The Blake Aaron 2nd Annual Holiday Show 12/15/2011

Back to back events sure seems to take a lot out of me these days. I guess that this is preparing me for the grueling week at Winter NAMM coming up the 3rd week of January. When I was asked to come down and shoot the Blake Aaron 2nd Annual Holiday show I had no idea what I was in for. Glad that I took the chance. It was a totally incredible night. The 200 or so folks that made it out to the event were not disappointed. The musical guest was a young jazz singer, song writer, pianist named Spencer Day. The was food prepared by "Two Guys Grilling" with the proceeds going to Snowball Express a charity for the children of our fallen military heroes. They also had an outstanding Santa & Mrs. Claus (Santa Bruce & Friends) who were kind enough to listen to the children's Christmas wishes and pose for a few photos.

This show started out like most radio shows do. The host and co-host banter a bit about the show to come, throw in few wise cracks, a traffic report etc. Then Dave Leckness the mayor of Mission Viejo and Santa showed up to chat with Blake and Tina before Spencer Day came out to perform. Soon it was Spencer's time. You could tell by the reaction of the crowd when Spencer came on to the stage that they were very excited to hear him do his thing. After a short recap about where he has been and what he has been doing lately performance time had arrived. He sang a quick number accompanied by Blake on his guitar. This is what the audience had been waiting for and from their response they were not disappointed.

Spencer and Blake retreated back to their seats on the stage to talk a bit more. Now it was time for some well placed comedy. Spencer, Blake and "Man of Many Voices" Jay Owen got together to read The Night Before Christmas. This was not your usual reading. Each person read their part in character. Spencer as a "New York Red Neck",  Blake as "The Surfer Dude" and Jay as an excellent "Sean Connery" . This has to be one of the most entertaining readings of this poem I have heard in years. I can't wait until they post the date and time for the replay of this show so I can hear it again.

Spencer performed several more songs before the evening was over and there were few more "Guests" such as the "Arnold The Govenator" provided by Jay. It is amazing how fast the two hours went by. I can honestly say I was sorry that it had to end. Spencer is a very talented young man. If you get a chance I would reccomend that you see him live. If not at least check out his web site at http://spencerday.com/

I am looking forward to my next encounter with the folks from KSBR. They were all Top Notch in my book. You can check out photos from the event at the link below.

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.264276986961532.81849.202190499836848&type=3

Enjoy! - Bob

The Tubes at The Coach House - November 25, 2011

Sometime the best nights at the Coach House are the ones when the house isn’t full. Friday night with the Tubes was one of those nights. I guess most of the OC was either still stuffed from Thanksgiving dinner or exhausted from Black Friday shopping and didn’t make it down to the show. I’m glad I got my butt off the couch and decided to go. The Tubes were quite the show back in the late 70’s through the 80’s. Back then there were about 7 or 8 members in the band. The shows were full of theatrics and choreography that were outstanding and they were one of the most entertaining acts during this time period. They definitely were ahead of their time as music videos and MTV were just starting to make their mark in the early 80’s. Fee Waybill portrayed several characters during the live shows but the one that stood out was Quay Lewd a drunk, drugged out, barely coherent lead singer, wearing flashing glasses and stilt-like tall platform shoes. Check out some old concert footage at these links

http://www.wolfgangsvault.com/the-tubes/video/white-punks-on-dope_2146595579.html

http://www.wolfgangsvault.com/the-tubes/video/what-do-you-want-from-life_2146595562.html

Now the band consists of five members and not as much theatrics although Fee still does several costume changes that are relevant to the particular songs or mood they are trying to get across. The last time I saw this band was back in the mid 80’s and I was blown away.  It’s amazing that 30 some years later they had the same effect.  Although there are less of them on stage and they are that much older they still are great players and put on a fantastic show. The old guys played for over 2 hours and even managed to hang around for a “Meet & Greet” with their fans. At one point in the show they commented to the audience that it sounded like there were more of us out there than there actually were.  It was another amazing night at the Coach House.

Also on the bill that night were two other bands. The first was Third Rail Blue  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Third-Rail-Blue/164472700303345 a local OC Band. They play mostly Rhythm & Blues cover songs. The band was plagued with some sound issues for the few few songs but seemed to have them worked out as their set progressed. These boys are pretty talented players and they seemed to connect quite well the audience.  Band number two was The Brett Cohen Band. I ran into a friend of Brett’s earlier in the evening who told me that Brett was a fantastic player that someday would be famous. After sitting through his 30 minute set I will have to agree with the gentleman. He peeled what little paint is left off the Coach House walls.  What this guy is doing playing at J. Carters Tavern & Grill in Murrieta is beyond me. Someone needs to take him out of the tavern and get him on tour. Apparently he does have a following as I saw several folks wearing T shirts that say “I Know Brett Cohen” roaming around the Coach House. I hope that Gary invites him back sometime soon. He is supposed to have a CD coming out in late January. Check out his Facebook page  http://www.facebook.com/BrettCohenBand and “Like” him. You’ll be glad you did!

Here’s a link to the photos from the evening with the Tubes. Enjoy!

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.252780131444551.80144.202190499836848&type=3

Robert Cray At The Coach House - 11/17/2011

Alright,  this blog thing is a lot more work than expected. I get all excited to sit down and write something about the event I've just attended and the next thing I know a few weeks have gone by and I got nothing. The last thing I posted was about the Buddy Guy show back in September. Since then .........

Susan G. Komen Race For The Cure

 http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.225179280871303.74473.202190499836848&type=1

Kenny Wayne Shepherd

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.227707107285187.75171.202190499836848&type=1

The Zombies

 http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.229243390464892.75611.202190499836848&type=1

Leon Russell

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.235582709830960.76815.202190499836848&type=1

Drum Clinic With Ray Luzier of Korn

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.248259525229945.79452.202190499836848&type=1

Girltopia

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.248282351894329.79454.202190499836848&type=1

I could take another month or two and write about how fantastic each and every event was but as they say... a picture is worth a thousand words. Go out and check out the photos at the above links and see how busy and how much fun I've been having. If you have any questions or comments drop me an email. I promise to try for a prompt reply.

Now let's get caught up to last night. Robert Cray and Shawn Jones. First Shawn Jones. If you have not heard of him yet you need to. Shawn is a great guitar player / Singer / Song writer. He has opened for Leon Russell, Jimmy Vaughan and B.B. King to name a few. My first encounter with him was the Doheny Blues Fest a few years back. He opened Day 2 on the Main stage. To say the least I was totally blown away. I've seen Shawn several times since that day and have never been disappointed. Last night's 45 minute set was no exception. Shawn said that his new CD would be out sometime in January and hinted that there might be a CD release party at the Coach House to celebrate the event. Here's a link to the Shawn Jones web site. http://www.shawnjonesmusic.com/

Robert Cray didn't disappoint either. I'm not sure what's up with him though. When I saw him  at the Doheny Blues Festival after a song or two they sent people into the audience to stop the photographers (with professional gear) from shooting pictures. They also cut the video feed to the screen by the stage. Last night was almost the same. Some band say that you can only shot during the first 3 or 5 songs. This varies from band to band. Some bands could care and let you shoot the whole show. Last night I only got to shoot during the first song. I think he did this so that I could focus my attention on enjoying the show. I can say that I think I got my first songs worth of images. The show was fantastic. The band was extremely tight as they ran though his catalog of songs, opening with Phone Booth and ending up with Smoking gun. They came back with 2 more songs for the encore. I think the show clocked in around an hour and fifty minutes. You can get a look at the images from the show at this link.

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.248359768553254.79462.202190499836848&type=3

To finish out the year looks like I'll be seeing  the following shows at The Coach House.

The Tubes - November 25

Gary Hoey - December 16

The Motels - December 23

Dick Dale - December 30

Come on down and have some fun. If you see me be sure to say hello!

Bob

Buddy Guy - City National Grove of Anaheim 09/23/2011

Buddy Guy. Blues Ledgend. That about says it all. When Robert Kinsler called me last week and asked if I was going to see Buddy Guy I told him that I had not planned on it. When he said that he was covering the show and he had a +1 and could get me photo pass how could I say no. I've heard so much about him over the years, how he has influenced so many of the guitar greats like Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughan to name a few. How could you NOT want to see him. The man is 75 years young and can still play the crap out of the guitar. It was an amazing night.

Almost just as amazing were Moreland and Arbuckle who opened. Almost immediatly after the first few notes of the first song Robert and I looked at each other with a look of total amazment. It was hard to believe that such a large wall of sound could come from 3 players. These guys totally demolished the City National Grove of Anaheim. Whatever was left standing of the building Buddy Guy took care of. If you ever get the chance you should check them out.

Here's the link to the review that Robert Kinsler (a real writer) submitted to the OC Register.

http://soundcheck.ocregister.com/2011/09/24/blues-legend-buddy-guy-still-impressing-at-75/62833/

Also Here's a link to more photos from the show that are posted on the Bob By Request Facebook page.

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.224644360924795.74301.202190499836848

Michael Grimm at The Coach House September 21,2011

I usually shoot photos for my friend Connie Rae when she opens for folks at the Coach House. I've been doing that since we became friends a few years ago. What a great gig. I get to shoot some photos and see the show. When she told me she was opening for Michael Grimm I had no idea who he was. Then she told me he was the 2010 Winner of America's Got Talent. I had no idea that I was going to be in for such a treat. Before we get to Michael let talk about the openers. First let's talk a bit about Connie Rae. If you are not familiar with her I would say she is a blues / gospel singer with a really big voice. The members of her band change from time to time. This night the band consisted of Ray Weston, drums, Terry Medeiros, guitar and Norma Sancho on bass.  These three provided the punch that this woman needed to get her message out. For a 30 minute show it was exceptionally well done and got a really nice response from the folks who got there early enough to see them.

Next up was Corey Crowder. Corey is a singer song writer from Georgia. He plays acoustic guitar and is accompanied by Lee DeWyze on mandolin. I would say his style is somewhat country not quite rock. I would love to tell you about what songs he played and how many he played but being a photographer I am usually too busy trying to get my shots in to keep track. That's why I like tagging along with a writer. I can read the review and find out what I missed. All I can say is that both I and the rest of the audience seemed to enjoy the show. By his last song he had most of the house on its feet, singing along with him and enjoying the music.

Now the meat as we say. Like I said earlier I had no clue on Michael Grimm. I heard someone at the venue say he was a blues guy. Well. They were kind of right. But they forgot to add gospel, soul and rock. This man’s voice covers quite a few areas. He had me from the first song and kept me with him to the end. I can tell you that he came with a band that was loaded for bear. Everyone he had on stage with him was top notch. He must have left an impression because I can name at least 3 songs that he did perform. The first was the Joe Cocker tune "Leave Your Hat On". Had Joe been in the room he would have been proud. Michael's voice fit that song just fine. The next one I can recall is a Lynyrd Skynyrd song "Simple Man". Again Ronnie Van would not have complained. For his lat song of the evening he choose a little Rod Stewart and the Faces song called "Stay With Me'. This brought the folks in the house back on their feet and when he left the stage the crowd wanted more. I was totally impressed with the show and would love to see him again. I hear that he is opening for Stevie Nicks at The City National Grove of Anaheim on October 12th. Wonder if I'll be able to score a photo pass for that one?  Speaking of photos...... Please check out my Facebook page where I have posted some photos from this show. Just click on the link below.

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.224711374251427.74323.202190499836848



Craig Chaquico at The Coach House September 3, 2011

Saw another fantastic show at the Coach House on Saturday with my good friend and writer Robert Kinsler. I had heard of Craig Chaquicio prior to this particular night but at this point had never seen him live. For those that aren't familiar with Craig’s work he was the lead guitarist of Jefferson Airplane, Jefferson Starship and Starship before going solo in the early 1990’s. I had no idea what I was in for. I know of his work with his previous bands but had never heard anything from his solo efforts. I have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised. The thing that I enjoyed the most was that I was able to enjoy Craig playing without getting blown out of my seat by the sound. The pre-recorded along with his live playing were mixed perfectly. Also from a photographers point of view I would love to thank Craig for wearing something other than black. I've included a few of my favorite shots from that night's performance below. I like to leave the review writing to Robert as he's more qualified than I am. Please check out the link to his review here.

http://rockwrite.blogspot.com/2011/09/craig-chaquico-delights-crowd-at-coach.html

Thanks again,

Bob Steshetz - Photographer

Contact Bob at bobsteshetz@gmail.com

Web Outlets: www.ocregister.com / www.icecreamman.com / www.examiner.com/la-in-los-angeles

Bob By Request:  http://bobbyrequest.blogspot.com/

Black Country Communion

Hey all. Been a bit busy lately but time has come to catch up on the blog. Saw Black Country Communion with my friend Robert Kinsler last night (Friday 6/10/2011) and I can say that it was incredible!  This band just plain rocks! Please take a minute and check out Robert's review and the slide show of my photos from the show.

Here's the link to the magic - http://soundcheck.ocregister.com/2011/06/11/black-country-communion-burns-at-the-grove/52755/

Here's something I threw together to put you in the mood.

Winter NAMM 2011

Wow!! What an amazing 4 days. Thanks to friends Colin Hilborne from Prentice Practice Pads and Ray Weston for letting me hang out with them. Had way too much fun. Got to meet some great folks and got in some camera practice. Wanted to share some of those images with you.

From characters to beautiful craftsmanship NAMM had it all.

Friends Ray Weston, Anthony Terrezza and Ron Robertson

David "Fingers" Haynes, Chris LeBlanc and Jerry Henderson rip it up for an audience at the PreSonus booth. A good start to a grreat day.

Speaking of Characters. Friends Ray Weston and Colin Hilborne

Georgia Prentice, Chip Ritter, Colin Hilborne, and Ray Weston enjoy a moment at the Trick Percussion Products booth.

Stephan Fidock of Fidock Hand Crafted Instruments with Ray Weston.

Stephan was nice enough to let Ray take a spin on a very nice sounding kit. He seemed to really like the sound of one of Stephan's snare drums. Maybe Santa will bring one for him.

Alex Neciosup-Acuna and Ray Weston discuss percussion techniques at the Gon Bops Booth.

Legendary Guitarist Leo Nocentelli of The Meters.

Bill Dickens. Love that shirt Bill!

Did a ton of walking. Met some interesting people. Hung out with some friends. Won a Studio One software package from the guys at the PerSonus booth. Was hard to believe that day one was over and that there were 3 more days left. I couldn't wait for day 2 to get here.