Snowball proudly sporting a Sirsy onsy (or is it onsey?)

I’m heading out to shoot Revolution Hall’s last show-Sirsy. It’s going to be bittersweet. Even my cat is a fan! But I’m not going anywhere until I can find my SHOES…

Halestorm has the sound to back up the stage presence. They keep my ears happy and attention on shooting. They’re a photographer’s band without trying to be. Fun yet passionate and serious (all at the right times), they love their fans and their fans love them.

I have more photos of them than I would typically post. I am happy with these. I hope when they see them, they will be too. Here’s a glimpse into Halestorm’s Saturday night on stage. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

HALESTORM Favorites from 4.25.10 – Images by Julia Zave

DASHBOARD CONFESSIONAL at Northern Lights in Clifton Park on 4.11.10 – Images by Julia Zave

SNOOP DOGG at Northern Lights in Clifton Park, NY on 4.22.10 – Images by Julia Zave

ALKALINE TRIO at Northern Lights in Clifton Park, NY on 3.8.10 – Images by Julia Zave

ANTI-FLAG at Northern Lights in Clifton Park, NY on 2.1.10 – Images by Julia Zave

DAN BLACK at The Bayou in Albany, NY on 4.3.10 – Images by Julia Zave

Amateur, shamateur I still won! I’ve never actually won anything before except for a Fall Out Boy promotion at one of the tours a few years back. This one is one I was very excited about. I must’ve checked the PDN and Billboard sites a couple times a day, since January, for 2 months to see if the winner’s galleries were up…but they weren’t, so I gave up. Then, last week while shooting a show at Jillian’s a friend told me that she saw my pics in Billboard. With extreme surprise (I figured they’d email me to let me know it was official and when the pics would be printed) I googled my name and Billboard in the same sentence. My stuff was published in the January 16th issue!!! Looks like the winners gallery has been up for 2 months!!!

I’m yet to receive my prizes. I’m not exactly sure what they are, but I want them. I really should email John from PDN to see if he knows what’s up.  After all I def get a WHOLE YEAR of PDN and Billboard FREE! Update to come. In the meantime,here are the pics and the mystery winner’s prize list:

• Amateur Grand Prize: $1,000 cash, iPod Touch, your image published in the winners’ gallery in Billboard as well as on pdnonline.com and billboard.com. 1 Grand Prize Amateur winner will receive aManfrotto 190XPROB black aluminum tripod with new horizontal center column +Manfrotto 322RC2 horizontal grip action ball head with RC2 rapid connect 2 Amateur first place winners will each receive a Manfrotto 7301YB M-Y compact tripod with aluminum 3-way head and new angle selectors
• Amateur First Place Prize for each category: will receive a digital camera, a Crumpler bag and your image published in the winners’ gallery in Billboard as well as on pdnonline.com and billboard.com.
• All First Place winners receive subscriptions to Billboard & PDN.
• Fans’ Favorite winner will be published in the online winners’ gallery and receive a Billboard “swag bag”.(professional and amateur categories will be combined. There will be ONE winner)

He was fun, energetic and wore one hell of a fancy pinstripe suit. For a moment, before he started playing, I wondered what a guy in a the suit was doing at metal show at Northern Lights. He was funny, full of potty humor and good music. I was surprised, really genuinely surprised. Devin’s voice unified us with the amazing feeling of being lost in glorious sound. It was melodic, unique and energizing. I didn’t tune out at all (this says a lot because I’ve been known to read books during sets which do not capture my attention). This was my first time, hearing the mad hypnotizing and passionate music. For me, it felt like I was discovering something new, while spying on a mad musical scientist  in his dark lab filled with sound.

Oh yeah, Devy opened for Between The Buried and Me…they were there too.

and Me…they were there too.
THE DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT at Northern Lights in Clifton Park, NY on 1.29.10 – Images by Julia Zave

Valentine’s day, 2009 and the first 40 days (If you know me, you know what that means to me). This was the most perfect way to remember and celebrate love, life and music. Jason put on a fantastic private show for FLY 92.3. He was kind, funny and thoughtful. It was lucky that he came to Albany and I was lucky to be there spending time with one of my best friends and my favorite musician to date. That night, I bought my D700. Ryan and I went to dinner. It was the most beautiful, difficult day of my life to date.

I’m not going to lie…this was the most anticipated show of the year and my photo career to date. I worked on getting clearance for this for 3 months. Yet, it was John Brodeur of Metroland who made it happen for me. I even ended up getting paid to be there! As a kid in Russia watching Enter Sandman on VH1 I never ever thought I’d see them nonetheless photograph them in my whole life. Metallica was rock music. Metallica is freedom and angst and joy. I know joy is an unusual comparison but to me they stand for freedom. Ryan tells me about the live footage of their show in Moscow, where the security guards fought not to enjoy the music but you could see its power in their eyes. Music has the power to move the spirit and these guys do it like the spirit moves them. To me Metallica is freedom and nothing else matters.

It’s not often that I surf on YouTube. The couple of times I have…I’ve discovered bands that are now my favorites. Metric is one of them.  Just as randomly, and on the way back from the GD shoot (above) I was meeting my boyfriend at Savannah’s before walking home. I sat at the bar and stared at the Absolut Vodka promo poster advertising a free EQX show presenting Metric! Unbelievable. While only Emily and James were at there, the show was hypnotic. The lighting, the sound of her clear  echoing voice energized the small club.  Everybody does want to fall in love and play the lead with Metric! Metric makes me happy. They make feel like dancing, hopeful and young. Dancing till tomorrow. No further proof needed.

They’ve worked so hard and for so long. Now, they’re selling out arenas all over the world, not just small clubs that’ll take them. I loved American Idiot and this album is pretty good too. I like my music loud and charged with energy, not necessarily political. There was a very entertaining pink bunny onstage before the set, GD t-shirt and all. The TU center audience was of all ages and everyone was screaming. When the guys finally came out they made getting the great shots easy. Their passion was obvious and the fans were happy. I wanted to capture the pride and excitement, the light and the sound of a band that was so deservingly sharing their glory with the world.

NUMBER 7: STAIND at SPACAaron and the guys were in good spirits as they came on stage for their headlining set. This was their annual stop in our area and my reunion with a band that started it all for me back in 2004. They were my first arena show, backstage experience (get out of the gutter NOW) and first national publication (in Fairways & Greens magazine by Aaron’s request…HEY, we all have to start somewhere). I’m sure he had no idea who I was when yelled “What’s up, Aaron” as he walked down the hill to the stage before the set. It was still very special to me. So they wailed and they played and did their thing. And that night, I left with a greater appreciation of a band that consistently delivers music and experience to the fans who will never get enough.