Finally, concerts.

My last “real” concert in 2020 came on February 29, and aside from a drive-in tribute band show later that summer (a true pandemic experience), I had very little to do until finally bands began to hit the road again in late summer this year. Without a doubt, the most boring year I’ve experienced in my life.

But we’re back!

I shook off the rust by shaking my money maker, so to speak, with The Black Crowes. I grew up listening to their music on the radio and knew many of their songs, but I must admit, I had no idea how good these guys were live. I’d always noticed how excited people seemed to get when Chris Robinson would come through town with one of his various incarnations, but it didn’t really hit me just how good he and his band might actually be. And truly, I was blown away. I couldn’t have asked for a better return to the photo pit.

During the pandemic I took the plunge and finally switched to mirrorless cameras, specifically the Nikon Z 6ii. The Black Crowes were my first show with the new bodies, and I was very, very pleased with the result.

I had some growing pains with the new gear during the first few shows I shot this year, but thankfully I was able to cut my teeth on some very well-lit, exciting shows, which made the process a bit easier. As I declared in my earlier blog post detailed my experiences with the Nikon Z system, I’m completely sold on it. It’s hard to imagine going back to a DSLR now!

2021 was, like 2020, an abbreviated year for shooting concerts. Touring didn’t really start back up until summer, and didn’t hit its stride until the fall. I didn’t end up shooting a ton of shows this year, but the ones I did I made count. I shot some of my biggest shows yet this fall, including the massive Hella Mega Tour featuring Green Day, Fall Out Boy, and Weezer.

I also had the opportunity to photograph the first night of Metallica’s 40th anniversary shows at the Chase Center in San Francisco. I had never seen Metallica live before, so was a bit unsure of what to expect. What I discovered is that after 40 years, they still rock harder than anyone else, and their audience is devoted to a degree that I truly didn’t grasp until that night. Fans traveled from all over the world to attend the festivities that weekend, which included shows at other venues by bands associated with Metallica, and they were treated to unique shows featuring deep cuts and rarities in addition to some of their biggest hits. Not many bands can get their fans to travel internationally during a pandemic for a couple of shows, but Metallica’s fans are something special.

I also had the chance to shoot some old favorites. I shot Bleachers and LANY for the fourth time each, and in both cases was allowed to shoot the entire show from the audience, rather than the usual 3 songs from the pit or soundboard. These were especially fun shows since both bands played at larger venues with wrap-around balconies, which leads to some fun new angles to play with when you’re allowed to roam the venue like that. Wish I could shoot the whole show more often!

The biggest surprise of the year had to be Black Pumas. I knew there was some buzz around this band after their debut was nominated for a GRAMMY award, but I hadn’t listened to their music much before I shot the first of their two night stand at The Masonic in San Francisco. Lead singer Eric Burton came out on stage and wasted no time jumping into the audience, where he spent almost ten full minutes. At one point I leaned over to the roadie who was patiently waiting in the pit to help Burton get back on stage and asked, “does he always do this?”, to which he replied with a hint of amusement, “it’s always an adventure…” Yeah, suffice to say I will be sure to catch their show from now on when they’re in town.

All in all, 2021 was a great year. It felt good to get back out and see shows again, and experience the unique communities that form at each of these shows. Every show is different - a Louis the Child audience is different from an Elvis Costello audience, which is different from a Metallica audience! - but in every show there’s a palpable feeling of community and belonging. I love these fan communities, how they come together and bond over their favorite bands if only for a few hours before dissipating back into normal society, and after the year a half of pandemic loneliness, I’ve never appreciated them more.

Here’s to an even better 2022, and hopefully an end to the pandemic!