The last time I saw In The End was about a year ago in Fort Myers, and before that, it had been nearly two years since they last played my hometown venue. Missing them at Revolution Live for that long made this night hit differently — partly anticipation, partly nostalgia, and partly knowing exactly how good they’ve become over time.

Because that’s the thing about this band: every time I see them, they’re better.

Hearing these songs live — songs that shaped an entire generation — paired with the passion these musicians bring to the stage makes it feel almost indistinguishable from seeing the band itself. Chester’s presence is honored in a way that feels intentional, reverent, and alive. The phrase “make Chester proud” gets thrown around a lot, but In The End takes it to another level. You don’t just hear it — you feel it.

The room was electric. Revolution Live was fully awake. Every lyric landed, every note carried weight, and the crowd was locked in from the first song to the last. Photographing this show was a challenge in the best way — not because of lighting or movement, but because I kept catching myself singing along, vibing, and forgetting for a moment that I was there to shoot.

One of my favorite moments — and one that always stands out — is when Chris Hodges steps off the stage and into the crowd. Locking eyes. Holding hands. Creating that one-on-one connection that turns a concert into a shared experience. This time, it hit even harder when Danny Lopez joined him, climbing onto the bar tops and pulling the entire room into the moment. It wasn’t staged. It wasn’t forced. It was genuine connection.

And while those moments are unforgettable, this band is far more than any two members. It’s the collective energy, the chemistry, and the respect they have for the music and the people listening. That’s why I love photographing them — and why this show, in particular, stood out.

The night was made even more special with Elias Soriano of Nonpoint joining them, adding another layer of intensity and meaning to an already powerful set. It was one of those moments that reminds you why live music still matters — why it continues to bring people together in ways nothing else can.

Some music never leaves you.

Some performances don’t fade.

And in the end — it still matters.

Moments like these are why I keep coming back — camera in hand, voice half gone, fully present.

Below are my top ten images from the night, frames that captured the energy, connection, and legacy that In The End continues to carry forward. You can also view my full album on my Facebook page at Through The Eyes Of a Queen. 

[See image gallery at throughtheeyesofaqueen.com]

The post In the End, It Still Matters — A Linkin Park Tribute Live appeared first on Through The Eyes Of a Queen.

MasMiami5 was an event presented by the full cast of The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz at the intersection of music, art, and sports to get a taste of Miami’s diverse culture. During this 5th year’s MAS, there was a buy-in domino tournament, Zoo Miami’s own Ron Magill, as he unretired his “Sex and the Animals” presentation, a live art installation featuring some of Miami’s most talented artists, and a live art auction, with proceeds from the auction going to the Ron Magill Conservation Endowment and Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital.

There were even performances but some great bands such as Les Greene And The Swayzees, whose fun Motown influence turned rock and roll into rock and soul, and the LeBatard Show’s very own Mike Ryan, whose DJ sets always swing between fun, funny and funky. The best part for me closing out the night was the one and only G Love and needless to say I have been a big fan of the man behind hip-hop blues fusion ever since I heard “Slipped Away” in 1997. Supported by South Florida’s very own Juke, G. Love did not disappoint. 

Now while I have been caught up with a few projects in these last few months, I didn’t want any more time to slip away (see what I did there?). Before I share with you this particular night and better yet, G Love. You know how I do. I share with you my final selection of images in an album on my Facebook page. Then, I will bring you my favorites here. I’m hoping that if you haven’t taken a listen to G. Love, this post inspires you to give him a try and let me also suggest that you attend the next MAS MIAMI so you can know what a great night of music, arts, and sports is all about.

[See image gallery at throughtheeyesofaqueen.com]  

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I have been hooked on their performances from my very first experience with them several years back, so much so that I have not missed one of their performances since. Hellzapoppin’, if you’ve seen my previous posts when I’ve captured them, is definitely something unique and out of this world. I recommend that if you have never been to one of their show, please make it a point to take one in if they are ever in your town. There are so many wonders you just have to see for yourselves. 

On this particular night, they were performing in front of a packed house at Respectable Street in West Palm Beach and I was front and center, Beast in hand. I love it when the house is full and I get to see everyone’s excitement and reaction. While it at times limits my photography perspectives and angles on account of my not wanting to get in the way of viewers, it adds a certain energy to the night, one I try to capture in the photos. 

Now, about the photos you all came to see. First, let me say that it was very difficult for me to select my images for the album. I try to limit myself to no more than 50 images in one collection however I can’t seem to make it happen when working with these guys. There’s just so much to see that the album on my Facebook page has quite a variety and I promise you there is something for everyone so please stop on over to my Facebook page and give it a view.

In the meanwhile, I have selected my favorites for you. I typically only select my top 5 but with starting with as many photos as I did, selecting only five was simply not happening. So I’m giving you 12 in my final post for the year. Yes, twelve, one for each month of 2023. And to all of my readers and supporters, take a moment to reflect on how much you accomplished in 2022. There’s no limit to what you can do in 2023! Here’s to a fresh start in 2023. I can’t wait to see what it brings for you.

[See image gallery at throughtheeyesofaqueen.com]

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This last weekend I had the pleasure of being the photographer on deck for a night of tribute to Metallica with none other than the band, Hardwired. Not only were they performing on the rooftop of Daer atop the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, but they were also performing this event on the eve before Metallica themselves took to the stage here in South Florida in an event hosted by Blackened Whiskey. Can you say they did it properly? 

It was an interesting night with a few challenges however, all in all, it was a memorable night of firsts.  There was a delay to get things started yet we all patiently waited to get rocking. What a crowd too. Over 500 redeemed tickets on hand poolside at this small venue and they were all there for one thing, the electric energy of Metallica’s music played intimately at a smaller venue. Some of you may have read my previous entry the last time I was honored to capture the guys at Hardwired doing their thing but for those of you that haven’t, they are the premiere tribute to the iconic Metallica.  

Now about this night. Yes, there were a few snags but the music more than made up for it and I was present through it all taking full advantage of the intimate setting. Did I mention it was poolside? So being careful not to fall in the pool I did keep it close to the action for the majority of what ended up being a small evening. You see, mother nature chose to only allow a tease when she decided to open up the sky five songs in. Yeah, it started raining and there we were on the roof, not much shelter. So the rain began and while I did capture a couple of shots with the rain in the frame, ultimately I had to join the band in running for cover. I wasn’t letting the Beast get that too wet and I imagine the guy’s gear can’t really afford to be played in the rain without suffering damage. 

I did manage on getting together a little collection of images. The full set is on my Facebook page so please check them out. In the meanwhile, here is a little sneak peek of the top favorites. I normally pick five images, though for this entry I”m choosing an extra one to add because I had to include a rain shot. Yes, I’m corny like that. And so, here we are, a night of firsts and memories to remember.  Let me know what you all think. 

[See image gallery at throughtheeyesofaqueen.com]  

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Let’s do this, shall we? The second part of Tribute Night at Revolution Live and its due time I share with you this set. This is all about Hardwired, THE Metallica tribute. They reached out to me to cover them on this amazing night and let’s just say what a great time I had. While I’m not a hardcore Metallica fan, I am a fan nonetheless and I will say this; these guys are the prino choice when it comes to representing these icons. They look the part, play the part, and in such an authentic way. There’s a reason why Blackend has been booking them for their events. They even went the distance and gave us a two-hour set this night. 

I highly recommend going to check them out if they are ever in your neighborhood, especially if you are a Metallica fan that just can’t make it to one of their concerts. As for me, listening to live music and capturing the night is what I love. It really is a no-brainer for me, especially when the music is good. So yes, I was excited and went ham. Here I was with the Beast poking around the crowd, working the pit and even the stage capturing the vibe as I felt it. You know what they say, “shoot what it feels like”. I was having such a great time. Following up after Products of Rage, their set list fit right and the fans were all for it.

While I shared with the band the entire set, it was difficult for me to narrow down the selection for my purposes. I do like to write a blog post to correspond to my album set on Facebook so here we are. Now, as difficult as it was to trim down my album on Facebook, it was even more difficult for me to get my top 5 together. I made it happen though and here they are I would love for you to visit my Facebook page and give those a peek as well. As always, feedback is appreciated. 

[See image gallery at throughtheeyesofaqueen.com]

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If you have been keeping up with my entries, you already know that I usually post my sets in the order they were taken. You could it a slight OCD of mine. So with that let me tell you a little bit about this night and my coverage. For starters, I was insanely excited. Not only was I going to get a chance to check out Products of Rage, a tribute to Rage Against the Machine; they were opening in support of Hardwired, a Metallica tribute. Can you say this night was going to be a night to remember? 

Now, I have seen Products of Rage before on another night and they were fantastic, so I knew they were going to be good. What I was not expecting was all that energy, not just on stage but in the crowd as well. I mean everyone was amped up, myself included. Here I was with the Beast and my go-to 24-70mm lens attached thankful that I typically pack light which made navigating through the mosh pits much more navigable. It also makes it easier to work my way around the venue.

So from the side stage, the pit, and the back of the crowd, I buzzed about clicking my shutter and getting lost behind the lens. It’s such an amazing feeling, especially when you are rocking to some great music. All in all, I snapped about 1500 images, 600 or so of Products of Rage, and while I loved working on the post, I know that sharing all the images edited would be overkill. So I put together a small little collection that I posted up on my Facebook page and of course, I picked a top 5 to share with you here.

Let me know what you think. Oh and also important, if Products of Rage is ever in your town, stop in and check them out, especially if you are a Rage Against the Machine fan. These guys really do them justice.

[See image gallery at throughtheeyesofaqueen.com] Yes, I know my enemies. They’re the teachers who taught me to fight me, compromise, conformity, assimilation, submission, ignorance, hypocrisy, brutality, the elite, all of which are American dreams.

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This was definitely a night for the memory books. Yes, the show was delayed on account of weather and at risk of being canceled altogether however with a lineup like Ziggy Marley and the fantastic Jack Johnson, it was well worth the patience and the wait. I mean, just the fact these two were going to be gracing the same stage, one could not go wrong in the slightest and I was all about waiting until the decision was made all the while hoping that I would get to hear the magic. 

In my last post, I shared with you a quick little peek into the vibe that was Ziggy Marley and for this particular entry, it’s all about Jack Johnson. What an amazing performance. He has always been such a vibe, one that instantly gets you swaying and feeling all the warmth and fuzzies. I mean, with songs like Sexy Plexi and Banana Pancakes one just can’t go wrong. 

As usual, I kept my gear light and portable so rain and all, I took great pleasure in being behind the lens and on assignment. It was definitely one for the memory bank and for that I am thankful. Now, about the photos, because that is the reason we are here today, let me show you my top 5, and please do check out the full set on my Facebook page as there is just so much more there to see. 

[See image gallery at throughtheeyesofaqueen.com]

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I know it’s been a quick minute since I’ve posted some live music images and it’s for reasons of playing catch up. Yes, I have been busy behind the lens and unfortunately, that has meant a little absence here on my blog but let’s just say it is worth the wait. I have been covering lots of great bands and so that I can have some sort of order to this catch-up session, let’s start with the first. Products of Rage at Revolution Live. 

These guys were in direct support of the Linkin Park tribute, In The End and let’s just say they set it off right. I mean, how does one go wrong starting off the night with some amazing tracks from Rage Against The Machine? Especially with Rage themselves not stopping in South Florida this tour. I was not complaining. Not even when my little self got mixed into a mosh pit. Oops. Thankfully I packed light and was able to get out of the way quickly enough. 

The beast and I came out unscathed and I continued to shoot. It was such an energetic crowd fueled by the music and I was all about it. These guys were fantastic and one tribute I’ll be attending to again. But I digress, it’s on to the photos. First off, let me say that while I did share an insane amount of images with the band, I was able to cut it down significantly for the socials share. You have my top ten here though please feel free to view the full set on my Facebook page. So let me know what you think. 

There’s much more to see and do make sure you subscribe to my blog to keep up. As always, I appreciate your time.

[See image gallery at throughtheeyesofaqueen.com]

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In one of my last entries, I mentioned there was one particular day that was the epitome of can’t stop won’t stop. As a reminder, it was on a Friday, I worked my daily grind, the 9 to 5 so to speak. I also had an assignment for I”M Music Magazine taking place in Longwood Florida. For reference, I work in Boca Raton, live about an hour away and Longwood is a four-hour drive from me. So yes, it was looking to be a long day however I was definitely looking forward to it. 

For one, I love to drive. Secondly, I was getting to shoot a venue new to me and check out some live music. Basically, this night was going to be a win-win.  There were a couple of supporting acts starting off the night, but this post is about the main event. You may have guessed it from the title of the post, I got to check out Tantric, and on an up-close and personal level. They have been rocking the scene since the very late 90s and still out there doing their thing. 

It was amazing seeing so many different age groups and a variety of people coming together. It will always be wonderful to me just how much power music has. But you’re not here about that. You are here for the images. It was another night of pack light and shoot clean although the venue was slightly challenging with the overflow of green light, all things considered, I am quite pleased with how they turned out. The Beast loves a challenge and he never fails to impress me with what he allows me to do. Between him and my 24-70mm, I am always good to go.

So here they are, I decided to give you guys a top 10 instead of my usual top 5. Of course, I shared a little more on my Facebook page you are more than welcome to go browse through it. I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed this night. I didn’t end up back at home until after 2 a.m. though it was very well worth it for me. 

[See image gallery at throughtheeyesofaqueen.com]  

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The reason for my travels? Well, I was assigned to be behind the lens at Shovelhead Lounge in Longwood, Florida with a few different bands taking the stage. One band, in particular, was King’s County. Kings County has been a favorite at Walt Disney World and shared the stage with many popular acts, including Bon Jovi, Ted Nugent, Styx, Hootie and the Blowfish, 38 Special, and Duran Duran. This night in particular they are opening for none other than Tantric.

Needless to say, I was tired yet excited to get to work. So after a quick pitstop at home to grab my gear, it was a quick fuel up and on the road to my destination. I love shooting live music, so much so that not only did I drive four hours to do it, I did it after completing a 9-5.  Yes, it was a long day but it was a great time nonetheless.

With it being a small venue and one I had never shot at before, I did decide on the go-to combination of my MarkIV right along with my 25-70mm lens. One can never go wrong with packing light as it makes it a lot easier to work your way around the fans as to not get in the way of their enjoyment yet still capture the evening. I think if I had to gripe about something it was that for this particular set I had to deal with a bit of a green stage light situation. It’s all well and good because the Beast handles it well enough. If nothing else, a little monochrome can make things so much better and that is exactly the avenue I went for some images.

If you want to have a look for yourselves go and take a look at my album on my Facebook page for the full gallery. As for the images I’m sharing with you now I decided to go a different route in my selection. I normally share my top 5 favorites to share with you but in this particular entry, I am opting to share one of each member. Let me know what you think.  

[See image gallery at throughtheeyesofaqueen.com]

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