the serious teaches of peaches

WARNING: This rock star is not for the faint at heart.

With gyrating hips, half wild blond hair half shaved head, ballsy music, some majorly awesome costume changes, and a laser show to boot, the performance by Peaches on November 14th at New York City's Terminal 5 was out of this world.

Blessed in having a photo pass, I was able to get a first hand, front row, live experience with the brain behind the albums entitled "Impeach my Bush" and "I Feel Cream" to name a couple. She is loud, in your face, unrelenting, in control, the power whirling around her black tarnished halo, and man, can she light up a stage.







The venue was packed to the core, with an incredible myriad of somewhere around 1500 audience members and fans. Indeed, when the drunk guy behind me almost puked on my equipment, I knew it was going to be an interesting, if not mildly insane, evening.

With the hot pink bubble jumpsuit transition into the fringed cowgirl / rock star costume, there was no way to keep up with what she had planned for us next, and it made it all the more fun to watch. We were putty in her hands. She crowd-surfed within the first 10 minutes of the show, spewed fake blood all over the audience, and popped a bottle of champagne to spray, and yes, generally behaved like the true rock star that she has evolved into.






The back up band of rebels, Sweet Machine, blond bombshell member imaged above, knew how to never get in the way of Peaches, but to merely accentuate her grinding motions.

Microphones, guitars, and lasers were merely props for these performers on stage: the music was the off-Broadway play, the musicians the players, and yes, the audience members the very much played. This would be that offbeat, raunchy theater show that you had to sneak out of the house to go see when you were sixteen. Who knew that wearing fishnet stockings could look so sexy yet so empowering at the same time.

With five adrenaline pumping albums under her skin, this woman is the definition of kick-ass. She stands up to face the world with no fear, no shame, and absolute mischievousness to say "I don't give a F***".

all photography by beIMAGED Photography. see more and more photos of peaches @ the melissa lynn smugmug page.

praying with sister anne

Good old fashioned punk rock music flared with a sense of new: I had the pleasure of hanging with Sister Anne, the Brooklyn based band with one hell of a lead singer. Kitana, the lead singer, is the powerhouse at the forefront of the band, with a raspy scream-sing that hits you hard and makes it hard for you to forget.

The band practice I was able to attend and capture was one of merit: a live concert all to myself. Behind the music, all of the band members were as cool as could be. Easy-going, friendly, and all the while, serious about their music. Their presence makes you feel right at home, while their sounds make you want to jump up and down and all around. What a blend. It felt like soul and punk rock were on a date, and the sparks flew.










To see more photos from this Sister Anne shoot, check out the beIMAGED Photography smugmug page.

otis and the other halloween

In a world where Halloween falling on a Saturday night equals two Halloweens for all - you have to wonder where our priorities are. Yes, indeed, we love to dress up, listen to music, and have an excuse to party all night long. Enter my Friday night on October 30th in seeing the ever-so-fun NYC based band, OTiS. The Mercury Lounge was decked with unique costumes, booze guzzlers, bopping heads, and shaking hips, and luckily enough, I was there to capture it.

Everyone was hopped up on Paul Simon showing up to the funky venue, standing in the corner early in the night with his Indiana Jones hat in place, in support of his son's very talented band who opened for OTiS. Needless to say, the band could feel the pressure of having to perform in front of the man who said he was "still crazy after all these years" back in the day. Despite any anxiety that may have been brewing, however, the buzz simply added to their fire and energy. They were calm and collected before the show in what I have deemed "the pipe room", the green room of sorts, filled with graffitted pipes, in the basement of The Lounge. And then, once on stage, they got almost every single audience member up off their feet, moving and grooving.

OTiS, a down-to-earth, very easy-going band with a stage presence that even makes the lead singer, Craig, scream into the microphone "Hell Yeah". The music of this band is funk, soul, groove, and everything in between, with no level of excitement left out. At one point a young girl behind me in the audience, said it best to her friend: "I don't even care which song is next. I feel it all."
















To see more photos, head on over to the beIMAGED photography smugmug page.

back by popular demand

When your best friend of 10+ years tells you to post a photograph of her amazing and fascinating cat, Charlie Chaplin, you better do it. Consider the photographs above an ode to the dearest Miss Chaplin and yes, to the other crazy cat in my friend's life. Be they my muse?

I have been taking it easy on blogging, but my schedule is moving very forward. I want to mention the bands I will be working with and the musical events I will be attending over the next couple of weeks, because these musical wonders are fun, talented, creative, and at the core of it, very down-to-earth people. Check out my schedule below for details, and maybe I'll see you at a show?

Friday, October 30th: OTiS playing at NYC's The Mercury Lounge at 10pm, $8 to get in if you wear a costume. The band is funk meets rock meets soul, and they will surely put on a great Halloween Eve show.

Saturday, October 31st: "The Last Masquerade", a night of art, music and mayhem. Countless bands, countless hours: should be an amazing time.

Sunday, November 1st: Portraits of band, Sister Anne, ultra cool and funky rock-soul band with an awesomely feisty lead singer with some major vocal chords on her - their next show is Wednesday, November 11th at the studio room of Webster Hall. More details to come on this.

Saturday, November 14th:The one and only: Peaches, playing at Terminal 5, doors open at 8 pm/show at 9pm, advanced tickets $25. I have been a fan of this woman for as long as I can remember: with very controversial and evocative music, bruised legs and occasional facial hair, this Canadian electro/rock/hip-hop vixen spits on the idealogy of what it means to be a musician and a woman.


More shows and events to come; will keep you posted (literally).

they said i do, two

I am going to miss the editing process of Melissa and Jonas' wedding day photographs, but I suppose it is time they get to enjoy them as well. This couple and family were full of little gems that shined right through my lens. They had all of the best qualities: personality, looks, great senses of humor, major dancing skills, and best of all, a layer of intrigue to them. Whether it was the little girl in the corner or the mother on the dance floor, I wanted to know them and most interestingly, they seemed to want to know me too.

Stay tuned and check back in on or after Friday, October 16th, for these photographs and many, many more that will become available for viewing, printing, and merchandise ordering on my smugmug page. Or check back because you like my work. Either way.