Mike ‘Beard Guy’ Taylor Memorial Tribute Concert – Photo Review

Image | January 14, 2019January 14, 2019 | vengenzafotos

Mike “Beard Guy” Taylor Memorial Tribute Concert
January 13, 2019

On Sunday, Burlington, ON hosted a Memorial Tribute Concert for Mike ‘Beard Guy’ Taylor, keyboardist and vocalist of Walk Off The Earth. He sadly passed away unexpectedly on December 29th, 2018.

Hundreds of people gathered in Civic Square to honour his memory with his bandmates, friends and family. Brant street and nearby roads were shut down to accommodate the large crowd and Kelly’s Bake Shoppe, located right across the street, generously served free coffee and hot chocolate for all attendees, keeping everyone warm in the cold weather.

Saint Alvia, Darenots, USS, Monster Truck, Scott Helman, Arkells, Barenaked Ladies and Walk Off The Earth all performed touching tributes to their friend.

Members of Walk Off The Earth receive Taylor’s hockey jersey. They retired the number in honour of Taylor’s memory.

Sarah Blackwood, Gianni Luminati, Joel Cassady, Ryan Marshall

Sarah Blackwood, Gianni Luminati, Joel Cassady

Saint Alvia performing at Mike Taylor’s Memorial Concert

Members of Saint Alvia hugging members of Walk Off The Earth

Saint Alvia performing at Mike Taylor’s Memorial Concert

Members of Darenots & Sarah Blackwood

Darenots Performing at Mike Taylor’s Memorial Concert

USS

USS performing at Mike Taylor’s Memorial Concert

USS’s Jay ‘Human Kebab’ Parsons and Sarah Blackwood of Walk Off The Earth

USS performing at Mike Taylor’s Memorial Concert

Monster Truck performing at Mike Taylor’s Memorial Concert

Scott Helman performing at Mike Taylor’s Memorial

Scott Helman and Sarah Blackwood

Scott Helman performing at Mike Taylor’s Memorial

Max Kerman of The Arkells performing at Mike Taylor’s Memorial Concert

Max Kerman and Sarah Blackwood

Max Kerman of The Arkells performing at Mike Taylor’s Memorial Concert

Max Kerman and Anthony Carone of The Arkells performing at Mike Taylor’s Memorial Concert

Barenaked Ladies performing at Mike Taylor’s Memorial

Max of the Arkells joins Barenaked Ladies performing at Mike Taylor’s Memorial

Walk Off The Earth’s Sarah Blackwood and Ryan Marshall

Walk Off The Earth’s Sarah Blackwood and Joel Cassady

Walk Off The Earth’s Sarah Blackwood and Gianni Luminati

Walk Off The Earth band members come together for a pep-talk before they play in honour of their friend/brother/band member

Walk Off The Earth’s Sarah Blackwood and Ryan Marshall

Walk Off The Earth performing in memory of Mike ‘Beard Guy’ Taylor

Mike "Beard Guy" Taylor Memorial Tribute Concert — Hundreds of people gather at Civic Square in Burlington, ON to honour the life and memory of Mike “Beard Guy” Taylor of Walk Off The Earth

It was an emotional evening. At times you could hear people in the crowd sniffling their tears back. Especially during the incredible video tribute their videographer created in honour of such a talented and inspirational man.

For anyone wondering, I did not have a formal photo pass for the event but it was free and in a public space and I knew it was something I didn’t want to miss. I drove an hour from Toronto to attend and hope to capture some of the special moments and love throughout the evening. I brought my 70-200 2.8 to get close to the stage and 14-24 2.8 to attempt to capture all the people who attended.

All Photography by Joanna Glezakos.
Instagram: @VengenzaFotos
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BEST OF 2017

Image | January 2, 2018January 3, 2018 | vengenzafotos

I don’t have to tell you that 2017 was crazy. It was my first year fully freelancing (and I survived! woo!). One of my major goals was to photograph more music, and I can definitely say I did.

2016 | 3 Festivals, 20 concerts & 46 Bands

vs.

2017 | 5 Festivals, 72 concerts & 161 Bands

That’s an average of 1.5 shows a week! Some were music festivals, including multiple days but I had a blast. Freelancing has given me the ability to shoot what I’m most passionate about. It was one of the scariest steps I’ve ever taken but it was worth the risk.

I’m aiming high for 2018, my goals include more promotional work, video production and touring with a band (hit me up!)

You’ll find my top 35 concert moments of 2017 below!

Anti-Flag at The Phoenix shot for Stitched Sound.

Repartee in London shot for FridaeTV.

USS in London shot for FridaeTV.

Bad Suns @ The Velvet Underground shot for Aesthetic Magazine.

The Flaming Lips at Rebel shot for FridaeTV.

A Place To Bury Strangers at The Danforth Music Hall shot for The Photo Ladies.

Starset The Opera House shot for Aesthetic Magazine.

I Prevail at The Opera House shot for Aesthetic Magazine

Fast Romantics at The Mod Club shot for FridaeTV.

Muna at NXNE shot for FridaeTV,

Thursday at The Danforth Music Hall shot for Aesthetic Magazine.

Passion Pit at NXNE shot for FridaeTV.

Jared and The Mill at Adelaide Hall shot for FridaeTV.

Third Eye Blind at Echo Beach shot for Aesthetic Magazine.

Dear Rouge at Niagara-On-The-Lake Canada Day 2017 shot for FridaeTV.

Corey Taylor performing with Stone Sour shot for Aesthetic Magazine.Korn at Budweiser Stage shot for Aesthetic Magazine.

Chris Stapleton at Budweiser Stage shot for Aesthetic Magazine.

USS at Elora Riverfest shot for FridaeTV.

Gogo Bordello at Elora Riverfest shot for FridaeTV.

Palaye Royale at The Opera House shot for Aesthetic Magazine.

The White Noise at The Opera House shot for Aesthetic Magazine.

Enter Shikari at Hard Luck shot for FridaeTV.

A Day To Remember at Rebel shot for Aesthetic Magazine.

The Black Dahlia Murder at The Opera House shot for FridaeTV.

Fall Out Boy at the ACC shot for Aesthetic Magazine.

Dear Rouge at The Casbys shot for FridaeTV.

Ellevator at The Mod Club shot for FridaeTV.

Yelawolf at The Phoenix shot for Aesthetic Magazine.

Circa Survive at Rebel shot for Aesthetic Magazine.

Thrice at Rebel shot for Aesthetic Magazine.

The Regrettes at The Opera House shot for Aesthetic Magazine.

The Interrupters at The Opera House shot for Aesthetic Magazine.

SWMRS at The Opera House shot for Aesthetic Magazine.

xo jo

Third Eye Blind | Summer Gods Tour 06.28.2017

Image | July 21, 2017July 20, 2017 | vengenzafotos

I’ve fallen a little behind on these as concert season has slowed down a bit and wedding season is in full swing but I’m going to try and post them more consistently!

3EB-3

On Wednesday June 28th, I saw Third Eye Blind at Echo Beach in Toronto. This was a special show for me. The band is on their Summer Gods Tour, celebrating 20 years since their release of their debut, self-titled album, and an album which has meant a lot to me over the last 17 years.

3EB-22

I was 10, the album had already been out for 3 years but my sister was getting in what I called a “grunge” phase and had picked up this CD from Music World at our local mall. (Shout out to Music World, where I first went to discover new music). She was 16 now and was moving out to live with my dad and was leaving a lot of her stuff behind. So I took it upon myself to take some of what I thought were the cooler items; like her plaid shirts, chain wallet and one CD, because I liked the cover. After she left I finally had a room to myself, after sharing it with her for so many years, I put the CD in the stereo and laid on my bed and listened to it from start to finish.

3EB-25

It wasn’t until I saw that same album performed live 17 years later that I realized what a pivotal moment that was for me. This band and that album changed the music I listened to and started the mould of the person I’d become. Their music got me through some of the toughest times and songs like Semi-Charmed Life and Jumper would be on playlists for years to come. The friends and memories made to these songs are unforgettable. When my car stereo died last year and all it would play was CD’s from start to finish, it was the first album I grabbed. It’s practically perfect, I have so many favourites it would be easier to say the only song I didn’t like at first was London but even that has grown on me. The Background, Narcolepsy, God of Wine, Motorcycle Drive By… seriously, so many good ones.

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I was eagerly anticipating this show. Keeping my fingers crossed for months because I didn’t want to miss it. Luck was on my side and our approval came through! I arrived at Ontario Place, memories from my childhood flood back, despite it being a shell of what it once was. I got my pass and we were escorted to the pit through the anxious crowd. They range from 20 to 40 somethings eagerly awaiting the forthcoming wave of 90’s nostalgia.

3EB-15

We got in the pit and a big black curtain gets raised in front of the stage. The music begins and lights cast silhouettes of the band as they take the stage on the raised platform behind the black veil. The curtain drops as they open with Weightless as Stephan’s suit lights up with the beat of the music. The best part was they didn’t play any songs from their first album until after I got out of the pit so I could watch the whole show and sing my heart out to every word.

3EB-16

I almost wish we were allowed to photograph the whole show, even from the crowd. The lighting was so much better during the latter half of their set. The raised platform was actually covered in LED’s and THIRDEYEBLIND appeared in giant lights behind them, plus the CN tower was in the background! I still can’t believe how many people there were, and so many singing along to every word of the songs. I was pretty far back but I still enjoyed every minute of it. I haven’t been to a show like that in a long time. It reminded me of when I was a teenager waiting to see my favourite bands and experiencing that euphoria all over again. I took some videos but unfortunately WordPress won’t allow me to upload them, i’ll try and put them up on youtube and maybe link them below.

3EB-14

Seeing them live after so long sort of brought things full circle for me. I laughed, I cried and had one of the best nights of my life. I honestly can’t express what It was like to see them and this album performed live for the first time.

Thank you Third Eye Blind, for everything.

All photography by myself, Joanna Glezakos. Please do not share or post without proper credit.

Concert Recap: 05.22-28.2017

Image | May 29, 2017May 29, 2017 | vengenzafotos

I managed to shoot two shows this past week! Still not my three show goal, but getting better! Plus Concerts are picking up for the summer and I’m shooting for more publications so hopefully that means more approvals. So keep your fingers crossed for me! So lets dive right in!

Brothers Of North, May 24th, 2017 @ The Phoenix Concert Theatre

I forgot how much I like this venue, it’s where I attended my first punk/rock concert, MXPX, I believe in 2002 and then the first show I ever photographed, Mindless Self Indulgence in 2007. The Phoenix is a decent sized venue and wasn’t too crowded which was nice considering there was no photo pit. I brought my long lens with me and mostly shot from the crowd. I love having the ability to roam around cause that way you can find the best angles for depth/composition instead of being confined to the 4 feet in front of the stage and super bonus you’re not shooting up people’s noses.

The show started with Dylan Hennessy, a solo singer-songwriter/artist who beatboxes & uses a loop pedal during his performance. He puts on a pretty amazing show and I encourage you to check out more of his music here.

Next up was another Toronto band, Blackie Jackett Jr, who may look a little familiar to you as they are the guitarists from Finger Eleven, James Black and Rick Jackett joined by Sandra Dee and Jimmy Reid. This is the second time I’ve seen them and they put on the best shows. They’ll get you dancing even if you don’t like country music. Their crude lyrics had everyone laughing and they’re really fun to watch so I’d recommend seeing them if you get a chance!

Last but not least was Brothers of North. Love, love, loved their LED panel in the background. It added depth to the images and made for really nice compositions. To be honest I hadn’t head of these guys before but I’m glad i did, they’ve got a really great sound, really catchy tunes and were a ton of fun to watch. They’ve got new music coming out this year so keep an eye out for em!
USS, May 25th, 2017 @ Mill St. Brew Hall for #GreaterTorontoDay

On May 25th, Toronto celebrated #GreaterTorontoDay, an initiative to make the GTA better by doing simple acts of kindness. USS Performed free mini acoustic concerts across the city including Mill St. Brew Hall in The Distillery District. To be honest this was a bit boring to shoot since there was no additional lighting on them during their performance, so I focused more on their reactions. But They’re such nice guys, before and after their set they hung out and talked to people and even bought a round for everyone in the bar! T

Once again, I’d love to hear what you think or if you have any questions feel free to leave a comment. Thanks for stopping by!

xo
jo

Concert Recap: 05.15-21.2017

Image | May 26, 2017May 25, 2017 | vengenzafotos

Hey guys! I’m back and on track! Somewhat. haha! So this week was a little slow for shows, I’ve been shooting quite a few portraits lately that I can’t wait to show you guys but I’ve had to keep them on the DL. I’ve also been up to my knees in weddings, I assist two studios along with shooting my own events but these images are shared on those respective sites so this weeks recap will be short but sweet.

I was truly hoping to shoot Bush on Thursday but alas approval didn’t come through. But on the plus side, it did for Tokyo Police Club so I can’t complain!

Tokyo Police Club, May 18th, 2017 @ The Danforth Music Hall

Lighting was actually pretty nice tonight at The Danforth Music Hall plus I got to see my photo lady friend Veronique who also shoots for 102.1 The Edge. The night was sponsored by Mott’s Clamato to celebrate National Caesar Day. They handed out free samples of their new Pickled Bean flavour and it wasn’t half bad. I’m a fan of Caesar’s though and I know they’re not for every one. I entered the venue and they had big Mott’s Clamato Logo’s projected on the walls which I thought was a nice touch. The show was great and they played their classics along with some new songs.

Unfortunately there were no more shows this week as I spent 39 hours this weekend shooting weddings and I was so exhausted I practically slept till Tuesday. I hope you enjoyed these though, I’m quite happy with how they turned out. More photos at FridaeTV.

Thanks for stopping by! And once again I’d love to hear what you think! Were you at the show? Anyone have a cool experience?

xo
jo

P.S I also learned in the USA they don’t have caesar’s, but Bloody Mary’s which are made with Tomato juice. I had to explain to someone that our Clamato juice has clams (hence the name) and that’s what makes it that more delicious (sorry vegetarian’s).

Concert Recap : 05.08-14.2017

Image | May 25, 2017May 25, 2017 | vengenzafotos

I am a little delayed posting the concert recap for the week of May 5th to 14th since I’m also knee deep in wedding season so I apologies! This past weekend alone spent 39 hours shooting so I am pooped! I’ve also shot a few portrait sessions with musicians/producers so I’ve been spending most of my time editing these but I’m happy to be back in action.
This week’s events included a Tito & Marlon Jackson, Laura Marling, I Prevail, 102.1 The Edge’s Secret Thing with Royal Blood and The Prism Prize Awards. It was quite a mix of events but a ton of fun to shoot.

Tito & Marlon Jackson | VENGENZA.CA | 2017

Tito & Marlon Jackson, May 5th, 2017 @ Yonge & Dundas Square

I got my a text on Sunday night asking if I could shoot at Yonge and Dundas square the next day, I saw a glimpse of the name “Jackson” but thought nothing of it.
The next morning I headed to Yonge and Dundas Square in the heart of Toronto to photograph some sort of event, a live show or perhaps a meet & greet and with whom I didn’t know. I arrived early but the square was filled with fences covering up construction and there didn’t seem to be much of anything happening at all. I found a security guard nearby who knew less than I did! I quickly texted my contact and we were able to connect and she filled me in. Tito, Marlon and Jackie Jackson were all scheduled to appear for a special meet & greet with fans as a publicity stunt for their show coming up on June 9th at Rebel. Tito and Marlon were the only ones that made an appearance but fans were excited to get photos and autographs here are some of my favourite shots from the event. More at FridaeTV.

Laura Marling | Photo by Joanna Glezakos | VENGENZA.CA | 2017

Laura Marling, May 10th, 2017 @ The Danforth Music Hall

The stage was set beautifully with flowers draped from every stand. The lights dimmed and Laura appeared from stage right. From the left, a stage hand brought out her guitar, she slung it over her shoulder and smiled sheepishly. She approached the mic stand, with the first few notes I was blown away. She sings with such sadness and beauty my heart began to melt. Truly and old soul trapped in a young body. More photos available at FridaeTV.

Starset | Photo by Joanna Glezakos | VENGENZA.CA | 2017

I Prevail | Photo by Joanna Glezakos | VENGENZA.CA | 2017

Starset & I Prevail, May 11th, 2017 @ The Danforth Music Hall

The following night, the Danforth hosted a completely different set of concert goers with Starset & I Prevail. Starset’s performance was a lot of fun. They had brought their own LED panels, lighting and smoke rigs and the guitarists wear space suits with LED’s synced to the music for a really spectacular performance. My only qualm would be the DJ stand in the middle of the stage which made it really hard to get a group shot from the pit but I managed to get up to the balcony to get what I wanted. As the stage was cleared the crowd cheered “I Prevail, I Prevail”. The lights dimmed and the crowd erupted, overall a great performance by both bands. Being in the mosh pit reminded me of going to shows when I was younger since I haven’t been to something like that in a while. More photos at Aesthetic Magazine.

Royal Blood | Photo by Joanna Glezakos | VENGENZA.CA | 2017

102.1 The Edge Secret Thing #3, May 12th, 2017 @ The Velvet Underground

This was the 3rd Secret Thing local radio station 102.1 The Edge hosted; This was really exciting to shoot since the performers were unannounced and you could only win your way in. I arrived at the venue for 7:15pm to meet Hayley and we headed inside. There was a buzz in the air and most people seemed to have an idea of who was going to play but I remained clueless. I had my hopes of who it would be since I was on an Arkells kick lately but as soon as they let us into the pit I quickly realized it was not. Taped to the floor was a set list with “Royal Blood” on the top and guitar picks sticking out of the mic stand with their name on it as well. Shout out to 102.1 for being able to keep it quiet for so long! I think the secret may have leaked earlier in the week as well but I was oblivious. I hadn’t been that excited for a show in a long time and I had a really great time. More photos at FridaeTv.

Prism Prize | Photo by Joanna Glezakos | VENGENZA.CA 2017

Lana Gay & Members of Royal Blood Prism Prize | Photo by Joanna Glezakos | VENGENZA.CA 2017

Aisha Brown Hosting Prism Prize | Photo by Joanna Glezakos | VENGENZA.CA 2017

Royal Blood Winning Hi-Fidelity Award Prism Prize | Photo by Joanna Glezakos | VENGENZA.CA 2017

Winston Hacking accepting his Prism Prize | Photo by Joanna Glezakos | VENGENZA.CA 2017

Martin C. Pariseau Accepting his Prism Prize | Photo by Joanna Glezakos | VENGENZA.CA 2017

Prism Prize Winners Kid.Studio & Martin C. Pariseau | Photo by Joanna Glezakos | VENGENZA.CA 2017

Prism Prize Awards, May 14th, 2017 @ TIFF Bell Lightbox

To change things up on Sunday night I photographed the Prism Prize Award show including some behind the scenes in the Green Room during interviews. It was pretty fun to do something a bit different than a live show. The Prism Prize is a national, juried award established to recognize the artistry of the modern music video in Canada. After the pre-show interviews in the Green Room we headed to a theatre and watched the awards. See the photos for some of the award winners & check out the prism prize website for more. It was pretty inspiring to see such amazing Canadian talent in one place and I’m very grateful for the experience. More photos are available at Aesthetic Magazine.

Phewf. Alright, I’m going to try and keep this more up to date!
Thanks for checking out my weekly concert recap! I’d love to hear what you think or if you have any questions.

xo
jo

Concert Photography 101

Image | May 15, 2017May 15, 2017 | vengenzafotos

I know the thought of concert photography excites a lot of people so I figured I’d answer some questions I’m frequently asked on how I do what I do. Concert photography definitely isn’t the easiest to capture; you’re on a 3 song time limit, you have to be prepared for all types of lighting and sometimes you’re put in tight situations.

Underoath | Photo by Joanan Glezakos | http://www.vengenza.ca

General Info & Code of Conduct

The Photo Pit, often a small section in front of the stage is barricaded off from concert goers to allow photographers the room to shoot with a clear view. There is a strict time limit to make sure we don’t block the paying concert goers for too long.
3 Songs, No Flash. Whether you’re new to concert photography or you’ve been doing it a while you’ve probably heard this rule. This is the standard rule for any show unless you’re shooting on behalf of the band themselves, respect it. Your flash distracts from the concert goers experience and interferes with other photographer’s images so don’t be selfish.
Do not share photographs of your credentials, whether it’s a personalized pass, sticker that says “photo” or even your wristband, you’re creating security risks for future events & you’ve worked hard for those credentials, why give them away?
Share the pit. We’re all there for the same reason so if you’re not the only photographer that night and you find a great spot, get your shot & move on. Also, Stop putting your arms up and getting in other photographers photos.

Mayday Parade | Photo by Joanna Glezakos | http://www.vengenza.ca

Venue Access Areas and Limitations

Sometimes when shooting at a venue you may run into a few rules on top of the 3 songs, no flash including but not limited to;

No photo pit. In this case you’re either left to fend for yourself in the crowd or they’ll ask you to shoot from the sound board. Tips for shooting from a crowd, arrive early to get a spot near the front or bring a long lens.
Balcony/VIP. Some venues have balconies and sometimes with a media pass they will allow you to go into these sections so you can get some neat angles. You never know unless you ask, and even if they say no you’re in the same position you were before!

Brand New | Photo by Joanna Glezakos 2016 | http://www.vengenza.ca

Camera Settings

I begin with my aperture, I love a nice bokeh so I shoot at f2.8, 99.9% of the time. I don’t like to shoot wide open at 1.4 although I have lenses capable of that only because your focus can be slightly off and I prefer a sharper image & I also find details can easily get blown own with an aperture that wide.
I have two rules of thumbs for shutter speed, 1/60th is the minimum speed I shoot handheld and 1/200th if I want to make sure I capture motion shots. Sometimes even 1/200th of a second isn’t fast enough for hair flips so use this as a starting point.
At this point you’re able to adjust your ISO accordingly & don’t be afraid to go up if you need to. I prefer a grainy image than a blurry image.

**Fast Shutter Speed** – USS | Photo by Joanna Glezakos 2017 | http://www.vengenza.ca

**Shallow DOF & Fast Shutter** – Digital Dreams 2016 | By Joanna Glezakos | http://www.vengenza.ca

Lighting

Fixed Spot Lights: These are the easiest to work with and will find them in small bars/venues/clubs. When you have fixed lighting you can usually set your exposure after a single test shot and shoot based on when your subject is best lit. This can be frustrating but will teach you about patience, it’s all about waiting for the right moment.
Moving/Colour Changing Spot Lights: You’ll find these lights at most medium to large concert venues, with moving and colour changing lights you’ll find your camera’s light meter jumping all around. In cases like this I would use auto-ISO not to have to worry about my exposure when I’m focusing on the moments and my composition.
LED Lighting: This is relatively new and I’ve only seen it in a few venues but a lot of bands now will even bring their own LED light panels to a show for audio synced lighting effects. It’s really cool but LED’s don’t sync well with your camera’s sensors. LED’s flicker so if your shutter speed is too fast you’ll get stripes across your images.
The dreaded Block Red & Blue Lighting: I don’t know if this is official term but I’ve heard it on some of the photographer groups so I’m gonna use it. This is when all the lights all turn one colour, our camera sensors are particularly very sensitive to red and blue so if you ever find yourself in a situation like this, lower your ISO! You might not be able to correct the colours but you’ll at least get the details of your subject and it can lead to some cool effects.

littledragon-1 — **Block Red Lighting** – Little Dragon | Photo by Joanna Glezakos 2017 | http://www.vengenza.ca

_dsc4246 — **LED Lighting –** Adam Gontier | By Joanna Glezakos 2016| http://www.vengenza.ca

So that’s it! I hope you’ve found these tips helpful. I’d love to know what you think, feel free to leave a comment below or e-mail me at shootme@vengenza.ca

Thanks so much for your time! If you’d like to see more, follow along on my photo adventures on instagram, @VENGENZAFOTOS.

xo jo

CONCERT RECAP: 05.01-07.2017

Image | May 8, 2017May 8, 2017 | vengenzafotos

Weekly Concert Recap – May 01-07, 2017

We’re into the 5th month of the year and my goal has been to photograph at least 3 bands a week on top of all the other photography I do. My passion is music photography but I’ve been working as a freelance photographer since July of last year. To make ends meet I assist two wedding studios while running my own photography business for events and even a vintage camera shop.

As many freelancers do, I found the winter months to be rather quiet but shooting season got into full swing last month as I assisted and photographed nearly 20 different events including 8 concerts, 7 weddings, 3 portraits, 2 engagement shoots and a fashion runway. It was a hell of a way to kick of the shooting months and my trigger finger is ready to go.

This month we’re off to a great start at exceeding my 3 show quota; I had Screaming Females for Aesthetic Magazine, GoldLink and Little Dragon for FridaeTV, A Place To Bury Strangers & The Black Angels for The Photo Ladies Tour Diary and last but not least on Sunday night, Trey Anastasio Band for FridaeTV.

The Difficulties of Lighting:

This is actually a really good example of the difference a GOOD lighting/ lighting guys can make. The first concert was shot with no control on lighting, the other 3 with lighting guys and at the same venue but on different nights. Of course bands have a certain look they’re going for but this is a great example of the differences and difficulties of shooting shows.

Here’s a sneak from all the shows!

Screaming Females | Photo by Joanna Glezakos for Aesthetic Magazine

Screaming Females – May 2nd, 2017 @ The Garrison
This was a fun show to shoot but a bit difficult. They use spot lighting at The Garrison with fixed colors but uneven distances from the people on stage. Depending on where you space you may be in complete darkness or be perfectly lit like the drummer, haha.
You can check out their music here; http://screamingfemales.com/

GoldLink | Photo By Joanna Glezakos

GoldLink – May 4th, 2017 @ The Danforth Music Hall
GoldLink opened up for Little Dragon and was a lot of fun to watch. Although the show wasn’t particularly difficult to photograph I wasn’t a fan of the choice of lighting. The stage was set beautifully with these dangling diamonds that give nice depth but the lighting was so flat in comparison it doesn’t do his performance justice.

Little Dragon | Photo by Joanna Glezakos

Little Dragon – May 4th, 2017 @ The Danforth Music Hall
As you can see from some of these images we were still dealing with the single solid color quite a bit but I was much happier with how these turned out. It can be quite difficult to colour correct images as much as you want to sometimes it better to just run with it, or another trick is to convert it to black and white! More photos available at FridaeTV.com.

A Place To Bury Strangers | Photo by Joanna Glezakos

A Place To Bury Strangers – May 6th, 2017 @ The Danforth Music Hall
I shot this show as part of The Photo Ladies Tour Diary for A Place To Bury Strangers. For the record I had been warned that it was backlight strobe lighting with a lot of fog. I knew I would most get silhouettes but I’m pretty please at how these turned out, I love that you can sometimes see details on the faces and I don’t mind the grain. You’ll be able to see more of these photos at http://www.thephotoladies.com/tpl-tour-diaries/ as soon as the tour is done!

The Black Angels | Photo By Joanna Glezakos

The Black Angels | Photo By Joanna Glezakos

The Black Angels – May 6th, 2017 @ The Danforth Music Hall
I was excited to catch The Black Angels right after, I knew this would be a pretty psychedelic show as their performance was mostly lit by a projector but it led to some pretty neat effects for lighting. I didn’t

Trey Anastasio Band | Photo by Joanna Glezakos for FridaeTv.com

Trey Anastasio Band – May 7th, 2017 @ The Danforth Music Hall
Trey has been recognized for a lot of his work in various bands including PHISH but I had the pleasure to catch the Trey Anastasio Band at The Danforth Music Hall (once again!). The event was sold out and Trey put on a 3 hour show for hardcore fans & concert goers. It was a hot sweaty mess by the time I left but such a great experience! More photos at FridaeTV.com.

Oddly enough looking at them now my favourite photos are from The Screaming Females at The Garrison, although lighting was fixed, it allowed me to focus on composition rather than worrying about whether or not the photo will turn out because of all the moving lights. Often times I find myself waiting longer for the light & the moment rather than just clicking away.

I’d love to know what you think or if you have any questions!

Feel free to comment or e-mail me at shootme@vengenza.ca
Thanks so much for stopping by!

xo
jo

Concert Recap: 04.25.2017

Image | May 5, 2017May 3, 2017 | vengenzafotos

I was asked to shoot seasoned boy band O-TOWN & new comer Sonny Mackenzi on Tuesday April 25th for FridaeTv. How could I say no? Who wouldn’t want to relive the days of boy bands, spiky hair, choreographed dancing and one of the most inappropriate songs of our generation?

I wanted to know what I was in for. I re-watched the video to their breakthrough hit single “Liquid Dreams” an unhealthy amount of times prior to catching their show in Toronto at The Mod Club so I would be thoroughly prepared to see them live for the first time since their debut 16 years ago.

The show began with Sonny Mackenzi, who’s latest track New Crush has been flooding the radio since last summer. Along with her background dancers, Teresa Jade & Kalyn Hardman, they put on a killer performance and had the crowd riled up for O-TOWN.

Following her performance I had the chance to interview Sonny, Teresa and Kalyn and you can check out the interview along with a few more of the photos on FridaeTv.com.

And of course, the moment we had been so eagerly anticipating, O-TOWN.

It also happened to be Jacob’s birthday and his girlfriend surprised him on stage while the crowd sang him happy birthday, it was quite sweet. The guys are still rockin, they’ve been writing a lot and have new music which they played mostly and only indulged us with a handful of their hits including “Liquid Dreams” and “All or Nothing”. Overall it was a good performance and I’m glad I got to see these guys play at least once. By the way, if you’re wondering, yes, one of the original guys is missing from these photos. Angel left the band a few years ago to pursue personal things, too bad cause he was my favourite.

Thanks for checking them out!

Stay tuned for more show recaps!

xo
jo