Kendrick Lamar at Mesa Amphitheatre- Photo by Melissa Fossum

Happy 29th Birthday, Kendrick Lamar!

Melissa Menzinger June 17, 2016

I had the distinct pleasure of photographing Kendrick Lamar three years ago. It was a disgustingly hot day at Mesa Amphitheatre, so it's pretty timely to revisit this show as Phoenix's temperatures are nearing 120 this weekend.

This show was amazing. I went in knowing little more than "Bitch Don't Kill my Vibe" and was blown away by Kendrick's stage presence. Now I'm obsessed with To Pimp a Butterfly and can't wait to see him perform at FYF Fest this fall.

Just a friendly reminder to all other photographers out there- always save your RAW files. I'm amazed at how much this picture pops with three additional years of editing experience. This was a somewhat challenging show to shoot because Kendrick was backlit, but with the right timing and the proper amount of crouching, it made for a halo effect.

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.

The Weeknd at Coachella 2012. Photo by Melissa Fossum.

Happy 26th Birthday, Abel Tesfaye!

Melissa Menzinger February 16, 2016

Happy birthday to the soulful mastermind behind The Weeknd! One of the great things about setting up this blog is being able to revisit all of these great concerts. I photographed Coachella in 2011, 2012, and 2013, and went for the first time as a guest, and not press in 2014. I didn't have any qualms about missing the 2015 festival because it is exhausting.

Performances like The Weeknd in 2012 make me miss shooting the festival. At the time, Tesfaye was popular from his mixtapes and had a dedicated following- just ask any of the women screaming in the front row. His set was sensual and perfectly timed at sunset. It's the type of thing that made you feel like you caught a glimpse of something big.

Now The Weeknd is winning Grammys and is a superstar with Beauty Behind the Madness. I would love to see The Weeknd again, both as a photographer and a fan. After all, I need a shot of Tesfaye's wonderful hair for my portfolio.

See you in the photo pit.

Alice Cooper at Talking Stick Resort Arena, 12/19/16

Happy birthday, Alice Cooper!

Melissa Menzinger February 4, 2016

Today Alice Cooper celebrates his 68th birthday. Cooper is a local legend who continues to rock harder than most people half his age. I've had the pleasure of shooting him twice now, and it's always a delight. I would highly recommend any photographer to shoot Alice Cooper if they have a chance.

I included my favorite shots from Alice Cooper's recent tour with Motley Crue in this blog post. Feel free to check out the full slideshow along with some girls, girls, girls here.

See you in the photo pit.

NOFX performed at Tempe Beach Park 4/6/15.

Happy 49th Birthday, Fat Mike!

Melissa Menzinger January 31, 2016

I first photographed NOFX in 2012 when I was focusing more on writing than photography. It's not my best work (again, it was 2012 and I was still pretty new to the game), but what was most memorable about this show is that Fat Mike granted me a rare interview.

My favorite part was asking why he took the interview.

I took your interview because our show in Phoenix is selling like shit. It's like, the worst city in the country. It's got such a depressed economy...fuck. I see Phoenix as being the next Detroit. If you're a college student or retired, it's a pretty good city.

A quote like this would get fans in some other circle's riled up, but the bottom line is it's punk rock and a very Fat Mike thing to do.

To that end, the recent photos in this post are from NOFX's performance at this huge punk/screamo music festival last year. Fat Mike made fun of bands like A Day to Remember while he was on stage. Their fans weren't happy, but the audience standing before NOFX loved it.

Bonus, here's Fat Mike holding up some Preparation H.

See you in the photo pit.