While I know we all miss live rock n roll, I also know it will be back soon.  In the meantime, I was looking at some framed photos I have on a wall, above my turntable, in my basement listening room.  I felt like some of them might be worth sharing—they certainly brought back some great memories for me.  These are not professional, you can find much better photos almost anywhere.  But these are photos that I took myself, on a phone, at shows that I attended and loved.  I will say a few words regarding each one.  I’d love to see some of our other Pencilstorm contributors take a stroll down memory lane with pictures and stories to tide us over until the clubs are rocking again.  (NOTE #1:  My daughter might take issue with this, as she is pretty sure she may have snapped one or more of these photos.  But I’m sticking to my story—I took them all.  I do admit that often hers are better than mine, however.)

   TUK SMITH – THE BITERS

The Howard Theater, D.C.  The Biters opened for Buckcherry.  The Biters were my favorite band at the time.  They were fantastic but their set was way too short.  I was one of only a few people really paying attention to the opening act, and Tuk spoke briefly to me from the stage. (I was standing right against it.)  After the Biters set, a bunch of barely-dressed women came onstage to dance.  My wife and I still refer to them as the “Buckcherry Girls.”  I still have no idea what they had to do with a rock n roll show, and to top that, they were followed by another woman dressed in skin-tight leather and doing a fire eating act.  Huh.  Buckcherry was the final “act” and they rocked hard.  Sadly, The Biters have broken up, but Tuk is fronting a band called Tuk Smith and the Restless Hearts that you should look out for.

Update: I have just learned via YouTube that our “Buckcherry Girls” are actually known as The Cherry Bombs. They are not affiliated just with Buckcherry, but have toured with other metal bands. They were formed by an ex-NFL cheerleader who loves hard rock and “never wanted to dance to another Katy Perry song.”

   ALICIA BOGNANNO – BULLY

The Southern Music Hall and Café, Charlottesville, VA.  Bully is what I classify as an indie band with a really fuzzy, loud guitar sound and a singer who just absolutely rocks.  This show was fun because my wife, my daughter and myself all were liking the band at the time, and we got to see them at a small club and stand literally three feet from the stage.  Alicia was pretty mesmerizing, as she really packs a punch with her howling vocals.  I recall that I liked the fact that she was just wearing jeans and a t-shirt and wasn’t all glammed up.  Check out the song “Focused.”

   DAVE HAUSE

The Camel Club, Richmond, VA.  I have seen Dave Hause play several shows and he never disappoints.  Unlike the full band shows I was used to, this show was acoustic, featuring just Dave and his brother Tim.  Again, my wife and daughter both attended this, being big fans, and again, we were mere feet from the stage at this tiny club.  At one point, Dave asked my daughter to hold his guitar while he played one song with a different one.  That was very cool.  He also made sure to play her favorite song, “C’mon Kid.”

   MARY TIMONY / BETSY WRIGHT – EX HEX

The Southern Music Hall and Café, Charlottesville, VA.  I was really looking forward to this one.  Ex Hex had just released the excellent record “Rips.”  I loved every song.  Mary Timony is kind of a D.C. scene legend to me and she was a great guitarist and vocalist.  They had a ton of energy and the three women really seemed to have chemistry on stage.  I really like the way this photo turned out, but I took a ton of them, so I was bound to get something good.

THE GLORIOUS SONS

The Broadberry, Richmond, VA.  This was the second time I saw this band.  I wrote here on Pencilstorm about how they completely blew my mind the first time.  This show was equally excellent.  These guys just rock live.  I was really liking that white hollow body guitar.  The vocalist kept climbing on the guitar player during his solos to the point that I could read his lips at one point saying “get the f*ck off me.”  Not sure if he was kidding or serious.  The opening band was called the Dirty Nil, and I recommend them as well.

REMINGTON LEITH – PALAYE ROYALE

Vans Warped Tour, Maryland.  I took my daughter to this all-day event with some 40 bands.  Palaye Royale was the band that I most wanted to see.  They were outstanding, with vocalist Remington Leith leaping from speaker towers and climbing in the stage rigging.  In this photo, he is standing on a raft which is being surfed over the crowd.  My favorite thing about this photo is the young lady in front of me making the heart shape with her hands.

HENRI CASH / ARROW DEWILDE – STARCRAWLER

The Pie Shop, D.C.  This band was the first one I have seen in a very long time that really took me back to a time when punk-rock seemed exciting and a little dangerous.  It gave me the feeling I had when I went to some of my first punk shows a long, long time ago.  They were young, loaded with energy and with Arrow covered in fake blood, screaming and commanding the tiny stage, it was just excellent.  My wife and daughter were both at this one and we were able to meet the band.  Henri in particular seemed like a really cool kid.

ANGELIQUE CONGLETON / JIMMY JAMES / BRIAN SMALL – THE HANGMEN

The Camel Club, Richmond, VA.  One of my favorite bands for over 30 years, The Hangmen had never been to the East coast before this tour with The Supersuckers.  I got to meet some heroes and talk with them a bit.  Their set was unbelievable.  Not much more I can say. 

I hope one or two of these photos make you smile while we await the return of rock & roll to our cities, towns and stages. 

(NOTE #2:  I just realized that I have previously written on Pencil Storm regarding the shows from which four out of eight of these photos were taken.)   

(NOTE #3:  I just organized my computer files and find that this piece will be my 42nd here on Pencilstorm.  Thank you Colin and Ricki C. for giving me a place to share my rock n roll joy.)