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Holly Herndon at The Wick (Photos)

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Holly Herndon‘s album Platform received a Best New Music categorization from Pitchfork and in their review they said, “Into these complicated soundworlds—all of which are rooted in human action—Herndon mixes noises that emanate from the structure of her computer (hums, fan whirs, “thinking” noises), as well as its internal audio (she records the sound of her Internet activity and uses it as a source material or a point of inspiration). For her, a laptop is a natural extension of her mind and body rather than a place of escape and self-negation. ”

It was interesting to see her extend her mind live at The Wick in Brooklyn, my first time at the open, barn-like venue. Behind her a projector was distantly connected to the audience via a medium who received text messages from the crowd and responded to them on screen. I was shooting for Village Voice who described her set as a digital paradise. The review noted the challenge of doing a show fixed behind a laptop. “Her eyes rarely left her computer as she manipulated these constructs into endless iterations. On her album it’s her compositional training that shines brightest; here, in a pitch-black repurposed factory, it was her years spent in the Berlin techno scene. There were no breaks in her dizzying flow and, although tracks from Platform made appearances, Herndon gave us a set more akin to a DJ’s, which was perfect.”

As only a couple of my photos made the article, please check out my gallery of Holly Herndon outtakes after the jump.

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June 11, 2015
concert

Apollo Theater Spring Gala with Nile Rodgers

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The Apollo Theater is a legendary music venue and on June 8th they held their 10th annual Spring Gala event featuring “performances by Nile Rodgers and CHIC, Ne-Yo, Rosanne Cash, Luke James, The Soil, and Kimberly Nichole as well as presentations of awards for civic leadership to The Madison Square Garden Company and The Ford Foundation and a post-event party.” I photographed the main event (not the red carpet or after-party) for The Village Voice. It was the first time I photographed any of the aforementioned artists in performance, but capturing Rodgers was the real treat for me.

As Lindsey Rhoades put it in the review, “Truly, though, the Apollo Gala belonged to Chic. Rodgers lovingly described his initiation into the Apollo family at the tender age of nineteen, when Screamin’ Jay Hawkins popped out of a coffin onstage to prank the unsuspecting guitarist. Delighted to finally play his own tunes on stage, Chic began with a rousing version of “Everybody Dance,” the first song he ever recorded.”

Check out some of unused performance photos after the jump.

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June 10, 2015
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Josh Ritter at Tarrytown Music Hall

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Josh Ritter is a wonderful musician, gifted song-writer and ever smiling guy. He recently played at Tarrytown Music Hall and I made a trip up from NYC to catch him do his acoustic set. Many live recordings of his shows are available over at the internet archive and if you like what you hear, buy any of his albums, either the latest full-length Beast in Its Tracks (which is recorded evidence that Ritter was once not-smiling) or So Runs the World Away, which has so many of his live staples on it. The first time I saw him was when he opened for The Swell Season at Radio City and I was instantly a fan.

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June 9, 2015
Azealia Banks at Irving Plaza (Photo)
concert

Azealia Banks at Irving Plaza (Photo)

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Azealia Banks celebrated her 24th birthday on May 31st. A couple weeks ago, I got to shoot Banks‘ performance at Irving Plaza for Village Voice. The full gallery is up here. My kind music editor at Village Voice offered me kind praise for the photos on her Twitter and included the main image used on the site’s homepage. That image was also the one I instagrammed and it almost got more likes than I had followers (around 170 at the time). But if you saw the Instagrammed pic, you would have realized more of the image existed. I cropped it. Shame on me? I dunno. Anyways, you can check out the full uncropped image below the jump. (more…)

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June 1, 2015
charity / concert / music

Everest Awakening Nepal Benefit Photos

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Everest Awakening, is a new organization ” founded in light of the recent earthquake to bring together musicians, artists, writers, poets, activists, politicians, and scientists in an effort to raise awareness and funds for Nepal and neighboring territories of the Himalayan region. Using our skills and various platforms, we are doing what we can to spread awareness and hope, using our voices and resources to keep people informed and educated, and to help others to direct their efforts and donations to where they are needed most.”

Founded by Jesse Paris Smith, the organization hosted a benefit event on May 17th at City Winery in NYC to raise funds for victims of the two recent devastating earthquakes in Nepal. The event featured Jesse’s mother Patti Smith along with Loudon Wainwright III, Michael Stipe, Kaki King, Shyam Nepali and more. Pictures from the afternoon show are below the jump. Michael Stipe read a poem, he did not sing because of allergies. Loudon Wainwright III performed a few goofy numbers. Kaki King brilliantly played her guitars, one of which sounded like a kyoto with a simple modification. Patti Smith did one song, followed by a cover of “Everybody Hurts” (with the writer, Stipe not far away), then a new poem about the tragedy in Nepal (accompanied by Jesse on the piano) and then finally with almost all the musicians back on stage, she did “People Have the Power” for the finale.

Please make a donation to this organization or any organization of your choice and help provide relief to the victims. Pick up a few songs that were generously contributed to Everest Awakening by various artists as well via the stream below.

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May 17, 2015
concert

Manic Street Preachers Webster Hall Photos

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Last month I got to catch Manic Street Preachers perform their album The Holy Bible (for its twentieth anniversary) at Webster Hall in NYC for the Village Voice. The reviewer, Linda Laban, wrote, “This tour is a celebration of its very nature. Webster Hall’s audience was ready for that and sang along on those catchy, cutthroat choruses: “We’re all just walking abortions.” And having not really heard the album, or that song, much before, I was excited to experience the show especially as it was the band’s first trip stateside since 2009. Opener Jennie Vee went to sign autographs and meet fans after her set. The Manics were thrilling to watch with Nicky Wire jumping around a lot. ‘The Holy Bible Tour’ didn’t keep The Manics around the US very long unfortunately and their only upcoming tour dates are the following few shows in the UK:

May 30, 2015 Edinburgh Usher Hall
Jun 01, 2015 Wolverhampton Civic Hall
Jun 02, 2015 Southampton Guildhall
Jun 05, 2015 Cardiff Cardiff Castle
Jul 19, 2015 Latitude Festival Henham Park, Suffolk
Sep 12, 2015 OnBlackheath Blackheath, London

But if you want to relive the Webster Hall show, check out my photos below the jump.

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May 6, 2015