August 26, 2010 Verizon Wireless Amphitheater St. Louis – Budweiser Superfest kicked off on Thursday evening at 6:30 with a modest crowd on hand to see short sets by local artist CoCo, followed, by Hal Liton, and Abraham McDonald. By 7:30, the shed was filling up with fans to see the big guns, including Rahiem DeVaughn, lady killer Jahiem, Kem, and tonight’s headliner, Anthony Hamilton. Look for full sets to follow from Kem and Anthony, or head over to the RKN Gallery for the full evening. Prints available for this one! RKNPHOTO on Facebook! (more…)

August 22, 2010 Verizon Wireless Amphitheater St. Louis – ‘Time Machine’ Tour.  Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, and Neil Peart of Rush, (35 plus years and counting), show no signs of slowing down. Performing the 1981 album, ‘Moving Pictures’ in it’s entirety, plus some, clocking in at about 3 hours of performance, plus a 30 minute break. Rush has been eligible for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame since 1998. Why they haven’t been recognized and inducted is a WTF? moment to me if there ever was one. Shot from the soundboard, first 3… Great show. (more…)

August 14, 2010 Pointfest 27 Verizon Wireless Amphitheater, St. Louis, MO. – “We’ve played in St. Louis many times over the years, and we’ve always said, ‘One Day We’ll Headline Pointfest!” proclaimed (paraphrased) M Shadows of Avenged Sevenfold (A7X headlined St. Louis’s bi-annual, 12 hour music festival, which started at 10a.m.). That day was here, and to say A7X brought their ‘A’ game would be an understatement. More comments after the photo’s. (more…)

August 14, 2010 Verizon Wireless Amphitheater St. Louis, MO. – Pointfest 27 is in the books. 29 bands, 4 stages, including the Amphitheater’s main stage. Beginning at 10 a.m., with temps in the mid 90′s, the rawk was non stop, with AX7 closing it down around 11p.m. Here is a quick look at the 9 bands I focused on, as I hit the ground running at 2:30p, beginning with HALESTORM, followed by 10 YEARS, CAVO, LUDO, and SICK PUPPIES. Then over to the Main Stage to shoot sets from FLYLEAF, PUDDLE OF MUDD, STONE SOUR, and PF27 Headliner, AVENGED SEVENFOLD. Look for complete sets from each band in the days to follow, or after the preview, head over to the RKNGallery. RKNPHOTO on Facebook!. (more…)

July 30, 2010 Pop’s Nightclub, Sauget, IL. – This was a rare club shoot for me, but with camera, or not, I have been looking forward to this show since it was first announced. Greek Fire was the stand out band for me during June’s POINTFEST at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater. Four guys with passion, attitude, intensity, dynamics, and skill who simply come on stage to rock you.  I’m not a music critic, so I’m not going to attempt a full review, but good rock and roll is just that. It is what it is, and these guys right now, are the best in St. Louis.

Photo note *

The challenge with shooting this show was lighting. While a good compliment to the musicians, if you’re there in the audience, the constant bright white strobe, and predominantly red washes, make for an educational experience in timing, and utilizing all the camera’s dials, bells, and whistles. The good news, is I was allowed freedom to move about the venue, and shoot the show in it’s entirety, a welcomed treat as opposed to the normal 3 songs and done that I’m use to. Highlights posted, complete set in the Gallery. (more…)

July 23, 2010 Verizon Wireless Amphitheater, St. Louis – Kings of Leon, and our beloved amphitheater here in StL, are both this weeks top headline music story across the globe. The good news is, I got to photograph the entire show. The bad news, the photo’s from the first three songs represent the entire show. Photos after the jump. (more…)

July 23, 2010 Verizon Wireless Amphitheater, St. Louis – Friday night, by all accounts, was shaping up to be a great night. I was unfamiliar with the two bands on the bill with KOL, The Postelles, and The Stills. Both proved to be very good, very different, and gave energetic great performances, which would both end up being the high points of the evening. Photos after the jump. (more…)

July 21, 2010 Verizon Wireless Amphitheater, St. Louis – Teamed up again this year with Chicago, The Doobie Brothers will have a new release in September, produced by Ted Templeman, who was involved as producer for all the DB’s great albums from throughout the 70′s (‘Toulouse Street’, ‘Captain and Me’ ‘Vices’, ‘Stampede’, ‘Takin it to the Streets’..) , called ‘World Gone Crazy’ that I am excited about.  Beyond the songs we’re all familiar with, the DB’s have an incredible catalog. The 4 disc box set ‘Long Train Runnin’, is one of the best collections by a single artist that I’ve ever heard. Tom Johnston, and Pat Simmons, keep this train runnin, as they have together on and off, since 1970. More photos after the jump, and expanded set in the Gallery. (more…)

July 21, 2010 Verizon Wireless Amphitheater, St. Louis – Preceeded by a terrential thunderstrom producing flash floods around town, amidst mid 90′s humid temps here in StL, (and of course, The Doobie Brothers), Chicago took the stage to a now cooled down mid 70′s evening, perfect for a classic rock hits package spanning 40 years. A colorful set and lighting design, and the band’s always consistant energy,  made this a pleasure to shoot.. and the soundtrack to work along to wasn’t bad either. More photos after the jump. (more…)