Doing what I love for a living is something I don't take for granted. While combining my love of music and photography is something I'll never tire of doing, I try my best to photograph a few shows for fun too.  
So of course, when I saw The Front Bottoms had a free show at Lagunitas, I knew I had to bring my camera along for a fun night out. These are a few favorites from the night. ​

I wrote a long piece explaining the history the 707 area code plays with in the Bay Area hip-hop and rap community and though I've photogaphed and seen E-40, Nef the Pharaoh, OMB Peezy and Andre Nickatina a few other times, this time felt special. The Rohnert Park stop of 40's The Gift Of Gab Tour was the smallest venues I've gotten to photograph the Bay Area Legend and the line-up was a photographers dream come true. 

Ok. So I realize that lately I've mostly been photographing larger venues, but there's a little part of me that will always love photographing D.I.Y concerts. I know that they've recenty gotten a bad rep because of the Ghost ship fire in Oakland but I will never stop going to them. 

While yes, this event was tragic and my heart goes out to those who lost some one in this horrific event, I feel this speaks more about the lack of space for the arts in our every day lives and how desperate out housing situation has become in the Bay Area. It's hard for artist and creative spirits to afford housing in the bay, a lot of times people have to live in areas that need a lot of repairs if that means cheaper rent. 

 As some one who spend a lot of time at house shows and odd spaces watching live music, there is nothing that makes me happier than going to small concerts band's put on themselves. I've laughed, cried, danced and became who I am today because of these impromptu concerts. 

So, I thought I'd post a few shots from a show I went to the other night, because for me, nothing heals wounds like live music. 

Driving in the rain is usually pretty therapeutic, unless you're driving in San Francisco because thats probably more scary than any haunted house or horror movie I've experienced. Of course, this didn't stop me from driving from the North Bay to photograph M83, who made me forget the horrors of stoping at the top of slippery San Francisco hills and walking a mile in the rain once I finally found parking near the Bill Graham Auditorium. 

Next was Good Charlotte, who I found myself humming along to as I photographed. I'm not sure if frontman Joel Madden heard me, it's doubtful as I was next to the giant speakers near the stage, but he stoped right in front of me and posed for a shot. 

For more photos and a review visit: http://thebaybridged.com/2016/10/27/review-photos-good-charlotte-warfield/

"This Modern Love," by Bloc Party was the soundtrack to all of my shitty high school romances. I loved the song more than I can ever admit to loving any of the high school boys I dated. 

So, of course once I jumped at the chance of photographing the band. The concert was at Mezzanine in SF. There was no photo pit,  so I had to wiggle my way past a sold out concert floor. I think that gave my photos a more intimate feel and capture the concert from the crowds perspective. 

Check out my review and more photos here: http://thebaybridged.com/2016/09/23/photos-review-bloc-party-at-mezzanine/