference.

Perhaps the oddest thing about the show this night, was the seated crowd. All the way up to the stage…seated the entire time, less the standing ovation for the end of Nick’s set, and I am sure later for Aimee’s headlining set…not sure, as I am prone to most often, I left after I got my shots of her…

Aimee started off saying she would sing a few songs, I presume off her new CD, Smilers, that she really wanted to sing for us, then she would take requests for the rest of the night…if it hadn’t been a weekday, and I wasn’t so tired, I would have stayed…as is, I have no idea if she did “voices carry”, but that is the one song from my youth, I most remember her for…as she led the then ‘Til Tuesday in this new wave 80’s hit…

One other thing I will say, her hair is now a nice lovely flowing flaxen with slight wave…no longer spikey to all ends as was the new wave stylings! In fact, this night Aimee was even wearing glasses, which wigged me out a little in my pursuit of images…all the photos I had seen of her in my research were sans spectacles…they presented a challenge, but I think I found my way through the looking glass, as it were…

Here are a few of the images from the night…first, a selection on LiveDaily.com (note the BRAND new site design – Kudos to LD!) http://www.livedaily.com/photos/?p=Moore+Theatre%2C+October+7%2C+2009

Just added – LD Gallery Spotlight – http://www.livedaily.com/news/aimee-mann-gallery-spotlight-seattle-wa-oct-7-2009-20358.html

Aimee Mann by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com Aimee Mann by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com

Aimee Mann by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com Aimee Mann by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com

A few of Nick Lowe…
Nick Lowe by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com, on Flickr Nick Lowe by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com, on Flickr

Nick Lowe by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com, on Flickr Nick Lowe by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com, on Flickr

Archives

Living it up in the Holly-hood…swinging it with the Lovehammers!

Lovehammers LOL…the “Swinging” Lovehammers (LH)…whilst doing some background reading while perusing my images from last weeks show, I found out the LH used to be known as the “Swinging Lovehammers”…….LOVE IT…maybe they should revisit???? lol…it makes me grin…

Anywho, I spent this last weekend down in LaLa-land, aka Los Angeles, specifically in West Hollywood, with a side of the beach and the hills surrounding during the day…

Decided to stay in that part of town, because had made my trip to correspond with a fun show! The Lovehammers, an established band out of Chicago, were going to have a west coast CD release party for their new CD – Heavy Crown, at the Key Club…sounded fun! So I ventured down to the land of the beautiful and boyant, to visit with my friends Vicki and Cheryl…met a bunch of fun people in addition, not to mention most of the Lovehammers at a meet and mingle listening party the next day at a tattoo parlor over in Hollywood proper…Marty is TALL…of course it may be because I was wearing flats…cute flats, but none the less…

He is also so sweet looking, polite and and just cute! While many remember him as the mad conductor on stage as the popular vote getter from the inaugural season of the Rockstar (INXS) series…and many fans of him for years as the lead of the Lovehammers, and the many added fans during his recent turn with the LA Guns…in person, he just comes across as a really nice, tall skinny, normal guy. Who is cute…not deathly hot – though I KNOW some may disagree…but sweet. I spent a lot of time watching him at the listening party, how he interacted with people, and his demeanor…I am a watcher after all—I think this is why I kind of love the photography…anyway, I was really captured by this. The few brief moments where my one friend and I said hi and introduced ourselves only underscored this.

I won’t forget Billy either, or should I say Bill? As all the LH were wandering and chatting amongst everyone, my friend Cheryl grabbed him and asked him to take a picture with us…and he seemed SO happy to…Very nice guy…I think they all are…Dino and Bobby not to be excluded…….it’s so weird how much alike they look…yet so different…Embarrassingly enough, I believe my friend told Bobby I thought he was the hottest LH…I mean he IS…but eeshers……lol…I think I encouraged her…needless to say, it was an open bar evening……………

All of that said…I came to LA as a mini break vacation…to hang out with friends, catch some good music, and have fun… But because the Key Club, happens to have an open camera policy, and I never leave home with out mine…I snapped off some shots between sips of Cosmos, come eventual diet Cokes this evening…from across the room…perhaps no earth shattering shots…but it reminded me why I love to shoot music…just for fun. It really doesn’t matter that they are gritty and a bit grainy…it was fun to hang out and not care overmuch…to me watching music, listening…I listen a lot with my eyes…visuals mean A LOT to me, and I KNEW the Lovehammers would not disappoint…after all Marty Casey is one of the most charismatic front guys out there…he really should be a super star…most guys on stage to NOT give all of that…they just don’t…I am not an uber fan…but I have seen enough various live acts and seen Marty enough to know he is the EXCEPTION not the rule when it comes to stage presence…very few have that raw, yet controlled power that demand your rapt attention. In some ways, it almost doesn’t matter what comes out of his mouth…though I have to say, what I heard last Friday was a much more refined sound than what I had heard from the Lovehammers, and/or Marty previously…perhaps it’s more mature music? Though it included many from their past CD’s…maybe it was the added second guitar and keyboards? There was more depth to the sound, and vocally, Marty’s voice just sounded smoother…not screechy/screamy in the least…or maybe it was just a better sound system? No idea…but it was a great show. My only complaint was that the lighting for their headlining set, was severely back lit, with few flashes of front spots…so it was really hard to expose from back of the house! lol…It’s all about me, isn’t it?!!??! kidding…

Anyways, here’s a few of the images from the evening…


Lovehammers by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com

Lovehammers by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com Lovehammers by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com

Lovehammers by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com Lovehammers by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com

Lovehammers by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com Lovehammers by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com Lovehammers by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com

Lovehammers by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com Lovehammers by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com

Lovehammers by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com Lovehammers by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com Lovehammers by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com

Lovehammers by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com Lovehammers by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com Lovehammers by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com

Lovehammers by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com Lovehammers by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com Lovehammers by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com

Lovehammers by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com Lovehammers by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com Lovehammers by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com

Lovehammers by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com Lovehammers by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com

Lovehammers by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com Lovehammers by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com

Lovehammers by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com Lovehammers by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com

flickr set – http://www.flickr.com/photos/emswazzu/sets/72157622346564093/detail/

For more on the Lovehammers – http://lovehammers.com/
For more on Marty – http://martycasey.com/

Next up a few shots from around the town, beach etc…Love LA!

xoxo
~Elisa

Archives

Juke Kartel at the Key Club – after show

Juke Kartel Juke Kartel that band from down under(read Australia) led by the popular vote getter from the 2006 season of Rock Star Supernova, Toby Rand……..

In the time since I last saw them live, in Baltimore, MD 2006…they have changed their style a bit, performance wise…a bit darker…Toby does not Kangarilla around as much… He looks to be lean, yet still well muscled, lol…well displayed by the wifebeater tank he is sporting through most of the images I have featured…

They have an Austrailian release out and available, “Nowhere left to Hide”

They have taken up current residence(read extended visit) in LA…and I was lucky enough to catch their closing set at the after show at the Lovehammers(blog on them next) west coast  CD release party…

I had planned on coming to LA visit with some friends and catch the Lovehammers. I was pleasantly surprised when a few days before I left, Juke Kartel announced they would also be performing…

The Key Club has fun lights, so even though I set up residence back by the bar, I decided to snap off some shots…They are colorful, if a bit grainy, but hey texture isn’t a horrible thing…it tells you what kind of night it was…

Good looking boys…check them out…


Juke Kartel

Juke Kartel by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com Juke Kartel by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com

Juke Kartel by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com Juke Kartel by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com

Juke Kartel

Juke Kartel by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com Juke Kartel by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com /></a></p>
<p><a href=Juke Kartel by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com Juke Kartel by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com

Juke Kartel by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com Juke Kartel by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com

Juke Kartel Juke Kartel by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com

Flickr set: http://www.flickr.com/photos/emswazzu/sets/72157622346760815/detail/

For more on Juke Kartel, http://www.myspace.com/jukekartel

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Justin Tranter says…show me your…

Titties……

Not even joking…

Justin Tranter of Semi Precious Weapons by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.comNot to me personally, mind you…but to the room at large. And he meant girl boobies…I think he wants to get some…I had pulled back from my front position to get some longer shots, and I think a guy must have shown him his, and Justin was like, uhm I already have those, seen those……………

LOL…Justin Tranter, possibly the funniest, raunchiest, most charismatic, gender bending madman I have ever seen, fronting a rock band…

Oh, and he wears heels to DIE FOR~seriously! Stillettos…helloooooo lova!

And, AND…he changes on stage…I was front and center there to shoot Semi Precious Weapons (Tranter’s band) as they opened for the Seattle date of the Perez Hilton Tour…and between the second and third song or thereabouts, he lays down in front of me, and strips! lmao…SERIOUSLY…well first he pulls off his dress standing back to the crowd, only wearing tights with everything tucked away appropriately…………….

Then he lays down, to undo his boots and don his fresh outfit of Marylin Monroe printed leggings a somewhat raggy tank, and another pair of shiny stillettos, booties this time(versus the boots)…….Stands back up, and continues on…

As he was changing, I knew I couldn’t really get any usable shots of him – read not indecent, lol…whilst changing, so I shot the rest of the band, who were going crazy…an energetic band for sure…but it is Justin that holds the room rapt…who tells everyone that they will just have to fuck w/the lights on because the lighting peeps won’t turn them down…etc etc…he just wants everyone to have a fucking good time, or a good time fucking?!?!? either one, I am sure…………

Anywho, all that is to say, this was my first time seeing Semi Precious Weapons (SPW) live, and seeing the living breathing fabulousness that is Justin Tranter in the flesh – beyond the great images of my favorite concert photog, Todd Owyoung…who’s images, btw, were in the lead video intro to SPW’s entry to the stage…the fab promo and live shots, that I knew as soon as I saw them…who’s images they were….those images are why I made sure I was there to shoot this night…

I haven’t been 100% lately, a bit of a cold, so didn’t stay for the whole show…but SPW may be the most engaging opening act I have ever seen…certainly they could rival most headliners…for those that hadn’t seen/heard of them before…GO SEE! They are opening again, later this month for the Sounds this time, 10/27 at the Showbox. These guys, and Justin, are something you have to see live…live from NYC…serious fuck you glamourously in your face rock and roll….

Select images of the band on LiveDaily.com
http://www.livedaily.com/photos/?p=Hilton+Tour+2009

But Justin, Mr Tranter…he sure is something…

Justin Tranter of Semi Precious Weapons by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com

Justin Tranter of Semi Precious Weapons by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com Justin Tranter of Semi Precious Weapons by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com

Justin Tranter of Semi Precious Weapons by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com

Justin Tranter of Semi Precious Weapons by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com Semi Precious Weapons

Justin Tranter of Semi Precious Weapons by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com

Justin Tranter of Semi Precious Weapons by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com Justin Tranter of Semi Precious Weapons by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com

Justin Tranter of Semi Precious Weapons by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com Justin Tranter of Semi Precious Weapons by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com

Justin

flickr set:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/emswazzu/sets/72157622368343431/detail/

For more on SPW – http://www.myspace.com/semipreciousweapons

Some goodies from my weekender in the Hollywood, SOON!

xoxo

~Elisa

Archives

Collective Soul closes tour at the Moore

Collective Soul…closing their current set of dates here in Seattle…(next set comes up soon in new locales)

A set of lookers for sure…

I have several friends that are big fans, and have been hearing about them for years. When I saw they had a tour date due to hit Seattle, I knew I would try to shoot it. As well, at the time, one of the openers was scheduled to be one of my fave musicians that I follow, Ryan Star…

Unfortunately, due to health reasons, Ryan was unable to make the Seattle show…

But alas, I was still in attendance and able to capture some of my favorite live concert images to date of this striking (and well sounded) band…

Photos are featured in LiveDaily.com’s Gallery Spotlight:
http://livedaily.com/news/20152.html

Some of my faves…


Collective Soul by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com

Collective Soul by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com

Collective Soul by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com Collective Soul by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com

Collective Soul by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com Collective Soul by Elisa Sherman | photosbyelisa.com


Flickr set…
http://www.flickr.com/photos/emswazzu/sets/72157622277124853/detail/

For more on Collective Soul
http://www.collectivesoul.com/

As well, they frequent their Twitter – and they follow, and tweet, back:)
http://twitter.com/collective_soul

~Elisa