2014: A Year In Pictures

A year of rock n’ roll, in pictures, including two shows from late December 2013, which I shot after I posted last years’ Year in Pictures.

Tonight I’m headed out to dance the New Year in with Erasure (!); have fun and be safe, y’all, and I’ll see you on the other side.



The Districts, Brooklyn Bowl, Brooklyn, NY, Dec. 30, 2013


The Felice Brothers, Brooklyn Bowl, Brooklyn, NY, Dec. 30, 2013


Team Spirit, Irving Plaza, New York, NY, Dec. 31, 2013

Andrew W.K., Irving Plaza, New York, NY, Dec. 31, 2013


Fadeaway Friends Benefit 001, NGHBRS, Maxwell’s, Hoboken, NJ, Jan. 10, 2014


Fadeaway Friends Benefit 001, States and Kingdoms, Maxwell’s, Hoboken, NJ, Jan. 10, 2014


Fadeaway Friends Benefit 001, Frank Iero, Maxwell’s, Hoboken, NJ, Jan. 10, 2014


Fadeaway Friends Benefit 001, The Gay Blades, Maxwell’s, Hoboken, NJ, Jan. 10, 2014


Fadeaway Friends Benefit 002, Fred Mascharino, St. Vitus, Brooklyn, NY, Jan. 18, 2014


Fadeaway Friends Benefit 002, States and Kingdoms, St. Vitus, Brooklyn, NY, Jan. 18, 2014


Fadeaway Friends Benefit 002, Geoff Rickley, St. Vitus, Brooklyn, NY, Jan. 18, 2014


Fadeaway Friends Benefit 002, Frank Iero, St. Vitus, Brooklyn, NY, Jan. 18, 2014


Fadeaway Friends Benefit 002, I Hate Our Freedom, St. Vitus, Brooklyn, NY, Jan. 18, 2014


Fadeaway Friends Benefit 002, The Gay Blades, St. Vitus, Brooklyn, NY, Jan. 18, 2014


Deep Pockets, Santos Party House, New York, NY, Jan. 19, 2014


Patrick Kindlon with Loss Leader, Santos Party House, New York, NY, Jan. 19, 2014



Ovlov, Santos Party House, New York, NY, Jan. 19, 2014



Pity Sex, Santos Party House, New York, NY, Jan. 19, 2014



Patrick Kindlon with Self Defense Family, Santos Party House, New York, NY, Jan. 19, 2014


X Ambassadors, Roseland Ballroom, New York, NY, Feb. 4, 2014


The Colourist, Roseland Ballroom, New York, NY, Feb. 4, 2014




Panic! at the Disco, Roseland Ballroom, New York, NY, Feb. 4, 2014


Rob DiPietro, Subculture, New York, NY Feb. 7, 2014


The Grahams, Subculture, New York, NY, Feb. 7. 2014


Z Berg, The Deep End Club, New York, NY, Feb. 9, 2014


The Grahams, Chez Andre, Feb. 17, 2014


Phone Home, Shea Stadium BK, Feb. 20, 2014


Weird Womb, Shea Stadium BK, Brooklyn, NY, Feb. 20, 2014


The Dirty Nil, Shea Stadium BK, Brooklyn, NY, Feb. 20, 2014


Samantha Crain, Mercury Lounge, New York, NY, Feb. 27, 2014

Murder By Death, Mercury Lounge, New York, NY, Feb. 27, 2014



Sleepwave, Best Buy Theater, New York, NY, April 15, 2014


tonightalive., Best Buy Theater, New York, NY, April 15, 2014


Taking Back Sunday, Best Buy Theater, New York, NY, April 15, 2014


The Used, Best Buy Theater, New York, NY, April 15, 2014


Andrew W.K., Subculture, New York, NY, April 25, 2014


Kate Myers, Bowery Ballroom, New York, NY, May 3, 2014


Sean Van Vleet, empires, Bowery Ballroom, New York, NY, May 3, 2014


Margot and the Nuclear So & So’s, Bowery Ballroom, New York, NY, May 3, 2014


Rhymin’ and Stealin’, Brooklyn Bowl, Brooklyn, NY, May 6, 2014


LaToya Kennedy with Rhymin’ and Stealin’, Brooklyn Bowl, Brooklyn, NY, May 6, 2014


Leroy Justice, Brooklyn Bowl, Brooklyn, NY, May 6, 2014


Bottom Dollars, Brooklyn Bowl, Brooklyn, NY, May 6, 2014


AF THE NAYSAYER, Trash Bar, Brooklyn, NY, May 26, 2014


Durazzo, Trash Bar, Brooklyn NY, May 26, 2014


Brendon Urie, Panic! at the Disco, The Theater at Madison Square Garden, New York, NY, August 5, 2014


Alice Cooper, Jones Beach, Wantagh, NY, August 29, 2014


Mötley Crüe, Jones Beach, Wantagh, NY, August 29, 2014


Slomile Swift, Spike Hill, Brooklyn, NY, Sept. 11, 2014


SKYES, Spike Hill, Brooklyn, NY, Sept. 11, 2014


AF THE NAYSAYER and friends, Spike Hill, Brooklyn, Sept. 11, 2014


Rosie Flores, Hill Country BBQ, New York, NY, Sept. 13, 2014


The Dirty Nil, Brooklyn Night Bazaar, Brooklyn, NY, Sept. 20, 2014


Cory Branan, The Mercury Lounge, New York, NY, Oct. 1, 2014


Mumblr, Shea Stadium BK, Brooklyn, NY, Oct. 4, 2014


The Eeries, Irving Plaza, New York, NY, Oct. 20, 2014


Gerard Way, Irving Plaza, New York, NY, Oct. 20, 2014


The Eeries, Webster Hall, New York, NY, Oct. 23, 2014


Gerard Way, Webster Hall, New York, NY, Oct. 23, 2014


NGHBRS, Baby’s All Right, Brooklyn, NY, Nov. 14, 2014


Cold Fronts, Baby’s All Right, Brooklyn, NY, Nov. 14, 2014


Sean Van Vleet, empires, Baby’s All Right, Brooklyn, NY, Nov. 14, 2014


Tom Conrad, empires, Baby’s All Right, Brooklyn, NY, Nov. 14, 2014

Video: frnkiero and the cellabrations, Weighted

Frank Iero (My Chemical Romance) has started (yet another!) band, which he is calling frnkiero and the cellabrations. Their first record, Stomachaches, just emerged Monday; this is the video for Weighted, the first single, which emerged somewhat earlier but has taken me a while to absorb.

The parallels to certain pieces of My Chem iconography are inescapable; it’s impossible to watch the first minute and not think of the video for Helena, from Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge. And as Helena was a farewell, so, in a way, is this; it’s also a hello, and a warning: don’t try to raise the dead, lest you bring on a zombie apocalypse and the lead singer of your favorite band decides to eat your heart and play jump rope with your intestines.

For all that it is gross, and disturbing, and I didn’t even make it through twice – I had to hide the tab and listen to him sing – I have to agree with the sentiment. I miss My Chemical Romance; I like Conventional Weapons and feel vaguely bad about it because they don’t; I’m sad I’ll never hear a pit howl along to Boy Division; but the band is dead, they put it down clean, all things considered, and raising the dead is never, ever a good idea.

And for the record: I like this tune, as a tune, and I’m keen to dig into the rest of the record.

frnkiero and the cellabration - Weighted

Postcards from the Pit: Fadeaway Records Friends Benefit 002, 1/18/14

Better late than never, right? Or something like that.

Anyway, to back up a little bit, in early January Fadeaway Records reanimated first themselves, then The Gay Blades, and finally (and for one night only) Maxwell’s, for a benefit show for cancer charities. The following week they did it all over again (minus the reanimation) at St. Vitus Bar in Brooklyn. I was at both shows, but the pictures from the first one were supremely terrible, so I’m only posting the ones from Brooklyn.

In addition to the shows, there are also three, count them THREE, records being sold as part of a general “screw you, cancer” effort. On the records are over 30 previously unreleased tracks from Motion City Soundtrack, Frank Iero, Saves the Day, Judy Chong, Reggie and the Full Effect, The Gay Blades, Nightmare of You, Head Automatica and many more. The records are available in fancy vinyl as well as digitally.

Now onwards to the pictures.

Fred Mascherino (The Color Fred, Taking Back Sunday, Breaking Pangaea, Brody) is a man of many bands; his most current project is Terrible Things.

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States & Kingdoms (Members of Rival Schools, Thursday, Retisonic, Small Brown Bike and Atlantic/Pacific) are super-loud and like a big fuzzy drone-y hug for your ears.

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Geoff Rickly (Thursday) was actually having a lot more fun than this picture might suggest. He was so charming and low-key that the times he took two steps back from the mic, took a deep breath and pinned our ears back with his voice came almost as a surprise. Also, that link back there leads to his mixtape(s) which you should go and listen to right now.

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Frank Iero (My Chemical Romance, Pencey Prep) was the “surprise guest” for the evening. In addition to the song he contributed to the Fadeaway records, he also has a bunch of solo work out now, including what might be my favorite cover of Walk the Line ever, and B.F.F., a song he wrote with his twin daughters.

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I Hate Our Freedom (Members of Garrison, Thursday, Texas is the Reason and Millhouse) rocked so hard the bass player broke his strap and had to duct tape it back on mid-set.

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The Gay Blades started with a sweetly-sung show tune – On the Street Where You Live, from My Fair Lady – then pause for a moment before slamming into a crunchy punk riff. I don’t know if they do that all the time, but I hope so, because I think that would just never get old.

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2013: A Year in Pictures

A full year of rock ‘n’ roll pictures, January to December, New York to Boston to Philadelphia to Brooklyn. They might not be the best pictures ever, but they are mine.


Magic Trick, Webster Hall, New York, NY, January 14, 2013
 

Father John Misty, Webster Hall, New York, NY, January 14, 2013
 

Wildstreet, Best Buy Theater, New York, NY, January 24, 2013
 

William Control, Best Buy Theater, New York, NY, January 24, 2013
 

Andy Biersack, Black Veil Brides, Best Buy Theater, New York, NY, January 24, 2013
 

Andy Biersack, Black Veil Brides, Best Buy Theater, New York, NY, January 24, 2013
 

Ashley Purdy, Black Veil Brides, Best Buy Theater, New York, NY, January 24, 2013
 

Jake Pitts and Jinxx, Black Veil Brides, Best Buy Theater, New York, NY, January 24, 2013
 

Jinxx, Black Veil Brides, Best Buy Theater, New York, NY, January 24, 2013
 

Pete Wentz book signing, New York, NY, February 21, 2013
 

The Naturals, The Bowery Electric, New York, NY, April 6, 2013
 

Wise Girl, The Bowery Electric, New York, NY, April 6, 2013
 

Mud, Blood and Beer, The Bitter End, New York, NY, April 13, 2013
 

El Sportivo and the Dirty Palms, Mercury Lounge, New York, NY, April 24, 2013
 

Roadside Graves, The Bowery Electric, New York, NY, May 4, 2013
 

Brian Barthelmes and Scott Thompson, Tallahassee, The Bowery Electric, New York, NY, May 4, 2013
 

Shawn Carney, Tallahassee, The Bowery Electric, New York, NY, May 4, 2013
 

Scott Thompson, Tallahassee, The Bowery Electric, New York, NY, May 4, 2013
 

Wayne Coyne, The Flaming Lips, The Great Googa Mooga, Prospect Park, Brooklyn, NY, May 17, 2013
 

Father John Misty, The Great Googa Mooga, Prospect Park, Brooklyn, NY, May 18, 2013
 

Ryan Hunter, Billy Rymer, and Isaac Bolivar, NK, House of Blues Boston, May 26, 2013
 

Billy Rymer and Isaac Bolivar, NK and Joe Trohman, Fall Out Boy, House of Blues Boston. May 26, 2013
 

Patrick Stump, Fall Out Boy, House of Blues Boston, May 26, 2013
 

Pete Wentz, Fall Out Boy, House of Blues, Boston, May 26, 2013
 

Fall Out Boy, House of Blues, Boston, May 26, 2013
 

Patrick Stump and Pete Wentz, Fall Out Boy, Electric Factory, Philadelphia, May 30, 2013
 

Andy Biersack, Black Veil Brides, Warped Tour, Uniondale, NY, July 13, 2013
 

William Beckett, Warped Tour, Uniondale, NY, July 13, 2013
 

Beebs and her Moneymakers, Warped Tour, Uniondale, NY, July 13, 2013
 

Crashlive, Warped Tour, Uniondale, NY, July 13, 2013
 

Kevin Preston, Prima Donna, Irving Plaza, August 17, 2013
 

Adam Ant, Irving Plaza, August 17, 2013
 

Josh Dun, 21 Pilots, Barclay Center, Brooklyn, NY, September 7, 2013
 

Tyler Joseph, 21 Pilots, Barclay Center, Brooklyn, NY, September 7, 2013
 

Panic! at the Disco, Barclay Center, Brooklyn, NY, September 7, 2013
 

Kenneth A. Harris, Panic! at the Disco and LOLO, Barclay Center, Brooklyn, NY, September 7, 2013
 

Joe Trohman and Patrick Stump, Fall Out Boy, Barclay Center, Brooklyn, NY, September 7, 2013
 

Marky Ramone, Barclay Center, Brooklyn, NY, September 7, 2013
 

Brendon Urie, Panic! at the Disco, singing with Fall Out Boy, Barclay Center, Brooklyn, NY, September 7, 2013
 

Pete Wentz, Fall Out Boy, Barclay Center, September 7, 2013
 

Tyler Joseph, 21 Pilots, Liacouras Center, Philadelphia, PA, September 8, 2013
 

Brendon Urie, Panic! at the Disco, Liacouras Center, Philadelphia, PA, September 8, 2013
 

Joe Trohman, Patrick Stump and Pete Wentz, Fall Out Boy, Liacouras Center, Philadelphia, PA, September 8, 2013
 

Beachballs in the air, Liacouras Center, Philadelphia, PA, September 8, 2013
 

Patrick Stump, Fall Out Boy and Brendon Urie, Panic! at the Disco, Liacouras Center, Philadelphia, PA, September 8, 2013
 

Brendon Urie, Panic! at the Disco, McKittrick Hotel Cabaret, New York, NY, October 8, 2013
 

Brendon Urie, Panic! at the Disco, McKittrick Hotel record release show, New York, NY, October 8, 2013
 

Cassandra Jenkins, Rockwood Music Hall, New York, NY, November 10, 2013
 

Jus Post Bellum, Rockwood Music Hall, New York, NY, November 10, 2013
 

Sean Patrick Carney, The Scandals, Knitting Factory, Brooklyn, NY, November 19, 2013
 

Jared Hart, The Scandals, Knitting Factory, Brooklyn, NY, November 19, 2013
 

Frank Iero, DeathSpells, Knitting Factory, Brooklyn, NY, November 19, 2013
 

Brandon Phillips, The Architects, Knitting Factory, Brooklyn, NY, November 19, 2013
 

Casey Neill, 11th St. Bar, New York, NY, November 24, 2013
 

Tyburn Saints, Glasslands, Brooklyn, NY, December 4, 2013
 

Indigo Street, Shy Hunters, Glasslands, Brooklyn, NY, December 4, 2013′
 

Luke Bentham, The Dirty Nil, Glasslands, Brooklyn, NY, December 4, 2013
 

ALX, Love Crushed Velvet, Bowery Electric, New York, NY, December 10, 2013
 

Ellen Kempner, Palehound, Brooklyn Night Bazaar, Brooklyn, NY, December 21, 2013
 

Lemmy Gurtowsky, California X, Brooklyn Night Bazaar, Brooklyn, NY, December 21, 2013
 

Alex Levine, So So Glos, Brooklyn Night Bazaaar, Brooklyn, NY, December 21, 2013

Frank Iero: Be My Baby

Yes, the classic one, written by Phil Spector, Jeff Barry, and Ellie Greenwich and made famous by the Ronettes. But I promise you’ve never heard it quite like this, i.e. as if the person singing it – Frank Iero, of My Chemical Romance and LeATHERM0UTH – might be having both heart and throat destroyed.

It is creepy and beautiful and I love it.