concert Archives - New Jersey, Philadelphia, NYC Personal Branding, Commercial and Editorial Photographer

Hey I’m Amazed by Gigantic A Pixies Tribute Band

March 26, 2018/0 Comments/in Concerts, Music Photography /by Deirdre Ryan

UPDATE! Scroll down to see a video from the night that they performed!

So this past Saturday was not a very good day at all. Actually as you may have noticed, the past few weeks haven’t been the best, I haven’t been my best.

My mom suggested that my husband and I go see a band perform called Gigantic-Pixies Tribute, at our friend’s place, Randy Now’s Man Cave, make it sort of like a “date night”. Friends of mine were going to a local bar called The H.O.B. afterwards because Saturdays is karaoke night. I had no idea just how much we needed that night until the music started to play. They made me feel so much better!

I love The Pixies, started listening to them in HS and then throughout college to Frank Black’s solo works, and even now. I brought my Olympus mirrorless camera and the Olympus 17mm f1.8 lens and asked if it was ok to take some pictures, and I was told yeah. Normally I tend to bring a Canon full frame with a 16-35mm f2.8L , Canon 50mm f1.8 and at least my Canon 100mm Macro f2.8 lens. But I was so not in the mood, so I went minimalist.

I got to chat with Joe Ujj the lead singer a little bit beforehand and the wife of one of the band members who was sitting in the back. If I am able to, I try to introduce myself, talk “shop” about gear and let them know who I am, that while I am a pro photographer, I’m there for the music and usually when I do this, it’s my night off LOL

The video embedded below gives you an idea of how awesome they are.

Here is a list of what they played, I can’t remember all of it:

Wave of Mutilation
I Bleed
Gigantic
Crackity Jones
Hey
Mr. Grieves
No 13 Baby
Caribou
I’ve Been Tired
Allison
Is She Weird
Manta Ray
Weird At My School(I think)

They played an incredible set, I can’t remember all of the songs, but anything by the Pixies takes me waaay back to a time of HS with my art, theater, hanging out, studying, boyfriends, besties, and then art college if you didn’t know who they were you did now. Their first 4 albums were in constant rotation on my portable Sony CD/Tape player. Yes, I’m old enough to remember when these albums were first released. Wave of Mutilation has 2 versions, the slower one from the UK Surf, was used in the movie with Christian Slater in the 1990 Pump Up The Volume.

The pitch of Joe’s vocals was practically perfect, the drums, guitars and bass were spot on. I mean these guys were incredible, and I hope that they continue on this streak because like I said, they were amazing. Check out their Facebook page and keep looking for a venue and date that they’re playing next. You will not leave disappointed.

Later on, we walked to The H.O.B., had a drink, ate something yummy, and met up with our friends. I normally sing at karaoke but I wasn’t feeling it. However my husband sang Don’t You Forget about Me by Simple Minds(he was great and I’m not just saying this) and my other friend belted out Ballroom Blitz among others, and practically took the house down!

Thanks again for letting me photograph that night everyone, you’re awesome! Check out more photos of musicians by clicking here. If you want to get a hold of me, just click on the red Chat Now button. Be sure to follow everyone, especially Randy Now’s Man Cave on Facebook for upcoming concerts and events!

UPDATED: The band JUST released this video from the night of this performance and tagged a bunch of us on Facebook. Thanks guys so much!

Pixies / Weird At My School (by Gigantic – A Pixies Tribute)
Shot by Allegra at Randy Now’s Man Cave on March 24th, 2018 in Bordentown, NJ. Thanks to Randy, Amy, Deidre, Christina, Anawim, JP
Posted by Gigantic – A Pixies Tribute on Friday, April 6, 2018

Cowboy Trails, Hard Rocking Sounds to Surfing the Fender Strat

August 29, 2016/0 Comments/in Concerts, Music Photography /by Deirdre Ryan

This was a Killer Triple Bill Concert at the Performing Arts Center in Bordentown, NJ hosted by Randy Now on August 13th, 2016. Originally this was supposed to be an HUGE outdoor event in Bordentown Township as a fundraiser. I don’t know what happened but suddenly it had to be indoors and with less than 5 days notice.

For everyone reading, I want you all to know something: Randy puts his heart and soul into everything he does, especially these concerts and events that he does. He loves music, pop culture, and everything that comes along with it. Because of Randy, my daughter and her friends are able to see live bands perform, some of them she loved already like Peter Tork of the The Monkees and expanding her horizons of punk and rock bands.

Bringing famous talent like Peter Tork, Robyn Hitchcock, Men Without Hats, Marshal Crenshaw, he also had a special SOLD OUT dinner and a concert with Iain Matthews with James Fogarty, The Toasters, and more. I mean Randy has a book that has him all over the inside of it titled: No Slam Dancing, No Stage Diving, No Spikes: An Oral History of the Legendary City Gardens, and a movie about him and City Gardens Riot on the Dance Floor: The story of Randy Now and City Gardens Buy the book and dvd at his shop. His place in our town is awesome, and he is a wealth of trivia and stories.

Like I said, I have no idea what happened with the fundraiser or why this concert was suddenly changed, but Randy is a dear friend, and I love the guy a lot and many do as well.

So do this favor for me: patronize his shop, go to his events and concerts, spread the word about all that he is doing. Spread the love and kindness, because he deserves this and so much more. He loves what he does and that to me just awesome <3 -Thanks everyone!

Jet Weston and His Atomic Ranch Hands played songs of cowboy days by the fire as well as Johnny Cash and the blues from the 1930’s. The Doughboys are an incredible NJ rock and roll band that just kills it every time with their amazing drum and guitar solos, vocals, and now they have a new album coming up. The Sharkskins are a surf rock band that came out strong with Dick Dale’s 1962 Misirlou, complete with trumpet. I was super amped that they played Goo Goo Muck by The Cramps 😀

Then Jet asked if there were any women who could sing to come up on stage. My friends pointed to me, I asked what key, and so I went on the stage and this did happen. I sang back up to Don’t Let Go. My husband grabbed my Canon Mark 5D III with the 70-200mm 2.8L lens and took these next few photos.

I screwed up a couple of times, but it was a lot of fun, I do sing in my church choir in the Alto section. I was hoping that someone had video of this.

Video by Kris Lewis

Then came The Doughboys!

Just Like A Yoyo, only better.

Then the main act->>>>>>>The Sharkskins! These guys came blasting out with Dick Dale’s “Misirlou”.

Check out this video of the their final performance that my friend Stephanie shot while I was on the floor in front of the stage photographing the band. BTW she’s a fabulous artist!

The Sharkskins at Open Arts PAC, Bordentown, NJ #thesharkskins #surf #surfrock #60s #livemusic #openartsstage #surf #rock #openartspac #fez #suits #sharp #finale
A video posted by Stephanie Neuhaus (@steffapeppa) on Aug 14, 2016 at 1:05pm PDT

I go to these concerts to have fun and photograph them for my own enjoyment. It’s something I love to do, it’s right in my area, and I was able to bring my daughter and her friends to this show. My husband and other friends were there that night too. Yes, I would love the opportunity to photograph band and musicians for big magazines and record labels. If that opportunity comes my way, that would be awesome. Thank you to everyone that night for be great! I can’t wait to see you perform again!

Take a look at their websites and purchase their albums, thanks!

Also a HUGE thank you to Randy Now and everyone who came that night! Come to Bordentown and stop by Randy’s shop and say hello, get some LPs, cds or other great stuff!

All images are Copyright Deirdre Ryan Photography. They are protected by U.S. Copyright Laws, and are not to be downloaded or reproduced in any way without the written permission of Deirdre Ryan Photography.

The Insomniacs, Spanking Charlene and The Doughboys Instead of a School Event

January 6, 2016/0 Comments/in Concerts, Music Photography /by Deirdre Ryan

Once again, Randy Now did it again! This time it was for his GARAGE A GOGO WEEKEND held on September 18th and 19th, 2015.at The Open Arts Stage Theater in Bordentown was rocking to three incredible bands. The first night was The Insomniacs, Spanking Charlene and The Doughboys. The second night was The Droogettes, Sorala, Palmyra Delran and The Grip Weeds. I wasn’t able to make it the second night though 🙁

I was a torn about letting my daughter attend Bingo Night at her school or come with me to the concert. At her elementary school, Bingo Night was my committee that I would help out with and run. But this night was something that I wanted to go to, and I thought, you know what? She’s really into The Doughboys, and she’ll love the other two bands. I decided to bring her with me, and her other two friends were helping their dad in the back too. And guess what? THEY.LOVED.EVERYONE.

First up was The Insomniacs, are from NJ and WOW!!!! Check out their new vinyl single here. And look for their album on iTunes -Just Enjoy It!

Then came Spanking Charlene from NYC. The girls were super impressed with the lead singer, a powerful woman. They LOVED her! Check out their album Where are The Freaks.

Then came The Doughboys! Plus Myke Scavone was about to go on tour with The Yardbirds in October and November 2015, so that was pretty exciting. Now he had something in common with Eric Clapton and Jimmy Paige. The Doughboys have been covering songs by The Yardbirds for a long time. I wish that I could’ve seen one of those shows.

Mike Caruso on bass…

Lead singer, harmonica, and percussions, Myke Scavone….

This photo was shot during the song as seen from the below video.

Gar Francis on lead guitar just wails….

The amazing Richie X. Heyman on drums.

Performing Bo Diddly and Mona.

My daughter and her friends had a very good time, might I even say epic? They were so impressed with seeing a strong woman singing and wanted to meet her, and got to get their pictures taken. This to me and my friends, who were the other parents there, agreed, gave our girls an education into music and culture that was different than the norm.

As always, I want to thank these bands, The Open arts Stage and to Randy Now at Randy Now’s Man Cave located right here in Bordentown, NJ. If it were for Randy, then none of these act would in such a great venue like this in our little town. Love you Randy!!!!!

Peter Tork and The Shoe Suede Blues Concert Shot By Bordentown Photographer

February 8, 2015/0 Comments/in Concerts, Music Photography /by Deirdre Ryan Commercial Photography

On Saturday, November 29, 2014, my buddy Randy Now, introduced Peter Tork and his band The Shoe Suede Blues on stage at the Open Arts Theater in Bordentown Township. This is my second time seeing Peter and his band perform here and I was super excited again. I’m a huge fan of The Monkees and I really like that Peter is doing the blues. You can check out his music by clicking on this link.

He played music from his new album Step by Step and of course quite a few by The Monkees. The photo above is where he’s playing Daydream Believer and parts of the song he lets the audience sing. It was AWESOME!

After taking this shot I was in the back with my friends singing quite loudly, I sing in a church choir 😉

This woman, was filling in for one of his band mate and she was fantastic! Not only could she sing, but she was great on slide guitar and bass. Lauren Ellis was her name I believe.