CONCERT REPORT: Global Citizens Festival 2022

Metallica at Global Citizens Festival 2022

Mariah Carey at Global Citizens Festival 2022

It's hard to believe I've been to gazillions of concerts in New York City and not one of them landed me on the Great Lawn in Central Park. I'd been to the SummerStage, but never the big show grounds where Simon & Garfunkel and Diana Ross made history. My day was finally here! I had the privilege of attending the Global Citizens Festival yesterday and want to share the good and not-so-good things about being part of the event. 

Small photography update!

How are all my fellow concert junkies doing out there? Sigh. I'm sure I already know. YouTube and livestreams are welcome right now, but it's not the same as feeling connected to your favorite music and people in person. Not to mention being somewhere else other than your routine places to visit over and over during this time. Namely your living rooms! Blah. Hope everyone is getting by alright. If not, I hope things get better for you in 2021. 

Well, obviously I haven't had any shows to write about or shoot. But I HAVE been continuing to archive full sets from shows I've already posted highlights from here if you want to check them out! 

I also have an Etsy shop now! You can find it here. I'll be updating it with new additions from time to time, so check it out every now and then to see what's up! 8x10 prints are a great gift idea for you or another fellow music junkie! 

CONCERT REPORT: On The Run II / Beyoncé and Jay-Z

On The Run 2014 was a tour for the ages. With a format that saw the power couple together and apart at various times during the night, featuring brilliant segues between each of their individual sets and a heartwarming finale, one left the show thinking that evening could never be matched. So when it was announced there would be an On The Run II tour in 2018, it was natural to wonder “What will they do THIS time?”

CONCERT REPORT: The Struts in New Haven

The Struts performing at College Street Music Hall, New Haven, CT

The Struts are a UK band steadily on the rise in America, and have only released one full studio album that is now 4 years old, "Everybody Wants." That record is chock full of Pop Rock with a twist of Glam, earning comparisons to the great Cheap Trick and Queen. They're a throwback while still being fresh and original, thus allowing them to avoid being categorized as a copycat. Frankly, if they're good enough to open for the Foo Fighters, Rolling Stones and Mötley Crüe, then they are good enough for this concertgoer. Those bands have surely seen many young bands try to break out in their travels, so for the Struts to be handpicked out of a sea of hopeful Rock torchbearers is saying a lot for their credibility musically and performance-wise.

CONCERT REPORT: Royal Blood's 2 night stand at Brooklyn Steel

Royal Blood's Mike Kerr basking in the cheers of Brooklyn Steel as drummer Ben Thatcher crowdsurfs back to the stage

(photo by Lorraine Schwartz, May 29, 2018)

Royal Blood played a two night stand at Brooklyn Steel a few weeks back. I was lucky enough to get into both nights, and I can't wait for them to return.

CONCERT REPORT: Rise Against hometown gig (PHOTOS)

Zach Blair of Rise Against at the Aragon Ballroom, November 2017

To continue my wrap-up on WKQX's holiday show, The Night We Stole Christmas...

Rise Against hails from Chicago, so this gig was surely a highlight for them as well as me. I love seeing a band play their hometown because there's always a special vibe in the air. Being hugely successful, having toured all over the world, I would imagine there is nothing like coming back to your city and be reminded of how far you've come. Plus, instead of jumping back on a tour bus to hit the road to play to a room full of strangers, you can simply hop in your car and go home! Which is what I witnessed firsthand after the show, when bandmembers left the building. But not before stopping to talk to their loyal fans who waited outside in the freezing cold, knowing at least a few of them by their names upon first sight.

I've seen Rise Against quite a few times since my first show of theirs in 2007 opening for the now, sadly, defunct My Chemical Romance. Their ferocity and energy had not slowed down at all 10 years later. If anything, crowd response seems to have gotten even more intense as songs that were new back then are now classic favorites like "Prayer of the Refugee", "The Dirt Whispered" and "The Good Left Undone." Newer hits like "Satellite" and "Help Is On The Way" also made the cut as well as songs off their latest record, Wolves, "The Violence" and "House On Fire."

One thing about Rise Against is they will never shy away from expressing their feelings about what's going on in the world. Tim McIlrath took to the mic to say that, to him, it's "common sense" to say "F**k homophobia" and xenophobia, showing support for human diversity instead of demonizing it out of fear. He also openly declared that it's also "Common sense to say f**k Trump", which was met with deafening cheers right before going into "Savior." Bands like Rise Against are needed the most in times where people seem to be trying more than ever to censor anyone who doesn't agree with the current administration.

To check out my photos of the show, click here.

CONCERT REPORT: Papa Roach in Chicago (PHOTOS)

Jacoby Shaddix of Papa Roach, Aragon Ballroom 2017

I finally had a dream come true when I not only got to finally spend some time in the great city of Chicago, but also got to see a fantasy bill I never thought I'd witness: Papa Roach co-headlining with Rise Against. Not only that, it was a hometown gig for Rise Against at a venue I've always wanted to see in person, the Aragon Ballroom.

Aragon Ballroom is unlike any other music hall I've ever been to. Instead of the standard setup of a stage facing an open floor and multiple rows of a balcony, you feel like you're looking out onto some sort of plaza under a night sky in a Van Gogh painting. Words can't do it justice, so here's a photo found in a Google Image search:

As usual, Papa Roach rocked the whole room. At first, I was a little bit nervous because their style of music is so different than Rise Against's furious punk tunes that often get political. Papa Roach is a heavy, futuristic, pop-infused metal (but not Pop Metal mind you). I hoped the Rise Against fans would be receptive to them. Since RA was closing the show, that meant the odds are that the population in attendance was most likely made up of mostly their fans. But there was no need to be worried. There were lots of Roach shirts in the crowd and they knew the words to more than just the early TRL hits, which lately includes "Help", off their current release, Crooked Teeth.  Crowd response was especially great for another Crooked Teeth song, "Born For Greatness." With it's aggressive bouncy intro, it's hard not to be hooked right away into the anthemic, inspiring tune.

Due to the crazy schedule that ensued right after this early December show, I'm a little bit backed up editing the rest of my photos from that night. But they will be posted soon! In the meantime, here are a few from Papa Roach's set that night:

CONCERT REPORT: In This Moment: Providence (PHOTOS)

Maria Brink of In This Moment, Providence, RI, October 2017

I got another opportunity to shoot the amazing band In This Moment in Rhode Island a few Fridays ago when their Half God Half Devil Tour came to one of my favorite venues, Lupo's. They are super theatrical and always a fun challenge. Lots of smoke and wild lighting keeps me on my toes, as do lead singer Maria Brink and her bandmates (guitarists Chris Howarth, Randy Weitzel, bassist Travis Johnson and drummer Kent Dimmel). Of course, her Blood Girls were in tow, flanking Maria like loyal subjects in her Rock and Roll Queendom.

In This Moment's metal is heavy but melodic, touching on the darker subjects in life like abuse and serious relationship dysfunction. But embracing demons, and almost dressing like one at times, has not made Brink an intimidating figure so much as a heroine for young people everywhere. Setting an example by showing the world how she has risen above her demons to become a powerful female in control of herself and the stage. Bunches of young girls look up to her from the front row, wearing costumes paying tribute to Maria and her musical cohorts ranging from ghoulish makeup to masks emblazoned with black and white crucifixes. To outsiders, it looks like a costume party. To those inside, it's a community where creative expression is welcome and celebrated.

To check out my photos from the show, click here!

CONCERT REPORT: Dave Hause / Against Me! / Bad Religion (PHOTOS)

Dave Hause, Against Me! and Bad Religion at Irving Plaza

Last week, the Vox Populi Tour kicked off its tour in the Northeast. I had the pleasure of catching two of those shows, one at the Paramount in Long Island, the other on the second night of their 2-night stand at Irving Plaza. Both shows were fantastic nights of Punk Rock.

Gary Clark Jr. at the Capitol Theatre

Gary Clark Jr. at the Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, NY

While Gary Clark Jr.'s sound is that of an experienced musician who could hang with the best of the Blues legends, it's hard to believe the man is only 32. This mature sound is the result of spending his formative years dividing his time between the Texas nightclub scene and his neighborhood church, all the while devouring Soul, Funk, Pop and Hip-Hop while he learned his craft. In other words, Tupac Shakur and Parliament-Funkadelic informed his sound as much as BB King, Jimi Hendrix and Miles Davis. Clark transformed the Capitol Theatre into a giant Blues club when he hit the legendary Port Chester venue on September 6th.

In This Moment, KORN and Rob Zombie in Hartford, CT

Last night, The Return of the Dreads Tour, which features In This Moment, Korn and Rob Zombie, made its way to the Xfinity Theatre in Hartford, CT. From beginning to end, the show gave the town a Rock-filled spectacle complete with flashing lights, crazy stage setups, loud Rock, and yes, dreads.

Guns N' Roses Night 2 at MetLife Stadium

Last night, the night owls of the Tri-State area made their way out to East Rutherford, NJ's to catch rock legends Guns N' Roses play past midnight on Night 2 of their run at MetLife Stadium. I was there Sunday night with a bird's eye view of the stage.

The Struts at The Stone Pony

This past Thursday night, Asbury Park received its second visit from UK band The Struts. Though the band is fairly new to Americans, they have managed to win many fans already. Judging by the amount of people who responded when singer Luke Spiller asked who in the crowd had seen them play before, they clearly had made quite a good impression at their Fall show at the Wonder Bar down the street. Along with the seaside town's validation, they've already won the approval of musical giants like Mötley Crüe and the Rolling Stones, who selected the band to open shows for them last year. Going by Thursday night's Stone Pony show, it's easy to see why The Struts are receiving so much attention and praise.

Sixx A.M. plays intimate Philly show

Mötley Crüe may have said farewell to the world on New Year's Eve, but bassist Nikki Sixx is far from done with his musical career. Even after living many lives during his time with the Crüe, the creative juices and desire to bring music to the people are still burning bright inside Sixx. The success of Sixx A.M. shows that his fans aren't done with him either.