PHOTOS: TIM BARRY | ASBURY LANES 4/13/12

Last week, Asbury Lanes played host to Tim Barry's record release show for his fantastic new album "40 Miler." Infused with a relaxed confidence both in delivery and composition, "40 Miler" is forty minutes of lean, plainspoken storytelling and a definitive milestone in Barry's solo career . With "Driver Pull," Barry may have written his most beautiful song yet. If ever there was a "train" song to make Johnny Cash proud, this is it.

New songs fell easily into the evening's set of selections from Barry's earlier solo work. The ranting "Fine Foods Market" provided a hilarious moment when almost on queue a "a hipster with ironic mustache" joined in onstage to play some tambourine. Barry took it in stride and helped the kid find his rhythm throughout the song.

Barry's side man/resident picker Josh Small and harp player Andrew Ali have been joined by vocalist/guitarist Julie Karr, who also opened the show with a great acoustic set.

Pick up Tim Barry's new record "40 Miler" now available at Chunksaah Records. And be sure to check out an upcoming show, because truth is if you haven't seen Tim Barry live, you're only getting half the picture.

MORE PHOTOS: TIM BARRY | ASBURY LANES 4/13/12....

PHOTOS: BUDDY GUY | BUDDY GUY'S LEGENDS - CHICAGO, IL

With the Spring semester up and running at NYU, looks like I can get back to this blog thing. Back in January we spent a long weekend in Chicago and caught an amazing show from blues legend Buddy Guy. I can honestly say it was life changing. Buddy Guy. Live. Chicago. Nuff said.

Theses two photos are all I grabbed. Shot on Kodak Portra 400 NC with my Canon FD 35-70mm 3.5 Constant about 35 feet from the stage, I'm suprised they came out as sharp as they did.

In other news, it was sad to hear Kodak has officially filed for bankruptcy but it was a long time coming I guess. If there is a bright side, it seems Kodak will continue to produce film stock, both still and motion picture. As long as there are still labs to develop it, film as a medium will continue. But the writing is on the wall so to speak. Kind of a bummer.

Lots of photos to catch up on, more posts in the next few weeks. Hope ya dig em.

PHOTOS: LOST SOULS OF MUSEE MECANIQUE

Amidst the tourist traps of San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf lies a place of magic. Musee Mechanique is the final resting place of over 300 vintage parlor, casino, and carnival games. I was most fascinated by a small collection of coin operated fortune machines. Featuring frighteningly life like sculptures, I found these pieces at once charming, creepy, wistful, sad, and ultimately haunting. If you get the chance, please visit this amazing place.

Continue here for a few more photographs from Musee Mechanique...

PHOTOS: FRANK TURNER @ GENERATION RECORDS 11/3/11

A little while back Frank Turner returned to Generation Records for another intimate live acoustic performance. Anyone who follows this blog knows how much I dig this artist and if you haven't checked his stuff yet, it's your loss buddy. Frank's latest album "England Keep My Bones" is available now and our UK friends will be able to grab the new odds & ends collection "The Second Three Years" on Nov. 21st. Enjoy the pics.

 For even more pics from Frank Turner at Generation Records head over to the Flickr account.

PHOTOS: "HALFWAY THERE" - NYC MARATHON, BEDFORD STUYVESANT

Every year in the beginning of November, the NYC Marathon passes in front of my house. I usually grab whatever rolls of B&W I have on hand and head downstairs to shoot the day's events. I love the interaction between the runners and our neighborhood, there is an amazing electricity that pulses through the crowd as they are genuinely pumped to cheer on the marathon's participants.

I've started collecting these photographs, shot on Bedford Ave between Lafayette and Willoughby, for an ongoing project I'm calling Halfway There. This is by no means complete and will evolve over time, some photos will come and some will go. In the meantime, here are some selections and if you would like to see some more you will find a link at the bottom of the page.

Click any of the photographs above for a slideshow including more photos from Halfway There or click here for the Flickr gallery direct link.

PHOTOS: THE HORRIBLE CROWES @ BOWERY BALLROOM

 

Given The Horrible Crowes frontman Brian Fallon's strong belief in the sanctity of the live performance, I almost feel guilty for posting these photos. The man is not naive, he's well aware we live in the Youtube age. Yet he confesses a yearning to go back, to when the only way to see your favorite artist was by standing in front of their stage. 

In a short few years, Fallon has gained a reputation as a dynamic live performer and superb songwriter. His latest project, The Horrible Crowes, is a collaboration with guitarist Ian Perkins and will undoubtly only add that reputation. Their debut release Elsie is a fully realized album of moody and soulful "night music." Fallon's influences are again worn on his sleeve - the album has it's share of nods to Tom Waits, Van Morrison, and U2. But he takes the best parts of each of those acts and manages to form something new and exciting while at the same time familiar.

The band's performance this past Thursday at Bowery Ballroom was the first of only two US dates. I really don't want to give anything away for fear of ruining what the band may have in store for the lucky folks attending the LA show. I will say you are in for a treat. The band is tight, the music is right, and there's couple of choice covers to round out the night. Enjoy.

Check out more photos from: The Horrible Crowes @ Bowery Ballroom - NYC. 9/8/11.