Karen's Photo Journal

I Love These Guys! New Soul Cowboys Coming to LA

My favorite kick booty (and I think unsigned) band is heading back to LA and I am happy, happy, happy about this!  The New Soul Cowboys are one of the most amazing live bands I have ever seen and I have seen many a concert, my friend, including some legendary bands!  

Not only am I excited to see them again, but they will be here this Saturday, the day after my birthday! So guess where I'm celebrating??????? At Cozy's, in Sherman Oaks. I am sooooo excited!

If you follow my blog you know I love all music... rock, hip-hop, blues... everything.  These guys are pure Southern rock/blues.  If you are a Stevie Ray Vaughn fan you have got to see how Anthony Gomes handles a guitar. Unreal!  If this sounds good to you, join me for my birthday at 9:30 this Saturday!

I took these photos of them about a year or so ago when they played at the Canyon Club:

Hugs for you all on Valentines Day

Wishing you all love, chocolate and every thing else you could ever want today, and every day.  Especially hugs:

Jeff Lynne confirmed!

So that was Jeff Lynne backstage Sunday night!  Sweet!  My rock and roll eyes did not deceive me. Unfortunately, since I can't see through metal, I missed Joe Walsh who was behind the big ole fan!  Now, if I had seen Tom Petty back there I would have had to make a fool of myself and rushed the stage!

Good Girls Don't, But I Do!

I love The Knack!  No, not a guilty pleasure; I'll tell anyone that asks that I have been a fan since I first saw them at The Forum in 1979. (I was very young, for those of you trying to do the math!)  Well, they played last night at the Woodland Hills Concerts in the Park summer series and I have been so stoked, waiting to see them all summer.  They did not disappoint. They did all their great classics and some cover songs that they are well known for performing live. I love hearing these guys!  I saw them here a few years back and, being the dork that I am, I waited backstage like a groupie until the lead singer Doug came out.  He was gracious enough to sign my original "Get the Knack" album!  Woo-who!  I was there to dance and sing (read: not work) so I didn't get shots of everything/one I normally would have but here are some to share with you other Knack fans(for full gallery, click here):

And can some one please confirm (or deny) that this was Jeff Lynne sitting backstage?  It's driving me nuts!!!!!!

A Weekend of Music

This weekend was pretty fun.  I got to see two bands perform and they were both great.  They had the clubs rocking.  The cool thing was these guys were at different ends of the experience spectrum. The Heaters played Saturday night at a local restaurant/bar to a packed house.  These guys were a big local band in the 80's and they still have a good following.  My girlfriend and I had a great time dancing when I wasn't snapping some shots for the guys.

The band I saw on Sunday at the Knitting Factory was my friend's son's band. He is the 13 year old drummer of a group of kids from Join the Band, kind of a School of Rock. I was so proud of Dylan and the other kids.  They are just starting their musical careers!

Candlebox at the Viper Room

I know, I know... I always say how great a band is after I see them. Candlebox was no exception.  What an awesome show I covered for Kasha Amps at the Viper Room two weeks ago.  It was their album release party for 'Into the Sun' and they were unbelievable! Lead singer Kevin Martin sounds amazing and the band is so tight.  I bought their first album 14 years ago and I think they sound even better now. I love their new song 'Stand' and you have got to see the video for it (check it out on their web site here). Anyhow, I got to briefly meet most of the guys and they are all so cool.  I had a great time. Check out the whole gallery online here.

Peter Klett

Sean Hnnesey

Scott Mercado

Adam Kury

Powder: at the Key Club

You know you're going to have fun when the sign reads "No Stage Diving"! The Powder show at the Key Club last Friday was a blast.  I don't even know how to describe them... Punk? Avant-Garde? Performance Art?  All of the above probably with a good measure of rock and roll thrown in. This was one of the most entertaining shows I've ever seen and the music was great.  The guys in the band are first class musicians and the singer Ninette is like watching a live cartoon! Check out their site for tour dates - this show is a must see! Oh, why was I there? Shooting for Kasha Amps! Thanks John; I'm so glad I got to meet and hear these guys (and Phil X gives the best hugs ever!!!  Oh, and he is one of the best guitar players out there... probably more important then the hug thing!)  To view the whole gallery, go here (a few of these shots might be a bit racy for some of you, so you've been warned!  LOL)

Phil X

Ninette

Dan (total cutie, girls)

Dog Boy, who did this great break dancing routine during his solo!

Yes, that is silly string! And Tony on the stilts.

Howard Jones

One of the local parks has a free Summer Concerts Series that runs every Sunday, all summer long.  Howard Jones played yesterday, thanks to the Valley Cultural Center that puts on the shows.  He did an awesome set.  I can't believe it's been 25 years or so since I first listened to songs like "What is Love".  I feel old all of a sudden!  

If you are in the west valley, you have to come and hang out!  Besides great music, the weather is perfect and it is wonderful to see all the kids running around and dancing.  Again, that small-town-Americana longing that keeps rearing its Pollyanna head.

Anthony Gomes and the New Soul Cowboys

I had quite a nice surprise about two weeks ago when I went to photograph the Sweet concert at the Canyon Club. The opening band walked in for the sound check and I started talking to this cool cat named Anthony and I told him I'd take some shots for them. I didn't know what to expect, I just knew these guys were really nice and cute and I thought I'd help them out with some photos. 

So, I'm waiting for them to plug in for the sound check, hanging out with the bassists girlfriend (I'll post some pix of these two later - hot!) and they start up and OMG, they rocked it!  These guys were AMAZING!!!!!  If you like good 'ole bluesy rock in roll, southern style then check them out.  I'm so excited to see these guys before they explode onto the music scene.  They are coming back this way in Nov, so check them out then.  Meanwhile, here are some pictures from the night. Again, hard to pick my faves!  Here is the link to the full gallery.  If you like what you see, leave me a note in the comments section below the photos!

My favorite artsy one...

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

Okay, anyone that knows me knows I have been in love with Tom Petty since I was 13.  Let's just say its been a long, unrequited love affair.  I've come to terms with that over the years though and have even given my heart to another. The Firefighter (who does sing and play the guitar by the way!).  The Firefighter has been kind about this, buying me videos, records (yes, I still say records) and taking me to concerts.  Like last night.  It was our anniversary and coincidentally Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers were playing at the awesome Hollywood Bowl.  On our anniversary.  As if Tom was saying, "But what about us?"  So off we went and had an amazing time.  Steve Winwood opened (and joined in with TP for a few songs which was amazing) and TP rocked it!  Wow.  After 30 something years these guys kicked a** and the entire audience sang almost ever song.  I can't even begin to describe the joy in being there - the sense of some kindred community in a sea of thousands of happy people.

We didn't get very close, even though we were center stage.  TP was a little dot.  I wish I had gotten tickets to the Mudcrutch show for my birthday.  I would have been real close (it's not weird to want to see the sweat running down his face is it?).  And after shooting Sweet I was itching to get down into the press area to get some awesome shots.  I kept seeing them - everything I would have taken pictures of... ah well... one day...

Here are some crappy photos I took with my son's point and shot.  Be ready - they suck!  ha ha

Here is one of Steve Winwood, which is a smidge better because it was still daylight.  These are zoomed in so you know we were in the nose bleed section.  But we were there!  Yea!