09/05/2024
I don’t know about y’all, but I had quite the labor day weekend. I mentioned last week that there was a Humble Crumb show I planned to attend and snap photos at on Friday the 30th. The next day I did a solo shoot with Doug Strange and then we attended ANOTHER show that evening over at Better Days (formerly The Social). This was one of the best weekends of shows I’ve been to in a while. The vibe was right, the bands were tight, and the company was top notch. The photos came out pretty good too.
Matt was also fully booked last weekend. He had a show in Corona, one in LA, and one in Pinion Hills. I’m never joking when I say the man is busy. Our bookings, his day job, school… This week we were both so busy I didn’t really get much chance to get details about all his shows. So this issue is strictly art department. I reached out to a few folks looking for info to give you about those shows, and so far I was able to talk to Eddie from the Lillies. It sounded like a great show, so I hope to get another issue out to you folks this weekend. Here’s hoping I can get a few more details in the next couple days!
Back to Friday night:
The Humble Crumb show was at Hilltop Tavern in Apple Valley. I don’t know if I have been there before. Definitely not in recent memory and certainly not for a show. Why? No idea, save for the fact that most of the bands I’ve been working with haven’t played there when I was available. Was it a good venue? Well, yeah! The stage and seating were mostly open-air patio areas. It was rather hot over the weekend and I’m not really supposed to be getting much sun so the patio roof and sun/wind shades made all the difference in that desert heat. The stage was HUGE, the lights were mostly cooperative with my camera gear (curse you red lights!!), and the bartender was delightful. I’m not a huge drinker mind you. Offer me a shot and I will ask whether you’d like me to hurl into your hat, handbag, or shoes. Keeps the peer pressure minimal if you know what I mean.
BUT WHAT ABOUT THE BAND!!???
Yeah, yeah… I just wrote a whole issue on them a week ago! I don’t love them any less now than I did last week guys. The show was great. Crowds are tricky, mostly because they don’t all show up right at showtime. In this case, Ian, Theo, and Jenae did solo sets to open the show. The crowd was minimal going in, but as the hours went on the place filled in pretty nicely. It was good to see the full band together on stage. The setlist was solid. Theo appears thoughtful about how he organizes his setlists. It starts a bit slow and oldschool, the second set moves into more “contemporary” rock. I use scare quotes there because contemporary in this case means some 90’s/00’s era stuff. Eventually they unleashed their ability to swap instruments and vocalists like it’s nothing impressive and had the crowd dancing and singing along. Jenae’s vocals always wow the crowd on their cover of “Habits” by Tove Lo. Their eclectic tastes make their shows enjoyable for a wider audience. Encores were demanded, and given. Needless to say, if you didn’t come, go next time. It’s a good time.
A mini shoot and Better Days
Saturday was PACKED for me which is normally incredibly stressful, but rather than freak out I decided to NOT do that and be chill instead. I had a ladies paint party day with my gals in the afternoon and then at 5 I packed up and headed back to The Ranch to collect my camera and model/client and we made our way to a heavily graffitied train crossing.
Safety Meeting Time: I don’t ever recommend going to dangerous places for the sake of photos. DON’T do that. Did we take great precaution during this shoot? Absolutely! Noooo squishy. We made sure to be a good distance from the tracks at all times. We also had a really clear view of the tracks for a good distance in both directions. Are good pics ever worth injury or death? No way, but Doug and I are A-ok. I was more worried about snakes and park employees than trains.
Anyway, we dragged our collective butts and gear to the crossing/overpass and got to work. I didn’t get to scout the spot beforehand and didn’t want to drag much gear with me on the hike. I risked taking a single portrait lens and no flash. Next time I will bring the second camera with an alt lens and the big bright boi, but you live and learn. Did the photos come out ok? Seems like Doug’s followers on instagram think so. You tell me:
Better Days
I have been to this venue before. I believe I’ve written about it in this blog under a different name. It’s a super chill spot with nice leather couches, darts, pool, and the nicest bar. You know what else they’ve got now? Ian. We went to support the homie at work and see a band I’d not heard of. I believe they are called the Albert Miranda Projkt. Good glory to the Klingon god of war… I couldn’t tell if they were learning the songs as they went or not because it sounded like a really solid jam session. They all knew what they were doing, but from what I’ve gathered this group doesn’t have a specific lineup. Just a bunch of random killer blues musicians that get together and jam. Please correct me if you know more. I didn’t really talk to any of them so much, but the fella playing bass that night happened to be the fella that taught Doug how to play guitar. I can’t really explain the vibe in any more eloquently than ‘electric’ and that isn’t quite right. They played things I recognized and things I didn’t, but I was absolutely wowed by all of them. Pure Artistry…that’s it. Go see them too.
I don’t have any more shows on my calendar of events yet, but I’m sure it will be fantastic when I do get out again. In the meantime, stay tuned for the next issue that will hopefully highlight some of Matt’s shows from this same weekend. We had a great time with you all, as always. Keep Rocking and stay safe my friends. Until next we chat.
blackhat 