I've never had a photo pass to a show. Every show I've ever shot has just been me, my camera, and a fight for position. Places like The Saint, The Brighton, Asbury Lanes, and usually The Wonder Bar are fine with my bringing my detachable lens kit.
I miss a lot of pictures, though. I'm not really that "get the shot at all costs" photojournalist type; and, since I'm never a credentialed photographer, I try to make an effort at not being a distraction for other audience members or the performers. Those are some of the reasons I rarely use a flash. That doesn't make me a better person than other, more serious, photographers. It makes me a less successful photographer.
I'm not sure what the rules are at The Stone Pony; but, there are often working, credentialed photographers there. So, for anything other than a small local show, I bring my point and shoot. I try to nail just a few shots to maybe illustrate a post. Fighting my way forward in a packed house for a few pictures isn't really my thing, so I always try to get there a little early in order to get a good vantage point.
Last night, CoolMom and I walked into the Johnny Marr show just after the doors opened at 8 o'clock. We staked out a nice little spot just at stage right, and CoolMom ended up right at the stage for this no-barricade show. We met a few really nice people in our little area and waited for things to get started.
Meredith Sheldon opened things at 8:55 totally solo. Just her and her guitar. I'd seen her open for Johnny Marr last year as Alamar, who performed as a duo I think. Sheldon has a lovely voice and can really play her black Jaguar / Jazzmaster type guitar. The Pony was pretty crowded at this point, and there was a loud hum of voices. Those up front, though, remained pretty attentive; and Sheldon expressed her appreciation. It can't be easy being the one standing between an audience and one of their heroes armed only with a guitar.Right at 10, Johnny Marr took the stage, opening with the title track from his latest LP Playland. The show was heavy on Marr's solo work. As a lyricist, Marr is much more direct and much less dramatic than Morrissey; and his current work is definitely more "rock" than The Smiths. His signature guitar sound is still there, particularly on songs like "New Town Velocity" and current single "Dynamo;" and it is amazing to see how easy he makes it look.
Marr and his band covered "Panic," "The Headmaster Ritual," "Big Mouth Strikes Again," "How Soon Is Now?" "Still Ill," and "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out" by The Smiths, the fantastic "Getting Away with It" by Electronic, and The Clash's version of "I Fought the Law." During "There Is A Light...," his final song of the night, the entire place sang as the band played.
Several times throughout the show, Marr made his way from behind the microphone right to the spot where we were standing. CoolMom looked up at him, her face just inches away from his guitar. I swear that it almost seemed like he was playing just for her each time he came back to us. "I think Johnny Marr likes you," I whispered into her ear. She had a big, dopey (but, of course, lovely) grin on her face all night. I could not bring myself to take any pictures. I couldn't bring myself to shove my little point and shoot into Johnny Marr's face during those moments. A couple of times, I waited until he backed away and I used the camera's built-in zoom.Johnny Marr probably wouldn't have minded if I'd taken a whole bunch of shots. He appeared oblivious to everyone else in the audience holding up their phones snapping what had to be dozens of pictures apiece and taking video of entire chunks of the show. Even after dressing down one audience member for constantly waving around a pickguard and a Sharpie, once the show was over, he signaled the guy for the item and signed it after all. It just didn't feel right, though, to take myself out of some of those moments and start firing away. It was weird.
So I missed a lot of shots. I know exactly what they would have looked like, too, because they're all burned into my brain.
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