For any of you guys out there in Bloggerville who have not been to Lee Harvey’s, you need to make sure you check it out. It is a one of a kind Dallas landmark that you won’t find it near any of the common night spots or other businesses. While it is somewhat isolated (right-chow)it is a great place to sit outside, enjoy live music, cold drinks, and great food. You can’t go wrong with their tacos or burgers. Actually… I have yet to have anything down there that I didn’t really enjoy. Last Saturday night, on top of their food, atmosphere and drinks, two great local bands on the stage at Lee Harvey’s, and I thought I should investigate.
First up were the Charming Gardeners, who put on a great set full of energy and rock and roll. They played a lot of original tracks, including songs from their new self titled EP. Their colorful leading lady, Amy Curnow, showcased her vocal talents with great support from the band. She has tremendous range, so you never know what the next song might sound like. The crew is very talented, and Mark Solomon really stood out with his guitar skills (I just wished he would have stood in the light more so I could snap better pics!). The crowd responded very well to the show, and I would highly recommend checking them out if you get the chance. If you want to check out their sound, you can find their EP here on iTunes for 3.99. I recommend taking a listen to Shut and For All I Know to get a little taste. If you want to see a recent interview I did with Amy, click here.
I can’t exactly explain it…. but there is just something about The BAcksliders. They are one of those bands you just need to see once in a while to get your fix for heavy rock and a kick ass show. The BAcksliders are a family affair with brothers Chris and Jason Bonner on bass and guitar, and Kim Bonner on vocals. The only non-Bonner is Taylor Young (of the O’s) on the drums. The show was very high energy with heavy guitar lines and beats. Kim has an incredible raspy/sultry voice that you can’t help but enjoy. The crowd was rocking right along with them as they played songs from their current album Thank You, and tracks from previous records (and yes, You’re Welcome is one of them 
)
If you don’t read any of my jabbering, I hope you read this: Not only can you hear their entire new album (and new single) on their website, you can download it for free. No strings attached. No login, contact info, credit card number, rebate…just a free download. FREEEEE! Click here, and go to the store tab. The whole album is great, and the first two tracks will give you an idea of what you are in for. You can also find their work on iTunes, including You’re Welcome. Check out Fat Girls and Typically I Don’t Mind for a little sample.
The only downer for the night was that there was a problem with the PA system that was somewhat annoying. The vocals would cut out (except for in the monitors) intermittently, and stay out for about 5-10 seconds, and then come back in. I first noticed it when the Charming Gardeners were playing, and by the time The BAcksliders made it to the stage it seemed to be happening more often. It kinda kills the flow of the song when you lose your vocals throughout the song, but neither band let that slow them down. They powered through and kept the show going.
Overall it was a great night. Both bands played great sets, and the crowd responded very well to both of them. I got my BAcksliders fix, and had plenty of cool beer from the nice folks at Lee Harvey’s to keep me cool on a summer night.
Great shots. Would you mind sharing some of the lenses and settings you used? I’m trying to get better at concert photography. I always have difficulty with so much movement in so little light. Thanks.
Shooting live music can be pretty tricky, and does require a few things. The biggest mistake I see most guy make is that they think the gear is what will make the photo come out well. In real low light/no flash situations understanding exposure and how your ISO/Shutter Speed and aperture work and impact your photo are by far the most important things.
I usually shoot at 1600 ISO (high is usually too grainy). I shoot shutter priority so that I can control the blur/focus in low light. Fast lenses are your friend. My two favorite live music lens are the nifty fifty (50 mm prime canon…for like 75 bucks), and the 70-200 IS L lens (1700). The 70-200 is a fantastic lens but quite expensive. It is worth every cent if you can afford it, but you can still get great pics with less expensive fast lenses.
How you hold/rest/brace the camera is just as important as all the info above.