Babyshaker finally released a new album! They threw their record release party at the Milestone and made it through almost an entire set before Scott finally gave up on singing through his migraine. I almost never get headaches so I can’t imagine standing on that stage with the lights, music, and yelling and managing to belt out 7 songs with a raging migraine. That’s real rock n’ roll, kids!

The record is great. There are songs I’ve heard and loved live and some I don’t think I’ve heard before. The production is raw but sharp, very full without losing the live feel. Hopefully they don’t wait another 9 years before they release their next one.

Click the image above to see the rest of my photos from that night.

Click for more pics. Possibly the best Iron Cordoba show yet!

Jane’s Addiction was my favorite rock band from the first time I heard them in 1988. They played Charlotte that year but I was 15 and thought that fake IDs were something that only happened in the movies or I would have would have gone to see them. I was pissed that I missed them but my new red dreadlocks made me feel a little better about it, partially because one of the guys putting them in had seen the show and told me about it as they worked. The Butthole Surfers were my favorite band at the time and I missed them not once but twice before I turned 18. Then, in 1991, Lollapalooza happened and I managed to see both of them (which was my only real goal for my 18th year) on the same day and stage. The Butthole Surfers were good but went on too early. It would be 10 years before I would finally see the Butthole Surfers show I really wanted to see. Jane’s Addiction put on the best show I had ever seen, a crown they would wear for many years.

I saw Porno For Pyros a few years later and then saw Jane’s Addiction again in 2001. I hesitate to call them Jane’s Addiction, though, because Eric Avery was not part of the band but the bass player for Porno For Pyros was filling in that spot. Yes, they played Jane’s Addiction songs, but there were as many members of Porno For Pyros (3) on stage as there were members of Jane’s Addiction (3). This year, probably almost totally due to Trent Reznor, Jane’s Addiction toured again. The REAL Jane’s Addiction. Nine Inch Nails opened for them and I wasn’t sure Jane’s Addiction would be able to put on a show that would outshine NIN’s performance. They did. It was such a great show that it made my memory of the NIN act pale in comparison.

I had great “seats” in the “pit” up front. Not the photographers’ pit but the area in front of the stage where Verizon Wireless Amphitheater removes the first 5 rows of seats and have a general admission standing area. They really are the best seats in the house, you can get as close or as comfortable as you want (as long as you want to stand and you should want to stand, it is a fucking rock show, if you don’t want to stand, you’re doing it wrong).

The NIN|JA tour had an open camera policy so I took mine. I was debating it right up until the morning of the show, when I decided that I would rather have a broken camera than have to walk around for the rest of my life saying my one of my least favorite phrases in the world: “I wish I had taken my camera”. Looking at my photos of Jane’s Addiction, I’m glad I did. They’re not all perfect, I left some “snapshot” quality pics in the mix because these are as much a documentation effort as anything else. “Pics or it didn’t happen,” I always say. Well, it happened. I was there. I have proof.

ExtraMediumLarge Gallery: NIN|JA 2009: Jane’s Addiction at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Charlotte, NC 2009-06-12

and, if you missed them,
ExtraMediumLarge Gallery: NIN|JA 2009: Nine Inch Nails at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Charlotte, NC 2009-06-12

I had “pit” tickets again (like the last time NIN played Charlotte but a real camera this time. Click the link above to see the rest of the photos. Jane’s Addiction photos coming soon.

I had a new lens to test and tried a few new things as I continued to stick to my “no flash at concerts” rule. Unfortunately, most of my experiments failed but I did manage a few photos worth keeping. You can see them by clicking the photo above or this link: Snowfight at Amos’ Southend – 2009-05-29

As always, you can use the left/right arrow keys to move to the previous/next photo in the gallery.

I just posted about 40 photos from Friday night’s Fool’s Brigade Rolling Stones tribute at the Neighborhood Theatre. It was a 6-hour show and I had early morning plans so I had to miss the final hour, unfortunately. The show was great. TONS of talent, extremely fast changes between sets, the sound was (usually) right on the money and, of course, the setlist was one of the best setlists ever witnessed by mere mortals.

BOOYA.