Sorry about taking so long to get this set up, we've been pretty busy with house hunting and I've had some session musician work lately that's paid better than the average photo gig, which hasn't left me with a lot of time to post.

Once again, I found myself at the Soda Bar only this time it was hardcore metal night. Whether I'm shooting at a jazz club or metal club, I never feel like I quite fit in with the crowd, and especially so when the crowd has lots of Iron Maiden tees and tattoos. This doesn't bug me at all anymore, unlike a few years ago when I'd feel pretty self-conscious about being the lone dork. 99% of the people I meet at these shows are totally cool, no matter what they wear or what kind of music they like. In the end, a music fan is a music fan, and bands are happy to know someone liked their music enough to listen to it intently.

Gort is a noisy two-piece that plays short, loud, and dirty.

 

It's not a refined sound, but it's not as empty as it might seem since the guitar is actually a baritone, giving a deeper, sludgier sound. The huge bass drum helps to bridge that gap too.



I didn't take many pictures this night since Imy battery was close to empty and I forgot to pack a spare in my little bag, so I tried to limit my shots. Sorry Gort, you got less than 10 shots tonight.



I worked at NASA for about a year during college doing imaging research on materials used on the next generation of solid rocket boosters. I can't say much more about what I did there so when someone asks, I just say that I spent the time there blotting aliens out of photographs. I did get to work on a million dollar scanning electron microscope, which was an incredible experience. I've worked with a couple other SEMs at various institutions since then, but NASA had a closet of free 4x5 Polaroid film to save the images (this was before digital sensors were cost effective) and I was in heaven. Even back in 1996, each sheet of film was $1. Now they're probably $5 each since they're not made anymore.

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I don't know why, but it seems that if a band has one female member who isn't the singer, she'll probably be the bass player. That's the Tarrakian way too.





Music is a universal language. I chatted with this guitarist for a minute after their set, and he's from Italy. People may have an accent but their guitars don't.



It's no secret that I'm partial to long-haired brunettes. Strap a bass to one, and she'll be the main thing I'll take pictures of. I didn't realize this until I started editing the photos, but there were only about 15 or so that didn't have her as the main subject.





Heather has nothing to worry about, but damn! Cutie!

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I've been rocking their CD quite a bit since getting it at their last show, so I was excited to be able to hear The Long and Short of It's songs again now that I was familiar with them.



Ben Johnson is just about as dynamic a front person as you can get. Today, 6/16, is his birthday. I'll bet when he blows out his birthday candles tonight, he'll scorch the room with the ferocity of his breath.



My battery finally died after just a couple songs so I don't have a decent group shot, but it's just as well since I was banging my head the whole time anyway, and so was everyone else.







One of these days I'm going to get a shot with the bassist smiling. Not tonight though.







If you'd like to hear what face-melting sounds like, go see these guys. Even if the music doesn't do it for you, you will be in awe of the showmanship.



Most bands will run their own merch booth, but Ben makes it a family affair. Last time I met his wife Monique at the booth, this time, I met his mom Ellen and her friend. I do see the resemblance.



When I told her how much I liked the CD, she asked me which song was my favorite. "Calamity at Sea of Calamity", I replied. "Yeah that one's got a great breakdown in it, doesn't it?" she asked. Wow, I couldn't even get my mom to come to my soccer games as a kid, much less know my music inside and out.  She also asked me to take this photo of them, which I can't recall anybody else ever asking me for at a show. Ellen, my blood type is B-, let me know if you ever need a kidney.