Photos: Summer Meltdown @ Venue 18

Jeremy with his daughter, Dana.

Jeremy Schindorff, founder and the face of NWO Metal Militia, probably ended the summer of all shows at Venue 18 in Fostoria, Ohio. No exaggeration. This place is a hidden gem located towards the western side of Ohio. The venue has an amazing sound system, enough lights to melt the eyebrows off your face, monster fog machines surround the stage, and a newly added catwalk to strut your goods at fans. His new venue makes any band look like a nationally touring band with a million dollar synchronized light system.

Again. I'm running out of adjectives to describe this Venue 18 where I should just showcase the four bands that played that evening. But real quick, I must thank Jeremy and his amazing family for opening up his home and cooking all of us a bomb-ass BBQ before the show and pitching tents in his backyard to crash afterwards. Thank you, Jeremy! You do so much for the local music scene. I am privileged to come out and help put this place on the map!

Overcast

Ackretion (Green Springs, OH)

Reject the Silence (Monroe, MI)

Olathia (Cleveland, OH)

Photos: 3 Doors Down @ The Goodyear Theater

Last Sunday, I got to check out the new Goodyear Theater in Akron as 3 Doors Down headlined the evening with Pop Evil and Red Sun Rising as direct support. Very interesting venue with movie theater-style seating with great looking architecture surrounding the stage. 

**Setlist
1. Still Alive
2. It's Not My Time
3. Citizen/Soldier
4. Believer
5.The Broken
6. Let Me Go
7. Away From the Sun
8. Duck and Run
9. Let Me Be Myself
10. The Road I'm On
11. Be Like That
12. Better Life
13. In the Dark
14. Kryptonite
**Encore:
15. Here Without You
16. Loser
17. When I'm Gone

Check out my shots from the evening of 3 Doors Down.

Review: Return of the Dreads Tour @ Blossom Music Center

Last Wednesday (August 24), I made my Blossom debut shooting In This Moment, Korn, and Rob Zombie for Uncivil Revolt Magazine on the "Return of the Dreads Tour". So much went down in front of the lens, I felt like a little kid in a toy store just snatching up every moment I could it my little greedy hands on. If there was one experience that hindered my experience, it had to be my little hour and half expedition looking for my vehicle that night. It was horrible, embarrassing and downright humorous by night's end. 

In This Moment

In This Moment is what I consider a photographer's dream band to shoot. Two reasons. One, the production value is top notch. The stage is fully immersed in fog most of the set with fantastic light strobes of different colors flickering throughout the venue. Maria Brink, the vocalists of the rock/metal band, is decked out in a different costume for each song. And with her two counterpart dancers choreographing beside her, the full effect transforms into full circle. Second, you get to shoot the whole set!

Korn

If I had to hand out performance medals that evening, Korn took home the gold. After 20+ years and their twelfth studio album, The Serenity of Suffering set to drop this October, their longevity hasn't diminished in quality nor as their stage shows.

Rob Zombie

The man of fringe and bell-bottoms, Rob Zombie himself. I can't think of a guy today who can rock both and quite frankly, I'm sure he's the only one. Zombie has been on my radar for while to see. I got a sample of it last year when John 5 did his solo thing in Cleveland, but I just love his stage vibe and the guy has an iconic image that's easily recognizable. Not necessarily the best lights for a photographer, but it worked for his show. I was telling another shooter that he must really love the red and greens so us photographer would end up transferring them to B/W.

--SONG LIST--

1. Dead City Radio and the New Gods of Supertown 
2. Superbeast
3. In the Age of the Consecrated Vampire We All Get High
4. Wild Thing (Tone‐Lōc cover)
5. Living Dead Girl
6. Well, Everybody's Fucking in a U.F.O.
7. More Human Than Human (White Zombie song)
8. Never Gonna Stop (The Red, Red Kroovy)
9. The Hideous Exhibitions of a Dedicated Gore Whore
10. House of 1000 Corpses
11. Guitar Solo
12. Thunder Kiss '65 (White Zombie song)
13. Am I Evil? (Diamond Head cover)
14. The Star-Spangled Banner (John Stafford Smith cover)
15. We're an American Band (Grand Funk Railroad cover)
16. Dragula

Photos: Romantic Rebel @ The Outpost

Romantic Rebel, a hard rock band out of Chicago, Illinois, stopped by the Outpost in support for Smile Empty Soul last Thursday night. Fronted by a dynamic female lead vocalist and also been picked as Revolver's "Hottest Chick in Hard Rock/Metal" in their January 2015 issue, I thought since my schedule was open for that evening, this would be a worthwhile opportunity to give this band a look. My verdict. A well-polished and fluid sounded group I expected while listening to them online. The biggest thing that I appreciated from their set was everyone's progressive energy. Alex's 'David Lee Roth' high kicks was a prime example of this intensity.

The current lineup for Romantic Rebel includes; Alex Vincent, KT Paige, Zach Smith, and Ty Del Rose.

Photos: Ink in the Clink @ Ohio State Reformatory

The world famous prison penitentiary, Ohio State Reformatory was the setting for the 3-day tattoo festival, Ink in the Clink in Mansfield, Ohio. The weather couldn't have been more perfect. Warm 80 degree heat with sun shining all weekend long. Sadly, I missed the first day, but was present for the rest to make sure no moments went undocumented.

The staff and everyone involved with the production were outstanding to work with. Met with a lot talented artists and amazing photographers who really were on another level. Browsing the reformatory was one of the coolest parts of the festival. With all the history that presented itself from room-to-room, you also got to witness highly skilled tattoo artists and unique vendors that you wouldn't normally see at your local flea market.

Special effect artist, Robert Kurtzman had his work on display there, but he himself wasn't there in person due to business obligations in NYC. Paranormal Penitentiary were there to give me the low down of his artwork. The twisted wickedness Robert creates is damn impressive and his attention to detail grabbed my attention right off the bat. 

Monster Dolls

The horror dancing cabaret girls, the Monster Dolls, were there dancing the whole weekend with synchronizing dances, fire twirling, and fantastic stage props. Just watching them move around on stage kept me engaged as they flawlessly moved to the beat of the music.
Look at their costumes and tell me they're aren't bad ass?! They were all super sweet to let me grab a shot of them back stage. Thanks, ladies!  

Psychostick

If there was one band that stuck out beyond the rest, it certainly had to be Psychostick. A metalcore band from Chicago with a HUGE twist. It's all comedy worked into their stage act and music. Farfetched outfits accompanied their charismatic persona kept you entertained from the first strum of the guitar cord.

Flaw

It was great to see Flaw again. Last time I saw them was a month ago in Akron at the Empire Concert Club. Beofre the start of their set, the band had some technical difficulties which there was a long 20 minute delay. From the fans' perspective, they were getting a little antsy and annoyed. None-the-less, they eventually busted out and played a solid show.

Drowning Pool

One of the two national bands that played that night was Drowning Pool. I was especially excited to see how they sounded since going through several singers in the past. The best part of the show and I think everyone there could agree, was seeing America's Got Talent star, John Hetlinger do Drowning Pool's famous "Bodies" song. If you don't know who John is, he's the 80 year old guy that's been a internet sensation covering the band's heaviest song on the national television show. Drowning Pool invited him to travel with them and to bring his talent out on the big stage.

Saliva

Last of the night, Saliva came on stage and didn't hide the fact they came loaded with the hard stuff. Crown and Fireball were available as refreshments to quickly heat up day 2 of Ink in the Clink. Saliva was more difficult to shoot as the stage lights was very spotty and had me quickly adjusting my camera for each shot. A lot of Bobby, but I was able to grab some stage side shots for a gloomy look, which I ended up liking more than anywhere else.

Dread Engine

I really wasn't anticipating such a forceful and heavy ass band besides Olathia to ignite the final day of Ink in the Clink. I was wrong. Columbus area electronica metal group, Dread Engine played a mind-blowing set with wicked dual vocal screams and fast tempo'd guitar riffs that took my adrenaline above 10. No exaggeration. If James Hetfield of Metallica decided to mesh with Lamb of God in his heyday, you'd have a good idea of the sound of Dread Engine, but you get a music video below instead. You're welcome.

Olathia

I've seen their sound evolve. I've seen there comfort zone mesh tighter than the waistline of a 80's glam hair band. Seeing their cooperative teamwork by producing catchy melodies with Chris' talented writing, transforms each new Olathia piece into heavy metal nirvana. The new stuff is soo good and we heard more than a few that afternoon from their 45-minute set.

Red Sun Rising

Wow. It's probably be almost a few years since I last saw Red Sun Rising. Their success keeps climbing the charts. Already with two top charted singles from their "Polyester Zeal" album, Red Sun Rising haven't slowed the wheels down at all. Playing the biggest festivals in the country and opening for some of the biggest names in rock. It sure is nice these Akron natives have made northeast Ohio proud.  It's one thing to love the album, but seeing them live is just a sweet entertainment perk to witness. Be sure to check them out next month when they come to the new Goodyear Theatre next month in Akron with 3 Doors Down.

Pop Evil

Seeing Pop Evil twice already, I didn't expect to see anything that I haven't already witnessed. Well, maybe their new drummer, but it all seemed like a typical Pop Evil show. Not a big fan of their music, but I love their crowd control they use with some of their popular songs, such as "Footsteps" and "Take It All". 

Review: Kyle Thomas Country and Big Machine

A new artist, a new venue, and a new genre. Went Country for the first time Saturday night at the Dusty Armadillo to shoot a new client, Kyle Thomas and the Big Machine and survived! It wasn't bad. Actually quite the opposite. I had a great time and learned a new way of concert life. Swap out the big hair and leather studs, and strap in some boots and cowboy hat—you got yourself a country showdown on the dance floor.

I first got wind of Kyle Thomas back in May when he played the Outpost in Kent opening for Flight 619. He loved my work so much, he hired me to come out and shoot his 2-set performance. He went all out. Brought in a videographer to shoot his music video and topped it off with a great light show his management designed.

Kyle gettin' his "sexy" on The Kyle Thomas tour bus before showtime.

Kyle has all the talent and charisma to win any country fan and make it to the top. And when he's performing with the Big Machine, he pretty much invites you to be part of the show. Hopping on and off stage, parading the mic around fans to help sing songs. It was awesome! Let me not forget the Big Machine. They amplified and complemented Kyle's vocals in a catchy ensemble.

This whole new experience brought a new kind of energy I haven't experienced before at a show. In a way, it felt like family or close friends meeting up. The hospitality from Kyle and his band mates were unmatched. They made sure I had everything I needed and treated me like I was part of their inner circle. I want to personally thank Kyle and everyone that night for the great memories you let me captured. All the positive vibes that showed up on my computer when I got home, made it very difficult on picking my favorites. Happy to share them here with you all.

Kyle Thomas and Big Machine consists of: Kyle Thomas, Steve Faulkner, Dennis Eggerton, Sean Lotz, and Wes Porter

Photos: The Four Horsemen @ The House of Blues

They were so good, I had to feature them again. Yes, the most authentic tribute to Metallica, The Four Horsemen played the House of Blues a second time this year with another crowd stunner over the 4th weekend. This time, I had an All-Access pass to roam the venue without security on my arse.

If you didn't catch my previous review of these guys back in March, all that applied then, still applies now.  I would like to throw out a special thank you to Sean, Mike, and Rich for having me back. It was a privilege to see your show. Check out my plentiful photo review from the night.

Photos: Olathia @ Ohio Bike Week (2016)

Bikers, booze, and babes. Ohio's biggest motorcycle gathering, Ohio Bike Week, concluded last weekend with what started as a favorable overcast of hit or miss sprinkles, ended with soppy puddles beneath our feet. Despite Mother Nature damping NEO, Olathia were back for their second straight year on the main stage, playing a brutal one hour set before Pop Evil. A few new songs were played, "Victory" being my fresh favorite of mine, hinting these guys are ready to hit the studio soon. And by soon, this September to be exact.

Now my thoughts on the show. I'm usually an optimistic guy. Anyone who knows me, knows I turn a blind eye on the negatives and focus on shit that's important, but I was a little frustrated on the organization for when these local bands come through to support the headliners. The way it is setup, they have a section fenced off in front of the stage which is reserved for the VIPs when nationals play. So when the local acts go on, this section is pretty bare and beyond the fenced area, you begin to see the crowd build up from there. My big issue, security will NOT open this up for fans to gather around the stage. While I was on stage shooting, you're staring into a void of emptiness with a crowd beyond your grasp of interaction. I totally get why there's a VIP section and it makes sense. They have to pay those national headliners each night, but frankly, the VIP section was too large and by the time Pop Evil went on, not even 3/4 was filled (perhaps the rainy weather was a factor). I'm not dogging on OBW at all. It's a kick ass event. I wish there was something else to permit fans to gather for general admission access and still provide great lineups each night. Live music is such a fun experience when everything seems larger than life, right in front of your eyes.

With that, my ongoing rambling is done. Olathia were amazing as usual! A lot of great feedback was received, even an insider from Rock on the Range wanting them next year. I came away with some great shots to allure away the negatives that afternoon.

Photos: Flaw @ The Empire Concert Club

It's been an exhausting week for me. Actually, the whole month had me running around NEO catching different shows. The last of 'em for May ended with Flaw who tore open The Empire Concert Club & Bar in Akron last Saturday night as part of their 'Weekend Warrior Concert Series'. This was my first show at the Empire with a national touring band, so very interested on the crowd attraction. I was thankful the crowd were super cool with me cocooning stage side.

Flaw is an American hard rock/metal band from Louisville, Kentucky, formed in 1995. The current lineup includes: Chris Volz, Jason Daunt, Ryan Jurhs, and Corey Sturgill.

Here are some of my favorites from that night.

Photos: Dangerkids @ The Foundry

Buddy of mine contacted me to let me know his brand spanking new band, Gold By Fire were opening up for the Dangerkids' final tour stop for the "We're All In Danger Tour" at The Foundry in Cleveland and my presence was called upon. My anticipation for this show was high for a few reasons. One, this was my first time back at The Foundry since 2013 when I shot Battlecross and wondered if the stage lighting was been upgraded since. Two, I was looking forward to Gold By Fire's second performance ever. Luckily, one went better than the other. Lighting still was shit, but thankfully, all the bands' energetic performances played through my sour view through the camera. I forgot. They had a chick drummer. Yes! She was amazing and a first for me. 0.o

The Dangerkids aren't my typical kind of music I listen to or find on my iPod. Their sound sounds something more for the current generation kids, but without a doubt, I LOVED the fiery passion they provided that evening. It was brutally hot and humid inside the venue, but that left my mind fairly quickly.

Have a great Memorial Weekend and many thanks for your follows and kind words. It's a great fuel to keep me doing what I love!