Ghost Riders

April 22, 2012 Posted in BlackHawk, Music show hide 1 comment

© John Gellman

When the lighting or stage setup ain’t the greatest, a photographer needs to think out of the box to get an interesting image. Such was the case when BlackHawk played in Rock Hill, SC last night. The band sounded much better than they looked on a small stage with minimal lighting. I noticed the shadows on the rear curtain and thought a shot of the shadow figures would make a more interesting image than the usual shots from the front of the stage. Someone who saw the images on my camera’s rear screen thought the shadows looked like ghost riders. So ghost riders they are.

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My new neighbors

March 25, 2012 Posted in Around home show hide 1 comment

© John Gellman

Yeah, I know I said Blackberry Smoke was on deck, but I just had to sneak this one in. I was headed out of the house to pick up a pizza yesterday evening when I saw the dramatic light on my new neighbors, these horses who have recently taken up residence in the pasture across the street from my front yard. I ran back into the house, got my camera, shot a few pics, and made it to the pizza parlor a little later than expected.

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Random rock shots – Rory Gallagher

March 14, 2012 Posted in Music show hide 3 comments

© John Gellman

I’ve been away from the blog for a while, but I’m back with this 1974 shot of Irish guitarist extraordinaire, Rory Gallagher. Every artist encounters periods when they would rather just do something else, and this winter has been one of mine. I’ve been busy with other things and haven’t felt like posting. But a couple days ago, my daughter, who doesn’t even read my blog regularly said, “Dad, you really need to start posting again” after she read my interview in Southern Fried Magazine. And I’m taking flak from Dean Parris and Curtis Fry to boot. I guess it’s time to get off my smartass, and I’ll do my best to resume posting on a regular basis.

So why Rory Gallagher? I’ve been doing some scanning of old images for a project I’m working on, and I came across a solitary strip of slide film at the bottom of a box. I put it on the light box and there was Rory, alive again after all these years. I think Rory could have given Bonnie Raitt a run for her money in a most distressed Strat contest. I’ve featured Rory Gallagher on the blog once before, when I was just getting started. This shot is from the same show. Blackberry Smoke is next in the hopper. Stay tuned.

 

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Too tough to die

January 24, 2012 Posted in Friends show hide 6 comments

© John Gellman

Almost three months after he was struck by a hit and run driver, my friend Walt Horton gets out of the hospital on Wednesday. The accident nearly killed him, but like the tee shirt says, he’s lucky, and too tough to die. Walt posed for me late this afternoon in the physical therapy gym of Care Partners Rehabilitation Hospital in Asheville, NC, where he has spent many hours working hard with the therapists. Walt was lucky to receive such good care at Memorial Mission Hospital, where they saved his life, and at Care Partners, where they made his life better.

Those things on his legs are called external fixators. They hold all the pins and rods in place that were surgically implanted while his broken bones heal. I told Walt that if he ever plans to travel by air, he’d better allow for extra time going through security, because he’s got enough metal inside his legs to set off every metal detector in the airport. Hopefully, the external  hardware will be removed in a couple months, and Walt will be walking again by late spring.

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The sidewalk is his stage

January 23, 2012 Posted in Asheville, Buskers No comments

© John Gellman

The NC Stage Company is somewhere off to the left. Jason Blaycock’s stage was on the sidewalk of Haywood Street in downtown Asheville on Monday night. Busking on a weekday winter night can be a lonely endeavor, but it didn’t seem to deter Jason – he’s a dedicated man.

It’s good to be taking pictures in Asheville again. I’m accompanying my friend Walt to a doctor’s appointment on Tuesday morning. He’s finally about to get out of the hospital, three months after being struck by a car while he was crossing a street. Way to go, Walt!

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You’ve never heard of Evelynn Rose

January 15, 2012 Posted in Music No comments

© John Gellman

But you will. Evelynn Rose rocked the Visualite Theatre in Charlotte on Saturday night. Though their name, logo, and cowboy hat laden bassist might suggest a country rock outfit, they are about as far from Rose of Cimarron as you can get. Evelynn Rose reminds me of bands like …  well, I can’t name one. Let’s just say they would fit in comfortably with the new post-punk power rock bands that my college age kids would like. Okay, that your college age kids would like. Mine have gone offbeat folk-indie Americana. For my younger visitors, Rose of Cimarron is a song by the classic country rock band, Poco. Google it. For my older visitors, post-punk power rock is… well, ask your kids. I find it difficult to put a finger on a new rock band that is so far out of my personal mainstream, so I’ll quote the Rolling Stones, “It’s only rock ‘n roll and I like it.”

Evelynn Rose is built upon a foundation of good songwriting. Front man Joe Rowland and lead guitarist Chris Black are pictured above during their 45 minute set of all original material. If you look at Lady Gaga, Beyonce, and Jay Z, and ask yourself what has happened to rock ‘n roll, check these guys out. I hope it won’t be too long until they are coming to a town near you – from Charlotte with kick ass.

For my regular visitors, I have not fallen off the face of the earth. I just took an extended break. At least I didn’t leave you with another ice moth. I’ve got some more Blackberry Smoke pics and some random rock shots coming soon. Happy New Year to everyone.

 

 

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Blackberry Smoke in Asheville

December 18, 2011 Posted in Asheville, Blackberry Smoke show hide 2 comments

© John Gellman

Four out of five ain’t bad. Brandon Still is over there on the right in the fog – you just can’t see him in this pic. It’s really hard to include every member of a band in a live performance pic, and not always worthwhile. While the pic might document the moment, it won’t necessarily be a good image. Blackberry Smoke looked good and sounded great in front of an enthusiastic crowd at the Orange Peel in Asheville on Friday night. Thanks to everyone in the crowd who let me stand in front of them and block their view for a few moments. Blocking folks’ view is a problem for me. I’m a big guy. A much younger and much thinner photographer from the band’s record label positioned himself on the stage, in front of Richard Turner. He crouched down low like a contortionist and managed to make himself invisible while he was shooting. I could never do that. I’ve easily got a hundred pounds on the kid and I was never that flexible, even when I was his age.

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Sound check at The Peel

December 16, 2011 Posted in Asheville, Blackberry Smoke show hide 1 comment

© John Gellman

I love shooting sound checks because I can do things I wouldn’t dream of doing during a show. Like curling up on the floor next to the drummer and shooting through the drum kit. Here’s a shot Of Blackberry Smoke front man Charlie Starr during Friday’s sound check at the Orange Peel in Asheville, NC. Now I can go to bed at a reasonable hour and post some pics from the show tomorrow.

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