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. 

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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. 

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I’m back. We left off with Products of Rage in direct support and after a brief intermission and a quick and amazing sing-along of “I want it that way” (No, I’m not kidding. You had to be there), I channeled my inner Baby Yoda and it was time to rock. Yes, In The End took the stage. No, they did not come to play around. 

Let me start off by saying two very important things I’ve learned. One, energy is so incredibly important. Two, a connection is the glue. So where Products of Rage had started the night by reminding us that its okay to Rage Against The Machine, In The End connects to your inner child. That one that was hurt, let down, kicked around by life, and overall filled with that angst that we have all known at one time or another. The difference is that they are paying tribute to artists that put those feelings into song, at least for me anyway. 

For those of you that are/were Linkin Park fans, you know what I speak of. Chester and the rest of the boys of Linkin Park put into words emotions when we couldn’t, at least they did for me. While I would have to say that my absolute favorite track from them is “My December”. There are so many titles throughout the band’s time together that resonated with me, especially off of the Hybrid Theory album. Sadly, Chester, the lead vocalist, took his life five years ago and has since become one of the many victims of mental health. For that reason, a tribute band like In The End continues on where Linkin Park cannot, keeping alive one light, at a time where they seem to be going out far too soon. 

Let me tell you how amazing it has been to cover this band. Yes, I have had the pleasure of having them in front of my lens on two occasions, and each time I’ve come away more impressed than the last. To see the level of connection they have with the audience. Seeing fans and how they get lost in the energy, the songs, the music. It’s such a beautiful thing that makes such an impact on me. Yes, the sound is there but for me, what hits me the most is that connection. Seeing them reach out to hold the fan’s hands and the tears that have fallen. It’s something that I have not really witnessed in live performances. 

That being said, I myself get lost behind the lens, feeling emotions not only from my younger years but picking up off the energy from the crow. There were so many images, especially with them having invited me on stage with them. I was in my own moment of Zen taking it all in. Needless to say, there were a lot of images I turned over to them, and even curating them for my album share on Facebook was a bit of an undertaking. Still, I got through it and there is quite the collection for you all to view on my Facebook page. 

I also did round up my favorites for you all here to summarize the experience in hopes that you will see what I saw. Now, I do typically try and do top 5’s as you may already know but for these guys and this night, that was not happening. So here they are, my top 15 of the evening. Of course there is more to see on my page. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do and let it be known that I certainly recommend checking In The End playing live if you can. 

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Before anything, let me reach out on a personal level. You know that I appreciate you all and your support. I know that sometimes life gets ahead of us and there are times when there are not enough hours in the day, yet you are here and you are reading this. Lately, with the ongoings that are the state of the world, that time seems to be thrown off in some ways.

There is an ongoing pandemic and we are all doing our parts to try and prevent it’s further spread. To some of us, we are being asked to stay home. Now, the home situation may not be the ideal situation for all. It might mean you are not earning income, children are not able to go to school and in some cases, we are unable to spend time with some of our family members. It’s not the easiest of times, not at all. Yet we are stronger together.

What I mean by that is we are in this together. Young, old, introverts, extroverts, we are here living through it and we will get past this hurdle. It might not be easy. The no school situation could be taking away the only safe place some children know if they have an abusive environment at home. The lack of income can be hurting families financially. Even not being around co-workers can be limiting the only interaction some people have. The “comfort of home” may not be so comforting and some may find themselves alone and lonely.

That is why the timing of this set is perfect. You see, In The End is a band paying tribute to Linkin Park of which Chester Bennington was the lead vocalist. Not only was it Chester’s birthday a few days ago, but he was also the voice of a generation… In a world where so many people feel isolated or disconnected, music that builds bridges – that brings people together, no matter who they are or where they come from – couldn’t be more important. During an era where cocksure bravado was the order of the day for rock vocalists, Chester was a unique and enigmatic presence: seemingly assured, but also vulnerable. There was something real about the way he presented himself that always set him apart, and paved the way for countless frontpeople to come. If you ever saw him perform live, you’ll never forget it.

I had the pleasure of seeing Linkin Park live before Chester’s suicide a few years ago and while I’m not a Linkin Park superfan, I really do enjoy their music. That’s why I was excited to cover this particular tribute to Linkin Park. Let’s just say that the hashtag #MakeChesterProud was something these guys had from the jump. They were amazing and I enjoyed every minute of it. I highly recommend you see them live after this whole virus thing is done and the bands are out there making up for the lost time. 

Now, I know this post is a bit longer than usual but before I close this entry with my top 10 favorite images, I want to take another brief moment to say one last little thing. It might be a big thing for some. I am here for you. Whoever you are, if you need a friend or someone to talk to, I am here. No, we might not know each other on a personal level but that doesn’t mean anything. Reach out. I will listen. It’s one thing I’ve always been good at, listening. No judgments, ever.

Now, on to the set. It was really difficult for me to choose just ten but here they are. Of course, I am encouraging you to check out the full set on my Facebook page. There is quite a bit to see there.

The post Not that you knew me back then, In The End appeared first on Through The Eyes Of a Queen.

This collection I’m bringing to you today has got to be the fastest I have ever worked images from one night since I have been shooting live music. While I tell my client that delivery is set for two weeks, I typically try to get a set out within a week’s time. Sure, I occasionally get a few quick edits out the following day when requested however my usual workflow gets the set done in roughly a week. Not this time. 

Last night I was at Revolution Live and I got to check out Disco Biscuits. Can these guys draw in a crowd! Thankfully for the fans, they have two nights of playing to accommodate them. As for me, I was there the first of their two-night performance and it was packed. So much so that I am thankful that I brought along my longer lens.

I initially was going to start off at the photo pit but looking at how they were set up on stage and taking into consideration that the venue wanted some shots during their performance, I opted to do it a little different. I started out with my 24-70mm from the soundboard to grab a few full band/crowd shots and then swapped out lenses to get a little closer while working some different spots around the stage.

I’m really glad that was the route I opted for though. I didn’t want to be THAT photographer bumping into everyone on the floor level. You pay good money to purchase tickets and don’t want to be getting in the way of anyone’s enjoyment. That being said and since this post is ultimately about the captures of the evening, let’s get to my top 10.  I’ll leave you to browse through the images as well as the full set on my Facebook page if you would like. As always I do welcome your feedback. Now it’s off to enjoy the rest of this day. Thank you all for your time. 

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That being said, going hand in hand with my last post where I shared coverage of the tribute band, The US Stones at Revolution Live, it is only fair of me to share with you their supporting artists, Supergold. These guys had some energy and let us not even get started on how entertaining they were to watch perform. I did enjoy myself quite a bit, to say the least. So I did get together a few images to share with you in this entry. Yes, I am still working on my backlog when it comes to my past gigs. December is turning out to be eventful and lately, time is a commodity.

So without any further ado, let’s get to this round of my top 10 and if you visit my Facebook page you’ll get even a better idea of the energy I’m talking about. 

Thank you for taking the time to see what I see. I appreciate you.

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