Quickly, due to the wettest summer on record, All Points West became one of the messiest U.S. festival since Woodstock '99, but the crowds and the bands pulled through.

Over three days I was soaked under torrential downpour, splatted with mud, bruised and blistered, but difficult situations tend to produce great photos so it was all worth it.

Many thanks to Todd at Sony Alpha U.S. for sending me the second A900 body and extra lenses to help me document the festivities this year. The new Carl Zeiss 16-35mm F2.8 for Sony Alpha might be the sharpest zoom I ever shot with — INCREDIBLE glass!

Here's a few selections documenting my festival experience. I'll post more to my site in coming weeks.

Labels: All Points West, Davey Wilson, festival, Fleet Foxes, Jay-Z, music, Postelles, Sony Alpha, Yeah Yeah Yeahs

The Littl'Ans made their first bit of hype when Pete Doherty picked the band to tour with Babyshambles, and since played fashion parties for the likes of Dior and everybody else.

The band looked right at home headlining the party for UK fashion brand, Ben Sherman, in New York earlier this week, and packed the store with local hipsters, mods and fashionistas.

As always, Josh Madden delivered a sick DJ set for the night.

Check out my photos from the party here.

Labels: Ben Sherman, concert, fashion, music, party, The Littl'Ans

Once in a great while, a new band comes out of nowhere that immediately demands attention. Many will say "I've heard it all before," but somehow this band manages to do it differently.

Back in January, I met a band playing under the name, Frankpollis. Although they received a bit of press attention from SPIN.com and abroad from NYLON Japan, they were still relatively unknown. A close friend, formerly of Columbia Records, signed on to manage them and invited me down for an early look. These guys were all in their young 20s, but performed with a maturity well beyond their years.

Immediately, I booked photos with their management. So rarely do I get to work with a talent this early in the game, and it's been exciting documenting everything — capturing their evolution.

In the few months that followed, they evolved into Your Nature, the Brooklyn band that promises to be one of the most sought after new acts this year. Their sound is a unique brand of Berlin-era Bowie proto punk gone psychedelic prog rock à la Dark Side Of The Moon-era Pink Floyd with a Pavement undertone — all without sounding the least bit retro and with a fresh approach and energy that is unmistakably now.

Your Nature booked a special residency at The Annex, each Wednesday in May. See these guys now and be in the know early.

The Annex schedule is as follows:

YOUR NATURE residency at The Annex this May
5/16 with Wildyaks
5/13 with The Extraordinaires and Invisible Hand
5/20 with Space Camp
5/27 with Real Estate
$7. Doors 8 PM.
Open Vodka Bar 9 PM till Gone.

Listen to Your Nature at myspace.com/yournature.

Labels: band, Brooklyn, music, New York, residency, The Annex, Your Nature

I just wrapped up a shoot with Knoxville, Tennessee's indie hopefuls, the Tenderhooks.

They are currently unsigned, but not for long.



Check out the recent write up in their hometown paper, Metro Pulse here, and their music on their MySpace.

Labels: band, Knoxville, music, Tenderhooks

I recently wrapped up a shoot with Jukebox The Ghost this week.

I first saw these guys with Ra Ra Riot late last year, and was quite impressed -- especially considering I am not so keen on piano rock.


Test shot with Jesse

Here's a sneak peak of what came of it:


I'll post the photos soon.

Their debut album, Let Live & Let Ghosts, is in stores Tuesday. In the meantime, download the Jukebox The Ghost "Good Day" (REMIX) from their MySpace page here.

Labels: band, indie, Jukebox The Ghost, music, This Side Up Sounds

You know, I've seen The Raveonettes probably 2 or 3 dozen times, but their show last night at Bowery Ballroom was probably one of the best I've seen yet.

All the older material had been reworked for this new phase of the touring band: Sune + Sharin + Leigha on drums. Clearly, The Raveonettes matured over the last few records, and I feel like this tour sees the band securing their place for the long haul.

Recently, The Raveonettes released a new album, LUST LUST LUST, which has received almost straight 4-star reviews, and for good reason. Check it out yourself and you'll understand why.

Here's a few shots from the show. View the rest here on my Flickr page.

Labels: Bowery Ballroom, concert, music, New York, rock, Sharin Foo, Sune Rose Wagner, The Raveonettes

...To cover "Ray Of Light" at the Waldorf Astoria for a Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony.

Funny? Yes, but what's more laughable is that Iggy Pop has yet to be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

Kudos to Madonna for having Iggy perform in a sort of protest.

Check out the video below.

Labels: Iggy Pop, Madonna, music, Ray Of Light, Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame

"Time To Pretend", the new video from new New York band, MGMT, will undoubtedly influence at least a few music videos and photo shoots. The cheap/chic, dirty/sexy, hyper-psychedelic production values are really quite beautiful.

See for yourselves:



I love it.

Labels: alternative, art, band, Columbia Records, electronic, indie, MGMT, music, photography, Time To Pretend, video