Kansas At Place Bell

We're a little bit backed up on getting my concert photographs up here on The Old Blog.  I suppose we will catch up at some point, but this would be a good time to remind you that my concert photographs can be seen in a much more timely manner by visiting V13 Media, which you can do by following the link.  If you'd like an even more direct route to my photographs, you can visit my personal page over there but using the following link.  I took a ride on the rock and roll time machine back in August.  It was off to the Place Bell to shoot a couple of bands who have been rocking the world for a fair amount of years, and continue to do son.  There are many different names and faces currently in Kansas.  However, their music remains timeless.  The current formation of Kansas treats the songs with the respect they deserve.  Speaking of respect, singer Ronnie Platt got a healthy dose of it from the crowd when he chatted a few words en français with the crowd.  A sure way to win over a Québec crowd.  They opened with “Point Of No Return”, from their awesome 1977 album of the same name, and the crowd was rocking.  There hasn’t been any new music from Kansas in a while. But, a set list full of their greatest hits is a sure winner.  With a discography that features 16 studio albums, many of which have gone either Gold or Platinum, they certainly have a large selection of hits to choose from.   “Paradox” followed and their classics heavy set rolled on for another 11 songs.  Straight through to the immortal “Carry On Wayward Son”.  These songs are part of the essential classic rock playlist.  They will remain there long after we’ve all become dust in the wind.  All of the photographs were taken at f/3.2 while using various different shutter speeds, ISO settings and focal lengths.  Here are the rest of the photographs that I took of Kansas while they performed up on the Place Bell stage.

If you would like to find out more about Kansas and their music, you can do so by following the link to their website.  If you would like to see the photographs that I took of Deep Purple, who performed later that night you can do so by following the link.  Kansas provided a welcome blast from the past.  The songs will forever bring smiles to the faces of anyone who has enjoyed them.  Don't you dare miss them when they perform in a city near you.

The Offspring At MTelus

 

 

Fans packed the MTelus in Montréal on a Wednesday night for a very unique concert.  The Offspring were back in town for their second show here this year.  Dubbed ‘Just The Punk Stuff’, this was one of only two special shows.  Meant to showcase their more punk songs and deep cuts, their bigger hits would be reserved for another day.  The majority of the set list came from their first two albums.  Lots of stuff that they either have never played live before, or haven’t played in a long time.  They also used these shows to shine a bright light on some younger bands.  In Montréal, the prized opening slots went to General Chaos and Thick Glasses.  Usually, I give the opening bands an update of their own on The Old Blog, but it's not really possible this time.  We were herded near the back of the hall and couldn't really move around.  Add some very low light during the two sets to the distance we were from the stage and you have a rather difficult photographic situation.  Hopefully, I get to make it up to them in the future.  Both bands were great and I'd love the chance to get some clean shots of them at some point in the future.  General Chaos were the first band to hit the stage.  The members of the band are only 16 years old.  I certainly wasn’t doing anything as cool at that age.  Both bands were on stage playing their songs for a packed house, while also hanging out backstage with one of the top modern punk bands.  Their energy was off the chart.  As I image it should be in such an occasion.  The building was already super charged.  General  Chaos and Thick Glasses rode that wave to what will be an unforgettable moment for them.  “These guys look like they’re ready to fuck stuff up!” Those were some of the first words spoken by Dexter Holland after hitting the stage.  The building was already packed tighter than a can of sardines.  After getting fired up by a couple of blistering opening acts, those sardines were ready to explode.  As the band roared into “Session”, it was only a matter of seconds before the first crowd surfer reached the stage.  The blitz of bodies never stopped, as fans came wave after wave.  Making their way to the stage before diving back into the crowd and continuing their journey.  While all of this was happening, every member of The Offspring was looking on.  Often with huge smiles of pleasure with a huge does of astonishment.  The old school show featured 11 songs from The Offspring’s first two albums.  Before playing “A Thousand Years, Noodles told the crowd that, “It’s been 35 years since we last played this one live.”  The band was on fire and the fans took things to another level as well.  I saw fans pass out by the soundboard and puking in the street.  Nothing was being held back, it was 100 kilometres per hour from start to finish.  The Offspring put these special shows on as a gift for their fans.  The fans responded by giving back everything that they had.  Big words often get thrown around when talking about concerts and I’ll use one here.  The show was epic.  The biggest mainstream hit, “The Kids Aren’t Alright”, brought the show to an end.  Several those kids probably weren’t feeling alright on Thursday morning. But the memories they made on Wednesday night won’t ever be forgotten. All of the photographs were taken at f/3.2 while using various different shutter speeds, ISO settings and focal lengths.  Here are the rest of the photographs that I took of General Chaos, Thick Glasses and The Offspring while they performed on the MTelus stage.

 

(Thick Glasses)

(Thick Glasses)

(Thick Glasses)

(Thick Glasses)

(General Chaos)

(General Chaos)

(General Chaos)

(General Chaos)

If you would like to find out more about The Offspring, General Chaos and Thick Glasses, you can do so by following the respective links to their websites.  Much thank goes out to The Offspring's management group, Sandee Bathgate at Bruce Allen Talent, Evenko and Christopher Gonda of V13 Media for getting me a pass to photograph the show.  As always, it is much appreciated.  It was an awesome show.  Don't you dare miss it when The Offspring plays in a town near you.