Extreme At MTelus

The twisting web of destiny can sometimes weave a mysterious tapestry.  Let us take another ride in this photographer’s musical time machine as we set the dial to April of 1991.  For a Career Day project, I had mentioned an interest in radio.  I was actually hoping that I would find myself on the sports broadcasting side, wanting to call games for the Montreal Expos.   But, my radio experience would take place in the studio of Montreal’s top Rock music radio station, CHOM 97.7FM. Upon leaving that day, DJ Ken Conners offered each of us a cassette tape of our choice.  I didn’t really know much about the tape that I chose, except that the third single had become a huge radio hit.  That cassette tape was ‘Extreme II: Pornograffitti’, their second album, and that hit song at the time was 'More Than Words'.  Here we are, all these years later.  I never became a sports broadcaster and it’s been 20 years since the Expos left town, but Extreme are still around and filled up the MTelus for the final date of their ‘Thicker Than Blood’ tour.  Opening with two of the bigger hits from that second album, ‘(It’s A) Monster’ and ‘Decadence Dance’, Extreme quickly established that they still rocked that it was 1991.  The songs from Extreme's funked up fairy tale are still as awesome today as they were back in the day.  A more recent track, ‘#Rebel’, from their latest album, ‘Six’ followed and the party was in full effect as us photographers left the pit.  Guitarist Nuno Bettencourt joked that they have become a band that releases a new album every sixteen years, but with ‘Six’, released past June, Extreme certainly makes the wait worth it.  Singer Gary Cherone dominated the stage, bouncing from corner to corner like a super ball, all the while belting out his songs without even a hint of being winded.  Known for their melodic sound, Cherone, Bettencourt and bassist Pat Badger make a formidable vocal trio.  Combined, their voices sound perfect together.  On the guitar, Nuno Bettencourt has very few peers.  A fellow photographer mentioned how he had to remind himself to take some pictures as he was completely taken in by experience.  I too tried to make a point of getting a shot of his fingers in action. All of the photographs were taken at f/3.2, while using various different shutter speeds, ISO levels and focal lengths.  Here are several more photographs of Extreme during their performance at the MTelus in Montreal.

If you would like to find out more about Extreme and their music you can do so by following the link to their website.  If you would like to see the photographs that I look of Living Colour, who performed earlier that night, you can do so by following the link.  Much thanks to Robby Hoffman of Primary Wave Music and Christopher Gonda of V13 Media for getting me a pass to shoot the show.  As always, it is very much appreciated.  Brian May of Queen once said that Extreme was the band that most resembled his own, and it is easy to see where the comparison could be made.  Sadly, the show in Montreal was the final one of this tour.  'We saved the best for last!’ said Nuno Bettencourt to the cheering crowd.  Living Color and Extreme together made for a live experience that left the entire crowd feeling satisfied, yet also clamoring for more.  Be sure to check them both out should they end up touring soon near you.