Nomad Planets 10/20/12

The Nomad Planets were playing at Finnegans this night.  I had never been there, however my experience listening to and watching the Nomad Planets at Hammond's Beatles Fest 2012, brought me out to here these guys again.  Very cool . . . darn glad I went.

These guys play good music, and like the serious musicians I know, always want to do a good job and give proper credit to the covers they play.  And like most musicians I know, most of their music is there own written word.

Here are the band members:

Mark Mybeck - Lead Vocal / Guitar

Phil Rapchak - Bass / Backup Vocal

John Carpenter - Guitar / Backup Vocal

Drew Enselman - Drums

Here are the photos from this evening at Finnegans . . . and yes, difficulty with lighting again. One of these days I will learn, like I was taught by Rick Friedman, to setup my flash and use it.

When I do my blog, I would like to think that in the back of my mind, I am telling you a story with the series of photos that I choose to put up.  Sometimes, there are just distractions to get you out of thought, then to pull you back in, like the photos of the glass I kept taking throughout the night.

Sometimes the images are a bit dark.  I could go and correct, however, my strive is to learn from it, and do it right the next time.  So these nest two photos may be a bit dark compared to the others.

Okay, the next photo is not the typical one I would post, however, I am a hippie at heart . . .  psychedelic man . . .

As a kid, I had wanted to play the drums.  I took lessons, but never had anything but a pad to practice on.  When your dreams are being a rock star, a practice pad just does not cut it.  So I stopped.  Wished now I had not.  Though, if I had kept playing, I do picture myself in these next few photos . . .

The Nomad Planets, the artists behind the Nomad Planets, the music behind the the artists behind the Nomad Planets, are down to earth guys with a vision of song.  They have their groove, and it is great to listen to.

More people need to get out of their house, away from their perceived focused lives, and expand their awareness of the talent in NW Indiana. We need to become one in the region. We all need to be pulling in the same, or close to the same, direction and make a difference in life. For whatever, reason, this is what I am taking back from the Nomad Planets. Whether they intended this or not.

Thanks guys!!!!  Keep on Truck'n . . . peace . . .

Nomad Planets

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And if you care to, check these guys out at the City of Hammond's 2012 Beatles Fest.

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Pete Calacci 10/13/12

My friend Pete has been wrapped up in music most of his life.  He is a great guitarist, and is pushing his singing and song writing, getting better by the moment.  I am going to dedicate this blog page to Pete and his music, and will add to this page to give you the story of Pete Calacci, as he journeys . . .

Other Side

Click on the "Other Side" above to check out this album.

Pete, on REVERBNATION . . . click here . . .

SteepDanger 8/16/12

JAM.  That is all that needs to be said.  Jerry Clemons put on a great show with his son Cat Clemons, and members of the Steepwater Band - Jeff Massey, Joe Winters, Tod Bowers, and Eric Saylors, along with guests Ed Brann on congas and Billy Ozello on bass.  These names mean a lot to music, our past, our future . . . so if you do not recognize them, start memorizing . . .

The very cool part of tonight was being able to listen to and watch Jerry's son.  In my opinion Cat Clemons is our NW Indiana upcoming rock star.  He knows how to rock it out, work with the other artists, and has a style of his own that is quite signature.  So, let me start you off with a couple photos of Cat Clemons.

Jeff Massey

Ed Brann

Jerry Clemons

Bad photo (next)?  I think not.  When I can freeze frame everyone but Cat Clemons, that means he's getting bad ass down on guitar . . . he blew me away with style and class . . .

In my other blog post of the Steepwater Band at Chicago House of Blues, I mentioned that I wanted to be like each of them, because of the energy they bring to the music.  In this next photo, I picked up on Joe Winters having the time of this life . . . at least how I felt at my end.

In photography, lighting can make or break a photo op.  In my photography I choose to not use flash photography.  This next photo is of Ed Brann on congas.  This is one photograph that seems to put me on the boarder line of did I need more light, or is the effect with this light the best I could have shot?  You can decide . . .

Another great event of the evening was watching Eric Saylors JAM.  He took the lead, slapped it against the walls, in our faces, and the artists playing with him gave him all the respect one could ask for by paying attention to and working with his lead.  I am not a musician.  However I love music. I feel the electricity in the air that connects these guys, and it brightens when I see something good about to take place.  My trigger finger then takes over.  Perhaps not the best photo, but the one that means the most to me.

Eric Saylors

And I am not just singling Eric out on this.  Each of the artists here gave me something, that I am giving back in my photography.  Sometimes I was just awe struck this evening, forgetting I had a camera in my hand and that I was suppose to press the button and take the photo.

Joe Winters

This part of the set was cool to watch.  Artistry at it's best.  Jerry wanted to play a blues song that Steepwater did not know.  So Jerry worked it through with the boys, several times, each absorbing all Jerry was saying.  I could picture the band thinking "this is insane", and is probably as raw and exposed as I have ever seen a band.  Yet they hammered through it to bring us one of the best JAMs of the evening.

Todd Bowers

Billy Ozello was invited to play bass . . .

One excellent evening.  I need to thank my close friend (unofficially adopted sister) Renee Wicinski, and new friend Pete Calacci for helping me make my photography happen.

So, the one question for all of you is, did you really notice the advertisement signs glowing in the back?  I knew they were there.  Jeff even mentioned it to me.  Yes, I would rather they not been there.  However, when photographing this evening I did not take notice, almost like I was using it to highlight the focus on who I was photographing, and not to take away.  Did I succeed, or do I need to pay more attention?  Your feedback helps!!!  One thing I do want to change, next time, is to pay attention to mirrors.  I found myself in the photo as a reflection in the mirror, which to me took away from my personal enjoyment of the photo.

As always, support our local artists, of all forms.  Including me :)

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