Artists
- 311
- Adelitas Way
- Aerosmith
- Airbourne
- Alice Cooper
- All Time Low
- Alter Bridge
- American Music Awards
- Anthrax
- Anya Marina
- Arrested Development
- Asking Alexandria
- Authority Zero
- Bamboozle Roadshow 2010
- Barnstable Brown Party
- Beach Boys
- Ben Folds
- Ben Sollee
- Benjy Davis Project
- Black Eyed Peas
- Black Sabbath
- Black Stone Cherry
- Blackberry Smoke
- Bobaflex
- Boys Like Girls
- Bret Michaels
- Buckcherry
- Bullet for My Valentine
- Bush
- Buxton Hughes
- Cady Groves
- Cage the Elephant
- Carnival of Madness 2011
- Cavo
- Chevelle
- Christian Kane
- Clutch
- CMA Weekend 2011
- Coheed and Cambria
- COLD
- Collective Soul
- Country Throwdown 2010
- Creed
- Crossfade
- Darius Rucker
- Daughtry
- David Bean Workshop
- Death Cab for Cutie
- Dierks Bentley
- Disturbed
- Doobie Brothers
- Drowning Pool
- Eastern Conference Champions
- Easton Corbin
- Emily West
- Emphatic
- Eric Church
- Essence Music Festival 2010
- Everclear
- Everest
- Fastball
- Fitz & the Tantrums
- Five Finger Death Punch
- Forever the Sickest Kids
- Gavin Rossdale
- George Thorogood
- Glamour Kills Tour
- Glen Campbell
- Gloriana
- Godsmack
- Goo Goo Dolls
- Grace Potter and the Nocturnals
- Great Big Planes
- Grooveshire
- Guns-N-Roses
- Halestorm
- Heart
- Heidi Newfield
- Helmet
- Hey Monday
- Hinder
- Hip Hop Nation
- Hollywood Undead
- honeyhoney
- Hoobastank
- HullabaLOU Music Festival 2010
- Hunter Hayes
- Il Volo
- Incubus
- Jackyl
- Jagermeister Tour
- Jake Owen
- Jamey Johnson
- Janet Jackson
- JANUS
- Jay Z
- Jeremih
- Jeremy Cowart Workshop
- Jethro Tull
- Jimmy Buffet
- John 5
- Jonathan Tyler & the Northern Lights
- Jordin Sparks
- Josh Kelley
- Journey
- Justin Bieber
- Kandi
- Kanrocksas
- Kellie Pickler
- Kenny Wayne Shepherd
- Kid Rock
- Killswitch Engage
- Kim Taylor
- Kings of Leon
- KISS
- KORN
- Langhorne Slim
- Lighnin Malcolm
- Like a Storm
- Lil Wayne
- Linkin Park
- Lissie Trullie
- Little Big Town
- LL Cool J
- LMFAO
- Lucero
- Lucinda Williams
- Ludacris
- Lynyrd Skynyrd
- Machine Head
- Madam Adam
- Mario
- Mastodon
- Matt Wertz
- Mayhem Festival 2010
- Mayhem Festival 2011
- Megadeth
- Merrell Crawfish Boil
- Mia Carruthers & the Retros
- MidPoint Music Festival
- Miranda Lambert
- Molly Sue Gonzalez
- Motley Crue
- Motörhead
- Murderdolls
- MUTEMATH
- My Morning Jacket
- NCAA Final Four Concert 2010
- New Found Glory
- Night Ranger
- Nikki Sixx
- Odd Future
- Papa Roach
- Papadosio
- Pearl Jam
- Pennywise
- Pepper
- Peter Frampton
- Pleasure P
- Pop Evil
- Puddle of Mudd
- Pussycat Dolls
- Randy Houser
- Rascal Flatts
- Red
- REO Speedwagon
- Return to Forever
- Richy Nix
- Rise Against
- Rock Allegiance Tour 2011
- Rock on the Range 2010
- Rock on the Range 2011
- RockFest 2011
- Rockstar Mayhem Festival
- Ryan Star
- SAFETYSUIT
- Sammy Hagar
- Saving Abel
- Sean Patrick McGraw
- Shadows Fall
- Shaman's Harvest
- Shinedown
- Sixx:AM
- Slash
- Slipknot
- Snoop Dogg
- Social Distortion
- Soulja Boy
- Stevie Nicks
- Stone Sour
- Stone Temple Pilots
- Straight Line Stitch
- Styx
- Sum 41
- Taylor Swift
- Ted Nugent
- The Band Perry
- The Cab
- The Decemberists
- The Devil Wears Prada
- The Friday Night Boys
- The Gaslight Anthem
- The Moody Blues
- The Worsties
- Theory of a Deadman
- Tim Wilson
- Tony Lucca
- Train
- Trans-Siberian Orchestra
- Trey Songz
- Trivium
- Ty Stone
- Uncategorized
- Under the Streetlamp
- UPROAR Festival 2010
- UPROAR Festival 2011
- Violent Soho
- Volbeat
- Voodoo Festival 2010
- Voodoo Festival 2011
- Warped Tour 2010
- X-Fest 2010
- X-Fest 2011
- Young Jeezy
- Zombie
Apr
7
2010
0Sunday was a big day for me and the NCAA. I was going to photograph a childhood idol and they were preparing to crown a new bball champion. I had no words to describe my excitement to shoot LL Cool J. It was a rare opportunity to shoot the rap icon since he has focused on acting the past few years with hot shows like NCIS LA.
There was a strange combination of musical acts for the day with Jake Owen, LL Cool J and the Goo Goo Dolls. The crowd was a lot of country, a little bit hip hop and a tiny bit rock-n-roll.
Jake Owen took the stage and the sun set behind him as he was playing. I was tempted for a moment not to shoot directly into the sun behind him, but tried a few shots. The result was amazing as I exposed for him and let the light fall behind him. He looked like an angel singing. I had not seen Jake perform live, but I thoroughly enjoyed him playing “8 Second Ride” live. His show was great and I will see him again any time he comes nearby.
After Jake’s set, I began to prepare myself for LL Cool J. My trusty bartender apologized that my Kettle One and Cranberry was not available because liquor cannot be served on Sundays in Indiana, so all he had for me was white wine or beer today. I opted for the Chardonnay.
LL came out and I went to work shooting him from every angle possible trying not to get distracted as he licked his lips. I am pleased with the results and was happy to hear him play “Goin Back to Cali” even though most of the crowd was not old enough to remember this classic. It is hard to describe the feelings of pure joy that you have when a rockstar looks into your camera lens and sings to you.
The highlight of my year came after I finished shooting and was pulled on stage to dance with LL. All of my YouTube fears vanished as I danced with “the man.” I did do a YouTube scan later that night to verify that I did not star in an NCAA party video and am happy to report there is no evidence except for this photo of LL looking at me that my friend Shane Glenn snapped for me as I threw all my expensive camera equipment at him before jumping on stage.
The Sunday photo gallery can be seen on CityBeat.com