Jared Leto takes it all in during the tour finale.

Thirty Seconds to Mars Monolith Tour Photos

Melissa Menzinger July 25, 2018

Thirty Seconds to Mars has a dedicated fanbase.

Hello, friends and followers! I know I haven't been great about updating this blog. My Instagram or Facebook page would be the best places to go for up to date news about my photography adventures.

I am currently a little out of the loop when it comes to Phoenix events because I have been traveling a lot. The Thirty Seconds to Mars and Walk The Moon show in Phoenix is what brought me home. I wasn't disappointed. Here are a few of my favorite photos from the shoot. You can see my full slideshow on the Phoenix New Times site.

Jared Leto brings Walk The Moon's Nicholas Petricca on stage.

Jared Leto brings a couple young fans on stage to sing.

Thirty Seconds to Mars fans are a dedicated bunch.

Jared Leto makes good use of the catwalk.

Nicholas Petricca shows off his colorful tattoos.

Walk The Moon is very entertaining live.

Charles Bradley: Photo by Melissa Fossum

R.I.P. Charles Bradley

Melissa Menzinger September 23, 2017

If you haven't had the distinct pleasure of listening to Charles Bradley, I recommend doing so now. The soul singer echoed songs from another time, which still felt modern. I had the pleasure of photographing him at FYF Fest in 2013. It was interesting to see these images pop up right before Joyce Manor. I moseyed over to Charles' set because I read good press about him, but wasn't really familiar with his work.

I was absolutely blown away by Charles Bradley's stage presence. His voice was booming and commanding. I've only seen something similar twice- once with Alabama Shakes, who thankfully is getting the acclaim the deserve, and the other was Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings. I also feel very honored to have been able to see the late Sharon Jones perform.

It's surreal having worked as a concert photographer for a decade now and learning news of these great musicians passing away. My main takeaway here is you never know how much time you have with a musician. If you're ever on the fence about seeing a musician for the first time, I strongly recommend rallying up the energy to go. You never know when you'll find your next favorite artist.

Stevie Nicks and Chrissie Hynde: Photo by Melissa Fossum

Happy 66th birthday, Chrissie Hynde!

Melissa Menzinger September 7, 2017

Good morning! I know I haven't been great about keeping up with this blog. I'm a lot more active on Instagram and Facebook, but I am going to try to post more frequently here.

It was serendipitous that I woke up early today and was in a Fleetwood Mac mood. While going through my archives, I also noticed that today was the birthday of Chrissie Hynde, legendary frontwoman of The Pretenders.

Chrissie joined Stevie during her performance, which made for some great photos.

I've been revisiting some of my editing techniques, and I see a huge improvement today versus what was published. That also makes me thankful for meticulously backing up my files.

You may have also noticed my new logo. I've been playing around in Illustrator, and I'm really happy with the result. I'm also proud to say that I designed my own logo. I look forward to learning more about graphic design and watching my skills develop.

Happy Thursday, everyone. I'm about to rock Rumours on my drive to work.

Sharon Jones at Heritage Square Park: Photo by Melissa Fossum

R.I.P. Sharon Jones

Melissa Menzinger November 20, 2016

On Friday, the world was informed of the devastating news of Sharon Jones' death. I feel so fortunate that I not only had the opportunity to watch Jones and her very talented band two years ago, but I was also assigned to photograph the show.

Any concert at Heritage Square Park in downtown Phoenix is a delight, but this show was especially delightful. It was one of the best concerts I have seen in Phoenix.

It breaks my heart that both Sharon Jones and my mom suffered due to pancreatic cancer. Jones put up a great fight and battled the disease for three years. I, like many in the music community, am devastated by Jones' passing.

Here are a few of my favorite shots from the Heritage Square park show.

The Living End's Chris Cheney: Photo by Melissa Fossum

Photos: The Living End/PEARS/Direct Hit! at Nile Theater

Melissa Menzinger August 18, 2016

Wow, what a night! I was thrilled to see Australia's rockabilly/punk powerhouse The Living End kick off their US tour at Mesa's Nile Theater. It's been over a decade since the trio has performed in the Phoenix metro area and much of the West Coast.

I know it's rare for me to post photos the night of a show, but I wanted to get these pictures up ASAP, because I'm sure folks who are going to see TLE perform on this tour are eager for some feedback.

The band played a good balance of old and new songs. The first batch of songs was "Second Solution," "Roll On," and "Pictures in the Mirror," which was pretty amazing. My only complaint was that Chris Cheney's vocals seemed to be a little low compared to the rest of the mix. I've seen this happen a lot with bands kicking off their tours in Phoenix then heading to California, though, so I wouldn't be too concerned!

I did something crazy at this show. PEARS and Direct Hit! were playing in the basement, so I ran back and forth between both shows. I had seen Direct Hit! live before and I am consistently impressed. This was my first time seeing PEARS and it was a good reminder as to why I got into punk photography in the first place. It was amazing to stand near the singer and capture the moment as the crowd went wild for the band's Ramones cover.

Without further ado, check out my slideshow!

The Living End

Photo by: Melissa Fossum

The Living End

Photo by: Melissa Fossum

The Living End

Photo by: Melissa Fossum

The Living End

Photo by: Melissa Fossum

The Living End

Photo by: Melissa Fossum

The Living End

Photo by: Melissa Fossum

The Living End

Photo by: Melissa Fossum

The Living End

Photo by: Melissa Fossum

The Living End

Photo by: Melissa Fossum

The Living End

Photo by: Melissa Fossum

The Living End

Photo by: Melissa Fossum

The Living End

Photo by: Melissa Fossum

The Living End

Photo by: Melissa Fossum

The Living End

Photo by: Melissa Fossum

The Living End

Photo by: Melissa Fossum

PEARS

Photo by: Melissa Fossum

PEARS

Photo by: Melissa Fossum

PEARS

Photo by: Melissa Fossum

PEARS

Photo by: Melissa Fossum

PEARS

Photo by: Melissa Fossum

PEARS

Photo by: Melissa Fossum

PEARS

Photo by: Melissa Fossum

Direct Hit!

Photo by: Melissa Fossum

Direct Hit!

Photo by: Melissa Fossum

Direct Hit!

Photo by: Melissa Fossum

Direct Hit!

Photo by: Melissa Fossum

Direct Hit!

Photo by: Melissa Fossum

Now I'm looking forward to getting a few hours of sleep before work tomorrow. Was it worth it? Absolutely. If The Living End has not sold out their tour date in your city yet, I would highly recommend getting tickets.

See you in the photo pit.