Chic

Melissa Menzinger August 10, 2016

Last week I had the pleasure of shooting all four of these bands back to back. I was surprised that these big bands allowed photographers to shoot from the pit, not the soundboard. I'm not complaining, I'm thrilled with how these photos all turned out!

Simon Le Bon of Duran Duran: Photo by Melissa Fossum

I saw Duran Duran for the first time during my first Coachella in 2011. I was very impressed with their stage presence, and last week's show was no exception, even though I only saw the first three songs due to photo restrictions.

Dom Brown of Duran Duran: Photo by Melissa Fossum

Duran Duran was a delight to shoot. The band was energetic and the lighting was perfect. I would love to photograph them again!

See the full Duran Duran and Chic slideshow here.

Nile Rodgers of Chic: Photo by Melissa Fossum

Openers Chic were so spectacular that I feared that Duran Duran would fall short. I'm ashamed to say that I was unaware of the extent of Nile Rodgers' legacy until seeing Chic perform live. Songs like Daft Punk's "Get Lucky" were definitely a surprise!

Rodgers' back up vocalists were a blast to watch as well.

Panic! at the Disco: Photo by Melissa Fossum

Onto Weezer and Panic! at the Disco. Getting to this show was a nightmare due to the "100 year flood," which trapped me in downtown Phoenix. Unfortunately, I was unable to photograph Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, but I heard the show was great.

Brendon Urie of Panic! at the Disco: Photo by Melissa Fossum

PATD is always a delight to shoot thanks to Brendon Urie's very energetic stage presence.

Weezer's Rivers Cuomo: Photo by Melissa Fossum

As a lifelong Weezer fan, I was over the moon at an opportunity to shoot the band. The opening backdrop of California imagery made it all the better.

Scott Shriner of Weezer: Photo by Melissa Fossum

Plus, look at Scott Shriner's grin! Isn't that adorable?

Check out my full Weezer and Panic! at the Disco slideshow here.

See you in the photo pit. Hopefully with less rain next time.

Brand New: photo by Melissa Fossum

Happy 38th birthday, Jesse Lacey!

Melissa Menzinger July 10, 2016

I've always loved Brand New, so I feel privileged that I was able to photograph the band twice. The first time was Chicago Riot Fest in 2013, which was rife with issues. I've shot outdoor shows in the rain a few times, but as an Arizona native, I expect the rain to disappear in less than an hour. Chicago rain is a whole new animal. I sifted around in the mud struggling to shoot bands like Suicidal Tendencies and The Broadways.

Brand New at Chicago Riot Fest: photo by Melissa Fossum

The second time I photographed Brand New was at last year's Summer Ends Music Festival. I was thrilled to be there and shoot great bands like Jimmy Eat World and Spoon, but this was the last night that my 70-200 lens worked. It malfunctioned in the middle of Brand New's set. I was not happy, but I did what I could given the circumstances.

Perhaps the third time will be a charm, as Brand New and Modest Mouse are coming to Phoenix later this month. In the meantime, I'll do what I can to avoid bad luck.

See you in the photo pit.

Phantogram at the 2015 McDowell Mountain Music Festival

Happy Birthday to Phantogram's Sarah Barthel!

Melissa Menzinger February 17, 2016

Happy 33rd birthday to the lovely Sarah Barthel! I've had the good fortune of photographing Phantogram twice at Crescent Ballroom. The above picture was taken during the band's performance at McDowell Mountain Music Festival.

Phantogram at Crescent Ballroom in 2013.

While it was a nice change of pace to see the band at a large festival, Phantogram is best enjoyed in an intimate venue. I also snapped some video of the band's 2013 Crescent Ballroom show.

Phantogram at Crescent Ballroom in 2011.

To go way back in time, here's a photo I took of Barthel in 2011. I only had a nifty fifty (50 mm 1.8 lens) at the time, so it's remarkable to see how I have grown as a photographer over the years.

Phantogram at McDowell Mountain Music Festival in 2015.

A very happy birthday to you, Sarah Barthel. We look forward to seeing you again in Phoenix.

See you in the photo pit.

Mumford & Sons at Desert Sky Pavilion (now Ak-Chin Pavilion) 6/6/13

Happy Birthday, Marcus Mumford!

Melissa Menzinger January 31, 2016

Happy birthday to Marcus Mumford, front man of indie folk sensation Mumford & Sons. I photographed and reviewed the band at Ak-Chin Pavilion three years ago, while it was still called Desert Sky Pavilion.

I was initially scheduled to just shoot the show, but I ended up reviewing it as well. I went into the show a casual Mumford fan who enjoyed "The Cave," but after watching the band's full set, I emerged a fan.

A mundane detail that really sticks out about the show was the insufferable traffic. I know this isn't an exciting thing to talk about, but it ended up working to my advantage, as it was the first time I wrote a concert review entirely on my cell phone while being stuck in traffic.

Check out my full Phoenix New Times slideshow and review here.

See you in the photo pit.