Crosses at Crescent Ballroom: Photo by Melissa Fossum

Happy 43rd Birthday, Chino Moreno!

Melissa Menzinger June 20, 2016

Whether you're a fan of Deftones or Crosses, today is cause for celebration. Today, prolific musician Chino Moreno turns 43. Here are some of my favorite photos from the band's

See you in the photo pit.

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.

Exploring grief through punk rock

Melissa Menzinger June 1, 2016

I haven't talked about my mom much in a public space. My friends know all about it, and I've sent a few brooding tweets here and there, but I haven't shared the story anywhere. You can probably piece together what happened through some handy Googling, but all you would see is that my mom died at age 55.

My mom's losing battle with cancer and my obsession with music intersected in some very weird ways. The day she was diagnosed, my dad called me in tears and told me to come home from the gym ASAP. I knew in my gut that something was wrong. I continued playing my workout playlist on my way home (which happens to be called "Twerk it") and The Menzingers' "Rivarlies" came on. I started bawling when I heard the chorus "I'm running out of time/I'm running out of excuses," because I knew that once I'd park my car, I'd receive the bad news.

In summer 2013, my mom told us that she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. It's one of the most aggressive types of cancers out there, namely because it's nearly undetectable until it has reached late stages and has spread to other organs. The doctors figured it was Stage III or IV because the cancer had already reached her lungs and liver. We sat and cried and hugged for a long time.

My mom started her aggressive rounds of chemo. Her hair started thinning out, so she had her stylist cut the rest off. Shortly after, she had confirmation that it was Stage IV. We discovered this the day I was going to shoot She & Him. I wanted to stay home, but my mom gave me the blessing to go. The show was running late, so I looked up "Stage IV pancreatic cancer" and had a nervous breakdown when I saw that most people are lucky to live 1-3 months after diagnosis.

The band took the stage and I could not stop crying. At one point, Zooey Deschanel and I made eye contact. I can't help but wonder if she thought I was super moved by the music, or what. It was not a good time.

My mom tried out an experimental chemo drug which ended up working really well. Her hair eventually started growing back! The doctors told her that they couldn't detect any cancer in her body. It really was a miracle. They wanted to continue maintenance chemo to be sure. My mom was weary and exhausted, but kept up with the chemo.

This was about a year after her initial diagnosis, just in time for Christmas. My mom loved holidays, so it never occurred to me that this might be our last Christmas. I really thought that maybe she was the rare exception and was going to be okay. What else can you do when your 54 year old mother is dying?

The following few months were a blur. I remember shooting Parquet Courts on her birthday and felt guilty about it. We soon learned that the cancer was back, and there wasn't much we could do.

Fast forward two months to May 2014. I was beyond stoked to shoot Against Me! for the first time since Laura Jane Grace went public with her transition. The day of the show, I came home to find both of my parents sobbing. They were informed that the chemo stopped working. There was nothing else the doctors could do aside from make my mom comfortable. I told her there was no way I was going to go to the show. She once again encouraged me to go and said "you've loved this band since you were a teenager. Tonight's a big night, go!"

I was surrounded by friends at that Against Me! show. I received so many hugs, affirmations, and "I love yous". I lost it when the band played "Walking is Still Honest," as I questioned why I went to the show hearing the words "Dear mother/this is just survival/you can't promise your children anything," coming to terms with the reality that my mom was going to die.

During the show, she sent me a text that said, "Please don't cry or be sad. I love you forever, XOXO!" That was her second to last text to me. The last one told me that I made really good mac and cheese.

She died two weeks later.

I had tickets to see The Menzingers perform both in Phoenix and Los Angeles the following weekend (about a week and a half after she died). I thought about canceling my California trip, but my mom adored the ocean and it seemed like the right thing to do.

The Menzingers are one of my favorite bands, and the lineup of this 2014 summer tour was spectacular. The first night of the tour I attended was in Phoenix. I was lucky enough to shoot The Menzingers, Lemuria, Pup, and Cayetana. That was my first introduction to Pup and Cayetana, and now I can say with full confidence that I love both bands as much as The Menzingers and Lemuria.

That show was exactly what I needed after all of the stress of planning a funeral. I drove out to L.A. the following morning and stayed in Hermosa Beach. It was insanely far from Hollywood, but it was cathartic for me to walk along the boardwalk, enjoy a breakfast burrito, and think about my mom.

At the show, I was lucky enough to watch from a VIP balcony. I was put on the guest list for the San Diego show the following day and called in sick to work to continue my journey. The San Diego show was in a church, and it was absolutely beautiful.

Anyway, the purpose of this post is always save your photos because you never know when you'll stumble across them and need a dose of nostalgia. Looking at these photos brought me joy. I remembered how much I needed to let loose and enjoy myself after my mom's passing. People keep telling me that it gets easier. It sounds corny, but it's true. This is the first time I've been able to write about my mom without crying. The two year anniversary of her death is in a week and a half. This makes me realize just how far I've come along since then.

A picture is worth a thousand words. Take a look at some of my favorite shots from the show. Try to imagine the sticky hot June night and having your left eardrum buzz for a week after standing too close to an amp.

A great setlist: Photo by Melissa Fossum

Weekend Photo Roundup- Skrillex and Drag Queens

Melissa Menzinger May 31, 2016

This weekend represented two of my favorite things- pool parties and drag queens! I kicked off the weekend by shooting Skrillex at Talking Stick Resort's Release Pool Party. I have never seen the event so crowded! I believe it sold out.

Skrillex had a fantastic stage presence and always looked like he was having fun. Even if you are a casual fan of EDM, I'd recommend checking him out!

Kobalt's Divas Memorial Day Drag Show: photo by Melissa Fossum — Kobalt's Divas Memorial Day Drag Show: photo by Melissa Fossum

I closed out the weekend by photographing Kobalt's Memorial Day Divas Drag Show. I took some cool portraits of the queens before the show.

One of my favorite quotes as the queens were setting up was "day drag is weird." Drag is very much oriented in nightclubs, so it was interesting to see a mostly sober crowd enjoying the show. That didn't stop them from having a great time, though.

This portrait of T.C. Taylor is my favorite. I also enjoyed seeing Payda Parc in partial drag.

Butthurt Valentine's Party - Photo by Melissa Fossum

Weekend photo roundup- Valentine's Day and Arizona Cocktail Week

Melissa Menzinger February 17, 2016

A lot of single people hate Valentine's Day, but I don't mind it. This may be due to the fact that it's always a big work weekend for me.

Valentine's Day Eve was my busiest shooting day thanks to dance parties, Hotel Valley Ho's spectacular Cocktail Carnival, and the Arizona Strong Beer Festival.

MAN-CAT Butthurt Valentine's Party - Photo by Melissa Fossum

The biggest event was the aptly named Butthurt Valentine's Dance Party. The event was organized by Tempe activists A Claire Slattery and Sarah Richie Rich and featured live music from MAN-CAT and Serene Dominic. There was also free candy and Donna Lewis' "I Love You Always Forever." What more could you ask for?

I was the event's official photographer and also posted some photos to AZCentral. I'm sure you'll be hearing more about Butthurt Tempe's events in the future.

A Claire Slattery at Butthurt Valentine's Party - Photo by Melissa Fossum

I bought a wide angle lens on Saturday and got to test it out that evening. Suffice to say, I love it. This lens works great for nightlife.

I also took photos of the final monthly Obscura Dance Night. The event will continue periodically in the future.

Arizona Circus School at Cocktail Carnival at Hotel Valley Ho - Photo by Melissa Fossum

I spent most of Saturday overdressed thanks to Arizona Cocktail Week's annual Cocktail Carnival at Hotel Valley Ho. I'm not complaining, this vintage hotel is a the perfect place to go when you're feeling fancy.

Arizona Strong Beer Festival at Steele Indian School Park - Photo by Melissa Fossum

One of my favorite experiences from the weekend was capturing this photo. I managed to talk my way into getting on a highrise (thanks, beer company! I was a little overheated so I forgot which company you were specifically, my apologies). The Arizona Strong Beer Festival was packed, and it was great to get a high spot to take in the crowd.

Deschutes Brewery at Arizona Strong Beer Festival at Steele Indian School Park - Photo by Melissa Fossum

Plus, look at all of that tasty beer! I sampled beer the first year I photographed the event, and I would highly recommend buying a ticket for next year's festival if you are a beer fan.

I rounded it all out by photographing The Yard's Last Slinger Standing Competition in Tempe.

See you in the photo pit.