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Jul
25
2009
Kid Rock All Summer Long
As many of you know this has been my official summer of Kid Rock and the “Rock and Rebels Tour 2009″ with Lynyrd Skynyrd has brought many smiles to my face. There’s nothing like hearing my favorites “Cocky” and “Cowboy” played live and singing along with good friends who love him as much as I do. The power of hearing “Freebird” played live also cannot be easily explained.
The highlight of the tour for me was photographing the Cincinnati show at Riverbend July 22 for CityBeat. I shot the Lynyrd Skynyrd and Kid Rock performances and the photos can be seen in the music section of my website or at CityBeat.com.
http://citybeat.zipscene.com/photos/view/7801
I can only wait for the new KR album to come out this fall and await the new show coming around next summer. All I can hope for is to hear “Blue Jeans & A Rosary” live and in person.
Jul
21
2009
Grooveshire Southgate House
I met a fellow photographer Scott Preston this summer as I have been photographing musicians and live concerts here in Cincinnati. Scott owns a local publication called Cincy Groove Magazine (www.cincygroove.com), which is a great source to keep up with the local music scene with interviews and photos.
Scott also manages a local band called Grooveshire, so I decided to check out their show with Indigenous at Southgate House August 19. The band was great to talk to before the show and I was impressed with their sound. They call their sound, “Louisiana Bayou Grunge” and the lead vocals of Chris Melfi are reminiscent of early Black Crows tunes. The band has a strong local following and are on the rise.
The band members include: Chris Melfi (vocals), Jason Mollette (guitar), Mike Hennel (drums), Keith Roark (bass) and Bryan Russell (organ).
Catch them at their EP release party at Southgate House Thursday Sept 3.
Check them out on their website:
Check out my Grooveshire photos on CityBeat.com
http://citybeat.zipscene.com/photos/view/7775
Jul
17
2009
Benjy Davis Project- Southgate House
Before their performance at Southgate House on Friday, I sat down for a light-hearted interview with the Benjy Davis Project band members and their tour manager Chardy McEwan, a Cincinnati local.
After an initial debate after comparing bathroom stall writings, we determined that girls are much dirtier than boys. Needless to say, this band made me smile throughout the interview, impromptu photo shoot and the concert.
Benjy Davis and band members Mic Capdevielle (drums), Jonathan Lawhun (guitar), and Matt Rusnak ( bass) are a Baton Rouge based group. The bands latest album, Dust, is full of hits with songs like “I Love You” and my personal favorite, “The Rain.”
The band talked about their favorite tracks from the album. Jonathan spoke about “Good Enough” being particularly special for him since it was the last song his grandfather heard before he passed away. He sums it up by saying, “You can just feel it.”
I asked the band about musical influences and Benjy talked about a unique combination of Motown, Mariah Carey, and Tim McGraw. The Tim McGraw influence can be heard on the track “Sweet Southern Moon.”
When asked what they were listening to these days, they spoke of Jack White’s new band The Raconteurs, Norway-based MADCON and singer songwriter Regina Spektor.
The band talked about a typical day on the road. Wake up, drive 4-10 hours, wait, setup, wait, play, and teardown with drinking throughout the process.
We discussed their writing process, Davis says he jots down small hooks and then mixes and matches the lyrics to compose the songs.
You can check out the band online at http://www.bdpmusic.com/ or buy their phenomenal album Dust available online. I’ve been listening all week in the car and it provides the perfect soundtrack for summertime.
They are currently touring the US with Tony Lucca.
Check out my photos of the band on CityBeat.com
http://citybeat.zipscene.com/photos/view/7737
Jul
17
2009
Tony Lucca- Southgate House
Tony Lucca, a singer songwriter originally from Pontiac, MI, played for the first time in many years in Cincinnati at the Southgate House on Friday July 17. I attended to show to interview and photograph The Benjy Davis Project and I am thankful I arrived early to catch the Tony Lucca show.
Quite frankly, I was blown away with the strong vocal performance of this guy. I spent a few minutes talking to him after the show and found that he is as real as his songs. His song “True Story” is a real life account of his personal journey.
His fan base is large and I talked to many people in the audience that had come from all over the tri-state area to see him perform live.
Lucca has a long history in show business starting out acting early as a member of the famed cast of the New Mickey Mouse Club and other acting roles in independent films after graduating high school. Lucca also spent some time in Nashville to refine his songwriting abilities before ending up back in LA where he currently resides. All his experiences shine through on the stage as he performs.
He performed songs from his Come Around Again album. Tracks include a politically charged song, “Close Enough”, as well as heartbreak and love songs like “Pretty Things.”
Lucca’s songs have been featured on many TV shows like Friday Night Lights and Felicity and he is currently on tour in the US with Benjy Davis Project
Check out his latest Close Enough EP on ITunes with my favorite song, “I Can I Will I Do” or his website www.tonylucca.com.
My Tony Lucca show photos can be seen at CityBeat.com
http://citybeat.zipscene.com/photos/view/7736
Jul
16
2009
Kim Taylor Southgate House Newport, KY
I sat down with local singer/songwriter Kim Taylor after her show at Southgate House this week to chat about what inspires her songwriting from the past and present. Family was a theme through our entire conversation and you can tell she has drawn on her family for influence in her songwriting her entire life. Currently, she seems perfectly content to write and play great music and have her son be her biggest cheerleader.
She talked about inheriting her father’s record collection when she was young with classics like The Beach Boys, Johnny Cash and Marty Robbins that continue to be sources of inspiration for her today. During her set she played a soulful cover of Chocolate Jesus by Tom Waits stirring childhood memories from the south.
I asked what was the first album she purchased with her own money and learned it was Michael Jackson’s Thriller and the latest purchase was the new Elvis Costello record, Secret, Profane, and Sugarcane.
Kim’s passions in life are family, music and writing. Her songwriting with influences from the past and present has a way to capturing life’s everyday moments and making us feel those moments in our own lives as she sings the words.
She has signed licensing agreements for her music to be used on many major TV projects and networks that include CBS and MTV. The new TNT show HawthoRNe with Jada Pinkett Smith used Taylor’s I Am You in a recent episode.
Kim has a new record in the works and will be on tour with Kasey Chambers in August and locals can catch her next with her full band in Fountain Square September 4 and at the upcoming MidPoint Music Festival. You can download her current album The Greatest Story EP on iTunes.
Fans can also see a spread about Kim Taylor in the August issue of Paste Magazine where her work is highlighted in the music issue.
Check out Kim’s music on her website:
My Kim Taylor photos can be seen on CityBeat.com
http://citybeat.zipscene.com/photos/view/7691