#Sherburt Media

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The Melvins crush Detroit so hard that the Detroit Police shut the show down

You have to know that headline is fucking misleading... So yes the Melvins played El Club in South West Detroit last Thursday. It was sold out, jam packed, sweaty, and filled with the huskier, bearded, beer-gutted Detroit elder punks and grunge fans. I felt like a thin baby at this show, like a god-damned stoner-metalhead in training and I saw this band for the first time almost 19 years ago to the day. The Melvins, of course, are celebrating the release of a new double album that came out on July 7th. A Walk With Love & Death out on Ipecac Records the 3-month tour all over the US and Canada ending in early October. Did I mention how sweaty it was in El Club? Even for the opening set, I was dripping from every nook and cranny. I had room to move closer to the stage but most people were completely irritated by trying to get through the crowd. Thus the angles for both bands are from 1 angle a piece. Just how it was that night.

I would love to have shot this great gallery of images but it just wasn't happening and for one of two very simple reasons...Now either they sold the right amount of tickets but failed to take into account for the girth of most of the fans of the Melvins, or they pulled the always classicly dick move, intentionally oversold the show to cram in as many beer guzzling pizza buying people. Thus why I said I felt small when I walked into the venue.  With all that being said, I had a blast and usually at the shows I go to by myself I feel awkward. Instead, I just tried to do my job and even though I feel I failed, I still got a couple halfway decent images. I also saw an older guy get decked in the face for trying to get through the crowd during the Melvins set. If that doesn't say how ridiculous people were being at this show, then I don't know what will. In the end, the fans who paid deserved better, the Melvins deserved better, and well I still can't complain even though DPD came into El Club like they were raiding a rave 15 years ago. Here's to hopefully seeing the band again in Detroit and being able to actually photograph them. 

[weliketheiroldstuff]

BMTH piss off people that haven't been paying attention for years anyway with new singles "Medicine" and "mother tongue"

Media outlets report that Bring Me The Horizon have gone pop?

Who fucking cares? Who the fuck cares? No artist is making music for you, and if they are they’re doing it for the wrong reasons. Artists don’t make music for you to listen to, they create because they need to, because not writing these songs would be detrimental to their demise. Yeah I said it. What doesn’t surprise me is people being mad about this now… This band went lighter into the mainstream realm fucking years ago. The fact that they’ve gone deeper into what has brought them success is exactly what I expect musicians in 2019 to do. There are way more bands and artists to compete with, even though art isn’t meant to be a competition, it definitely has turned into one. It’s even a pissing contest by people on social media about who can shit on them the most. Every shitty snotty comment about their style changes always come from people who haven’t brought anything to the table. Look if Animals As Leaders wants to tear into them, I’ll listen, but Fuccboi34 on Instagram, kindly fuck off 10x faster than you should.

JUST GONNA PUT THIS OUT THERE… IF YOU SAY THE WORDS “I SEE YOU” IN REFERENCE TO AN ARTIST OR ATHLETE, YOU BETTER BE AHEAD OF THEM IN THE GAME. IT IS NOT MEANT FOR SOME COUCH RIDER TO SAY THIS TO ARTISTS TRAVELLING THE GLOBE HEADLINING FESTIVALS, OF COURSE YOU SEE THEM, THEY’RE EVERYWHERE. YET NO ONE SEES YOU. GET IT? YOU HAVE TO BE SEEN TO SEE. THAT IS HOW THIS SAYING WORKS.

Back at it with the Ill Behavior… If you need BMTH to be deathcore for you to listen to them, then apparently you like their old stuff. We don’t commend or bash that idea, we understand it, hell half of the idea of this site is to also make fun of that elitist viewpoint on today’s music. We instead would like you to see something for what it is, space. When this band decided to take a left turn into popular sounds, they brought with them their heavier roots. So no matter what, there’s always going to be that heavy guitar and pounding drums regardless of what Oli and Jordan do vocally. Their elements from 2004 are going to dwindle over time because well, they aren’t going to be the same people they were 15 years ago… are you the same person you were 15 years ago? I know flat out the guy I was in 2004 would beat the fuck out of the guy I am in 2019. And I’m glad I can say that, because it means I’ve changed. For the better. You might hate that you can’t react at their shows the same way you did at Warped 2008. Here’s my thing… this band used to get so wasted on stage that they would blow chunks on their equipment rendering their instruments useless. Yeah. You want those guys back? I know I don’t. I love who they’ve evolved into. Their grown ass men with heart and an absolute shit ton of integrity.

People act like they could live in Oli’s shoes for more than an hour and act the same way he did 15 years ago. It’s absurd. The righteousness in fandom’s needs to go away. You can have your opinions but it sure seems like a lot of people who want the deathcore BMTH are fucking ignoring the amazing deathcore that’s out there now. You can give up on this shit if it doesn’t fit your teacup baby, I just think you can move on. If you still want the heavy shit I suggest checking out Lorna Shore, Whitechapel, and Enterprise Earth all have records coming out in 2019. This hole created by these dudes growing up and you crying about 2006 can be easily filled by the countless bands pushing the sounds you’re looking for. Instead of bashing the evolution of artists, evolve your listening, or be the elitist you’re trying so hard for all of us to consider you to be. That’s okay whichever you choose, but with so much good music out there and the ability to find whatever your looking for without walking miles, riding a bus to the city, then sitting in a record shop for hours, AND PAYING FOR THE FUCKING MUSIC maybe cut back the bitching on what art you think you’re owed.

NO ONE PUT A GUN TO YOUR HEAD TO MAKE YOU BUY THEIR RECORDS, TICKETS, MERCH. SO USING THE WORD “UNDERWHELMED” JUST SHOWS HOW SPOILED WE HAVE BECOME.

Try growing up, having empathy, and maybe realizing just because it’s more accessible to make music doesn’t make it that much easier to be a creative group with consistent releases of the same genre over and over when your influences and lives continue to evolve. Look, some people will play thrash metal forever, good on them. Others will change. Others will do weird shit because experimenting with art is actually a fucking blast, the shitty commenters don’t know this because all they do is “performance art” by shitting on actual artists on social media.

Creating a culture that deems itself worthy of bashing artists while those doing the shit-talking are not bringing anything to the table is what bothers me the most. If the people saying these records these bands are making are terrible just so happen to be creative geniuses, then I wouldn’t be so apt to rant about this shit. Problem is, Derek in St Louis doesn’t know how to play guitar outside of an old version of Garage Band thinks he needs to rip into artists like BMTH. A group that has toured all over the world, worked with countless award winning artists, producers, fucking orchestras, smashing Coldplay’s dinner, headlining festivals, and touching millions of people in the process… thanks Derek, glad you could bring your raw unadulterated artwork in comment form.

I truly hope the teen angst dissipates when you find bands that you actually like. See we love Bring Me The Horizon here. Actually, love all the shit they put out. Not just because we’re fans of the dudes but because they write music that has spoke to us at DIFFERENT points in our life. Just because you’re 14 and pissed as fuck doesn’t mean the dudes dealing with a divorce, owning a tattoo shop, clothing company, writing a record, and having to please millions of Derek’s across the world have to stop what their doing and write Chelsea Smile 2. Maybe this new music isn’t for you, that happens ya know? It really does. I can guarantee this band didn’t write this record to shut anyone up, it instead intended to be something that helps them alleviate the Derek’s from their fan-base completely. “Its tripe” or “It’s shit” and so is your discography Derek. Where the fuck is your discography Derek? I want to listen to your glorious gift to the world Derek, give me your albums. Dropbox me all your music Derek’s out there. For now I’m gonna go put “Medicine” and “mother tongue” on because it feels so good to listen to music that is fucking delicious to us and also painfully excruciating to the Derek’s of the world.

BMTH IS HERE FEBRUARY 4TH WITH THRICE AND THE FEVER 333. WE WILL BE THERE, HOW ABOUT YOU DETROIT?

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Corrosion of Conformity Live at the Fillmore Detroit (Gallery)

Danzig, Corrosion of Conformity, Mutoid Man, and Detroit's own Acid Witch played at the Fillmore in Detroit Friday, September 15th. I knew ahead of time that I was approved for COC and that I wasn't going to be able to shoot Glen. I felt like photographing Pepper Keenan and the boys were worth driving downtown on a packed city night and paying for parking, walking half a mile to the venue and waiting 2 hours just to shoot two songs of the third band. I was completely fine with shooting the first three bands but got denied walking into the pit for the local opener. They told me COC was the only band that okayed photographers. Acid Witch was great, horror sludge and stoner metal that made me feel creeped out in a good way. Songs about Halloween and Trick or Treating may seem corny to some but Acid Witch makes it work with light theatrics and great banter between their own brand of doom and humor. Witch masks and pumpkins matched their tunes perfectly and the green I toked in the parking lot made it hard for me not to smile like a cornball jackass through their entire set.

I was lucky enough to have a conversation with an old friend that helped me kill a lot of time before the lights went off and Mutoid Man took the stage. They were great. Fucking hilarious actually. Comprised of Cave In vocalist and guitarist Stephen Brodsky, Converge drummer Ben Koller, and bassist Nick Cageao. They blend 3 unique personalities and senses of humor with raw talent and creativity, mixed with the sounds of their youth from psychedelic rock to hardcore punk to math rock and progressive rock, Mutoid Man is a great band. I wish I could have photographed their set, regardless I was stoked watching their set alone in the crowd.

Right before the end of Mutoid Man's set, I went outside to hit my vape pen calming what was left of my anxiousness. Up until that night, the Fillmore had been a bucket-list item for me as a photographer. It's a prestigious venue, I felt like I finally did some shit with myself getting my pass and own entrance.

Being one of two photographers to be able to shoot all night was a thrill. I got into the photo pit for the first time at this iconic venue. Corrosion of Conformity slowly made their way out to the stage one by one slowly building on each applause as each member came out. First Bassist Mike Dean, then Drummer Reed Mullin, then lead guitarist Woody Weatherman A much louder roar for singer and guitarist Pepper Keenan. They have had limited tour dates since the "Deliverance" lineup reunited in 2014 so this was a rather big deal for me.

Honestly, in these few moments, I don't remember much outside of straight photography work. I just tried to get my shots knowing I had the max of about 6-7 minutes to get enough for a gallery. It was definitely a challenge and I love that shit because I would rather compete with myself than with the other photographers. We all have a job to do. We all have assignments. I'm not going to make it harder for anyone else, I expect the same in return.

With all that being said, it pains me to say this. I finished the rough draft of this on Friday the 23rd. I got home and read about the 2nd vocalist of Corrosion of Conformity Eric Eycke has passed away. Eric was the voice behind the most hardcore incarnation of COC. The era of time he was in the band I was a baby. 1983-1984. Like a lot of people from that era of hardcore music, his influence was felt decades after even though his time in the band was short-lived. That is what I love so much about early 80s hardcore.

It's 2017 and we're still talking about a very small subculture the way some people talk about arena rock artists and shit. Those artists went on to influence so many other musicians and artists of all types. The hardcore world lost another legend, Rest in Peace Eric Eycke. While checking out the photos from COC's set at the Fillmore, listen to their first full-length and the only record Eric was on. As far as hardcore goes, it is fantastic. The tracks “Indifferent” and “Rednekk” and “Dark Thoughts” prove that COC could hang with the big dogs back then and now as completely different musicians are full blown legends in their own right. No matter what, the COC we love today doesn't get there without Eric Eycke, RIP.

I have been sick for the last few days so this extended the delay in getting this out. It also worked out because Corrosion of Conformity announced the new record will be out in January.

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Lorna Shore at the Summer Slaughter Tour in Detroit

Summer Slaughter 2017 rolled through Detroit on August 25th at the Majestic. The lineup this year included Angelmaker, Lorna Shore, Betraying the Martyrs, Rings of Saturn, Origin, Oceano, The Faceless, Dying Fetus, and The Black Dahlia Murder playing "Nocturnal" in full for its 10th Anniversary.

I walked into a nearly packed venue and Angelmaker on stage. I expected to walk in right before Lorna Shore came on and maybe I didn't expect to be that many people until way later.

Timeslots were different than posted but who really cares about that shit? I have always had my issues with it. I come from the idea of being there early and seeing every band you can. The snobbery nowadays is outlandish, and as I creep further into my 30s I see what all the old metalheads and punks were whining about in the 90s. I get it.

There's also hope outside of the crowd and on the stage with bands like Lorna Shore, Oceano, Rings of Saturn, Betraying the Martyrs bringing new school vibes to stamp on their take in the "heavy" music realm. I fucking hate splitting up between genres. I'll talk about it, but let's be honest, all this shit at this show is heavy as fuck. Need perspective? Play "Flesh Coffin" for your Mother. Snobbery be damned, listen to this music because you love it and then, look at these pictures because well, what else are you doing right now?

Sorry for my delay in getting these photos out, more galleries from the other artists at Summer Slaughter. I took 2 spontaneous trips since the event and am just now getting into the halfway mark of editing the show. More to come this week and thanks for checking these out! If you share or repost these images, PLEASE give the artists, Summer Slaughter, Shrbrt.com, and myself credit. 

LORNA SHORE ON FACEBOOK LORNA SHORE ON TWITTER SUMMER SLAUGHTER TOUR

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Thrash Back To Reality with "Major Rager" From Dead To Fall

"WHAT THE FUCK SOMEONE THREW A BRICK INTO MY TV!"

Oh, this takes me back to a simpler time. When I still drank, smoked shittier weed, and still partied like I was dying before 30. 2008 Was definitely a weird year. At this point in time, I'm over a year out of doing narcotics and smelling the roses of post-raver life as a dropout burnout drunk and a wonderfully treated regular at my local watering hole. This was the end of those times and was leading into a darker period emotionally, what I can say is before shit got dark again, it was a gigantic party similar to this. In a little ass town with a bunch of pothead drunks getting wild to stupid music. It wasn't even close to this video's party, but it was a hell of a time. That's what these TBT's are all about. A look back into what life was through the music of that time period. Deal with it homey, I'm a soft bastard. Dead to Fall hasn't put out a record since but if this is their fucking Swan Song, then fuck yeah man. This shit still rips and the video is one of my favorites to this day! These dab and write sessions are fun. I think I'm gonna keep doing them. See ya weirdos!

As of April 5th of this year Dead to Fall are working on a new record and it will be out next year, meaning we had a decade without them, so stoked their back. 

GALLERIES

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Eighteen Visions sign to Rise Records and Release Video for "Oath"

Eighteen Visions are back and they signed to Rise Records with a newly formed lineup and some brutal production. Joining James, Keith, and Trevor, is one of our favorites in all of hardcore, Josh James of Stick To Your Guns and Formerly of Evergreen Terrace and Casey Jones. He to me signals the seriousness of the rest of the band. Josh tends to be brought in and gives an element that always seems to be what that band is missing.

I am stoked to hear the rest of the record and am down as fuck with this new video for "Oath". 18V and crew enlisted Mick Kenney to produce the record and one of the songs "Live Again" has been confirmed to be written about their friend and a member of 18 Visions Mick Morris who passed away from a heart condition in 2013. The money is definitely still on the table baby and I think Mick would love this new tune. Check out the video below.

TRACKLISTING FOR “XVIII” 

01 – “Crucified” 02 – “The Disease, The Decline, And Wasted Time” 03 – “Underneath My Gun” 04 – “Live Again” 05 – “Laid To Waste In The Shit Of Man” 06 – “Oath” 07 – “Spit” 08 – “Picture Perfect” 09 – “Fake Leather Jacket” 10 – “For This I Sacrifice”

http://eighteenvisions.merchnow.com/

GALLERIES

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GALLERY: A Will Away live at St Andrews Hall 03.19.17

Sunday March 19th I got to take the Cat to see a few bands while I photographed them. It was my first time finally photographing at St Andrews Hall in Detroit, Michigan. This venue is unique in many ways. Mainly, it housed so many events of my youth that inspired me musically and visually to fall in love with this industry. This night wasn't like other nights though. I had decent access and got to shoot from the photo pit with the old pot-belly on the stage Nirvana played in the 90s. I saw Deftones play a secret show there, and to this day is one of my favorite concert experiences ever.

As the only American band on the bill A Will Away brought it just as much as the other three acts. I was pleasantly surprised with how good their live set was. Deeply emotional and highly energetic, they are a definite repeat act for me and the Cat. If they come through Detroit again we will more than likely be there. A Will Away just finished up their last spring tour and are resting up before their summer ventures. Give them some love and follow them and support them when they come through your city.Check out the images from the show below. 

Listen to the new A Will Away LP "Here Again" on Spotify HERE!

https://www.awillaway.com/ https://www.facebook.com/awillawayct/

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***If you use or repost any photos, please tag us on social media and give us and the artists credit. We are DIY as it comes, please do not steal from us.***

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GALLERY: Rings of Saturn Live at The Crofoot Ballroom in Pontiac, Michigan

Aliencore! lol. Rings of Saturn fucking slayed the Crofoot Ballroom. As a musician, this show really opened me up to how lacking I am in musical instrumentation and overall musicianship. These dudes are fucking unreal. As a die-hard Deftones fan, every time I see big fucking 7-8-9-10 string guitars I fucking get lost in the sound waves. Of course, a lot of bands won't give it up for Stephan but plenty do. I always like to mention it because he was the first to put the shit out there at scale for everyone to hear. His influence can be felt more in tones than in the insane technicality that is Rings of Saturn.

Anyway, check out the photos from Rings of Saturn's set from March 21st 2017 at the Crofoot Ballroom in Pontiac, Michigan. 

 All photos are © Chris "Sherburt" Smith

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***If you use or repost any photos, please tag us on social media and give us and the artists credit. We are DIY as it comes, please do not steal from us.***

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GALLERY: Boston Manor live at St Andrews Hall 03.19.17

Boston Manor came on 2nd for this night of 4 bands at St Andrews Hall. They upped the ante on the energy level. From then on it became apparent that I was going to just have to get used to seeing circle pits at emo shows. It makes me happy because the bands have that influence from punk that drove me to love this shit too. You don't put those tempos and beats in songs without having some form of influence from bands like Nofx or Bad Religion or No Use For A Name, which the ladder being who I consider being the 2nd godfathers of Pop Punk. The first being The Descendents. I get flack for it sometimes but I can guarantee Tony Sly is a top 3 songwriter to every pop punk band out there nowadays. I loved their set and they ended it on a fast and high note at that too. I am stoked to say they are also on the entire Van's Warped Tour and cannot wait to photograph them again here in Michigan. For now, check out the gallery below and make sure to get Warped tickets as they went on sale March 22nd. 

Warped Tour 2017 is going to be one for the record books. Rumors have surfaced about the lineup, and we would hate to spread false bull shit. Just know that on March 22nd tickets went on sale and the full lineup has been released! Make sure to visit Vans Warped Tour on all their social accounts and give the bands from last year all the love they deserve!

We will see you this summer Warped Tour! Find Chris aka Sherburt if you can!

www.vanswarpedtour.com  http://bostonmanor.merchnow.com/

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***If you use or repost any photos, please tag us on social media and give us, the artists, and Vans Warped Tour credit. We are DIY as it comes, please do not steal from us.***

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Real Friends debut video for "Empty Picture Frames" and it's deep, so deep.

Illinois will always hold a special place in my heart. I spent about half of my adolescence in the northern Chicago suburbs on a Navy base. When I first heard Real Friends it brought back so many memories that only those who have an attachment to that state will understand. This band sounds like exactly what I want out of an Illinois emo-punk band. The video showcases something I think we can all relate to. We tend to forget how important the things we love doing really are, and sometimes all it takes is someone younger to give you a reminder of what you used to be like. At 33 I can tell you, I need that kind of reassurance or a wake-up call if you will from the younger generation. I will always support this band as it's always been more than just music to them and to their audience. I also will be seeing them April 28th at St Andrews Hall with Tiny Moving Parts and Have Mercy, I hope you join me. It is in the air if I will be photographing but we shall see! For now, check out the video for "Empty Picture Frames" below and I will see you all soon!

REAL FRIENDS TOUR DATES with TINY MOVING PARTS, HAVE MERCY, BROADSIDE, NOTHING,NOWHERE

4/27 Grand Rapids, MI 20 Monroe Live TICKETS 4/28 Detroit, MI St. Andrew's Hall TICKETS 4/29 Cleveland, OH Agora Theatre TICKETS 4/30 Cincinnati, OH Bogart's TICKETS 5/2 St. Louis, MO Delmar Hall TICKETS 5/3 Kansas City, MO Aftershock Live TICKETS 5/4 Denver, CO Summit Music Hall TICKETS 5/5 Salt Lake City, UT The Complex TICKETS 5/7 Seattle, WA El Corazon TICKETS 5/9 Portland, OR Wonder Ballroom TICKETS 5/11 Sacramento, CA Ace of Spades TICKETS 5/12 Los Angeles, CA The Regent TICKETS  5/13 San Diego, CA SOMA TICKETS 5/14 Anaheim, CA House of Blues TICKETS 5/15 Mesa, AZ Nile Theater TICKETS 5/17 Dallas, TX The Door TICKETS 5/18 Austin, TX The Mohawk TICKETS 5/19 Houston, TX White Oak Music Hall TICKETS 5/21 Birmingham, AL Zydeco TICKETS 5/22 Nashville, TN Rocketown TICKETS 5/23 Atlanta, GA The Masquerade TICKETS 5/24 Orlando, FL Beacham Theater TICKETS 5/25 Tampa, FL The Orpheum TICKETS 5/26 Lake Park, FL Kelsey Theater TICKETS  5/27 Charlotte, NC The Undergrown TICKETS 5/28 Richmond, VA The Broadberry TICKETS 5/30 Baltimore, MD Baltimore Soundstage TICKETS 5/31 Asbury Park, NJ Stone Pony TICKETS 6/1 Philadelphia, PA The TLA TICKETS 6/2 New York, NY Irving Plaza TICKETS 6/3 Boston, MA Paradise Rock Club TICKETS 6/4 Buffalo, NY Waiting Room TICKETS 6/6 Toronto, ON Phoenix Concert Club TICKETS 6/7 Pittsburgh, PA Rex Theater TICKETS 6/8 Indianapolis, IN Deluxe TICKETS 6/9 Chicago, IL Concord Music Hall TICKETS

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GALLERY: Trophy Eyes live at St Andrews Hall 03.19.17

So through my PR contacts, I was able to get a pass to photograph Trophy Eyes. I dealt with their PR people strictly and knew that they were the focus of my photography for the evening. Their new record "Chemical Miracle" is great. I highly suggest getting it or at the very least streaming it and passing it along. There's a reason they're playing on the entire Van's Warped Tour this year and it's because they're a hard-working and incredibly talented group who deserve the spot. I only expect huge things from them from here on out. Their music videos are fantastic, even if one gives me a headache, it's still worth viewing. This is a band you will see a lot more of in the next year or two. The record is something to be rivaled, and I don't think many artists or bands out there have it in them to make a better newer sounding record than "Chemical Miracle". I understand that this is a my opinion and this isn't fact, I hope you do too. I just really love this record and want everyone to hear it. 

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO "CHEMICAL MIRACLE" ON SPOTIFY!

I did get to talk to John Floreani for a few moments and mind you this was the day after the VWT lineup leaked only a few days before the actual lineup. He played it cool when I asked if their spot on the lineup was true, to which John replied: "Our record label told us to neither confirm nor deny anything about the Van's Warped Tour leak." I laughed and hugged him and said: "Well that answer's that, at least know I won't confirm anything or deny anything until after the actual lineup is released". He was very nice to the Cat and I and we didn't even want to bother him with a photo because well, I had enough in my Canon. It's hard for me to ask for a shitty 5mp front side selfie photo with an artist I just took a hi-res image of ya know? Anyway, make sure to check them on this summer's Warped Tour and check out the images below!

Check out the video for "Breathe You In"

Warped Tour 2017 is going to be one for the record books. Rumors have surfaced about the lineup, and we would hate to spread false bull shit. Just know that on March 22nd tickets went on sale and the full lineup has been released! Make sure to visit Vans Warped Tour on all their social accounts and give the bands from last year all the love they deserve!

We will see you this summer Warped Tour! Find Chris aka Sherburt if you can!

www.vanswarpedtour.com http://trophyeyesmusic.com/

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***If you use or repost any photos, please tag us on social media and give us, the artists, and Vans Warped Tour credit. We are DIY as it comes, please do not steal from us.***

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VIDEO: Four Year Strong "Men Are From Mars"

10 years since "Rise Or Die Trying" was released on the world and Four Year Strong put out a compilation video for their tune "Men Are From Mars". It's excellent. I can't think of many bands that deserve the career that they have had. I wish they were bigger and more people liked them like we do at Shrbrt. Check out the video below!

fouryearstrongmusic.com/

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WARPED TOUR 2016: Real Friends Live at the Palace of Auburn Hills

To say Real Friends headlined this date of the Warped Tour is a fact, but WT has always rotated its schedule daily so all the artists on the four main stages could easily headline. Pop punk has always had a safe place in the Mid-West and Real Friends epitomizes that four season punk influenced emo perfectly. If you don't know what 3-5 months out of the year being overcast and gray are like, then it might be a little hard to relate to all of their work. I immediately fell for this band years ago and was very happy to get to see them so close and photograph their set. Last summer was a really emotional one for me. Most summers are, as I am emo as all hell, but last year, in particular, was pretty intense to get through. This band and a few others really helped me through it, so this set was going to be the highlight of the day for me. 

When I got the schedule for the day I almost passed out knowing I had to make it all the way through the day to get the Real Friends shots I wanted. By the time their set was about to start I was sunburned, sweaty, I fucking reeked like b.o. and well I have no shame about this. I screwed myself by forgetting one of my SD cards so by 630 I had to start being really picky with my shots. Earlier in the day, I wasn't too concerned with photographing a lot of the smaller stages but once it got later in the day, I ended up with no downtime from 4 to 830. No time to delete photos without fear of missing shots.

I have said in previous Warped Tour posts about how this day was where I learned the most about my skill set and how I do under pressure. I love the look of the Real Friends photos. The sun was going down behind these huge trees on the side of the Palace of Auburn Hills and their soundtrack fit perfectly to all the defeated, distraught, and exhausted die hards that made it to the end of 100+ degree Warped Tour in muggy ass Michigan.... check out the pictures below. 

Warped Tour 2017 is going to be one for the record books. Rumors have surfaced about the lineup, and we would hate to spread false bull shit. Just know that on March 22nd tickets go on sale and the full lineup will be released! Make sure to visit Vans Warped Tour on all their social accounts and give the bands from last year all the love they deserve! We will see you this summer Warped Tour! Find Chris aka Sherburt if you can!

www.vanswarpedtour.com www.realfriendsband.com

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***If you use or repost any photos, please tag us on social media and give us, the artists, and Vans Warped Tour credit. We are DIY as it comes, please do not steal from us.***

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WARPED TOUR 2016: State Champs Live at the Palace of Auburn Hills

State Champs to me were relatively new. I had a few playlists with a couple of their tunes on that I really enjoyed. I will say this right off the bat, they are great musicians. As a band, they are tight and professional and know exactly what they're doing. It was a pleasure to watch them and photograph three songs from their set. In the mid-90s when pop punk really started to come together as a genre and not just someone else's failed attempt at copying the kings of it The Descendents. This was when I started to fall in love with bands that had musicians who could play multiple instruments and chose to write a little more conservative and added about 1000x more stage presence than that of their alternative counterparts. State Champs would have been one of the biggest bands in the world in the mid-90s, so as history is repeating itself some 20 odd years later, it seems as they are doing just fine. Their set was high energy and the crowd went off in the blistering sun too. Check out the gallery from their set below!

Warped Tour 2017 is going to be one for the record books. Rumors have surfaced about the lineup, and we would hate to spread false bull shit. Just know that on March 22nd tickets go on sale and the full lineup will be released! Make sure to visit Vans Warped Tour on all their social accounts and give the bands from last year all the love they deserve! We will see you this summer Warped Tour! Find Chris aka Sherburt if you can!

www.vanswarpedtour.com www.statechampsny.com

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***If you use or repost any photos, please tag us on social media and give us, the artists, and Vans Warped Tour credit. We are DIY as it comes, please do not steal from us.***

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WARPED TOUR 2016: Good Charlotte Live at the Palace of Auburn Hills

Good Charlotte is a band that when I was younger, I wasn't all that fond of. At the time they were corporate punk to us on the "streets". Nowadays that shit sounds so fucking childish and bitter, which is why I opted to photograph them.

They had some of the most energetic tunes of the day. They were bouncing all over the stage, to the sub-woofers, to the drum risers. I gave them so much credit knowing their not 21 anymore. 

These are the kind of sets that you walk away from learning a lot about yourself and how fucking stuck up you can be, not to mention how focused you can be when photographing bands you're not entirely into. I hope this doesn't seem like I'm just blatantly talking shit, so not my intention. Merely expressing that growth can happen in 10 minutes while photographing a band you have either been on the fence with or at times even full on hated. Some of these shots ended up being pretty damn intense. I coined this set as the one that ended my pride as a stuck up snobby musician and opened my mind up to a whole realm of music that I might not like, but would love documenting. 

Warped Tour 2017 is going to be one for the record books. Rumors have surfaced about the lineup, and we would hate to spread false bull shit. Just know that on March 22nd tickets go on sale and the full lineup will be released! Make sure to visit Vans Warped Tour on all their social accounts and give the bands from last year all the love they deserve! We will see you this summer Warped Tour! Find Chris aka Sherburt if you can!

www.vanswarpedtour.com www.goodcharlotte.com

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***If you use or repost any photos, please tag us on social media and give us, the artists, and Vans Warped Tour credit. We are DIY as it comes, please do not steal from us.***

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Black Christmas 2016: Magic Stick Headliners The Black Dahlia Murder, Municipal Waste, Fucked Up

The Magic Stick is an iconic venue for those who grew up in or around Detroit. I personally have seen endless amounts of punk, ska, hardcore, metal, and dance music acts upstairs over the last two decades. This night in particular was one for the record books. 

The Magic Stick lined up 3 solid openers in Bison Machine, Cheapshow, and Dirtwolf, only to be followed by three of the best bands in music today; Fucked Up, Municipal Waste, and The Black Dahlia Murder.  

Fucked Up came on after the 3 local bands finished. Before Damien made his way out to the stage the band got all tuned and started their intro and it kept going for probably longer than normal. I have been waiting to see Fucked Up for years. David Comes To Life literally pulled me out of a very dark period last year and helped me understand defiance and perseverance on a new level. So when they played Queen of Hearts it was no surprise that I would almost tear up.

The set came to a fever pitch and Damien overheard a fan say "Play the fucking Other Shoe" and he went to start the tune and stage management let them know they were over in time. Maybe Damien learned his lesson. The 5 minutes he spent making the packed out crowd wait for him to come from the green room when his band was already playing, could have been spent on a set ending performance of "The Other Shoe". 

Following Fucked Up was the kings of spilled beer Municipal Waste. I say this because I have never seen a band have more beer spilled on the stage and thrown at them than Municipal Waste. So much, that their stagehand spent most of their set on his knees with a bunch of towels trying to dry the Magic Stick stage.

Then came the fucking ladder pit. That wasn't before countless people used the ladder to stage dive into the crowd. From behind the left speaker stack I was photographing and this gigantic dreaded bearded lanky son of a bitch kept pushing me out of the way to stage dive. For a second the dudes in Municipal Waste seemed to think it was the stage manager from SNAFU but alas it was just some dude who had similar features, but about 10 times more drunk.

At this point I made my way out into the crowd to try and get away from being mowed over by this 7 foot tall crusty in which the ladder had made it's way into the pit and even more people were jumping off into what seemed like an abyss of drunken sweaty bearded Detroit beefcakes. Instead, it was the booze drenched floor that most seemed to keep hitting the ground like when I try to jump on a skateboard in my 30s. 

I went to the Majestic post getting Municipally Wasted at the Stick to see Mustard Plug. After their set I rushed back to see The Black Dahlia Murder. In a rush and hurry, I ran right up onto the stage and back behind the speaker wall I had left about 20 minutes prior. That's when I realized I was in the huddle with The Black Dahlia Murder...

Wham began to play over the PA (some few days after George Michael's death) and I didn't say a fucking word. I just listened to them laugh at each other and get pumped before running out onto the stage. This is one of the biggest death metal bands in the world, fucking local heroes to us here in Michigan. They could have easily thrown me off stage (even though I was shooting for the sponsor and was on Jay's Guest-list with a full access pass.) and I wouldn't have contested it. They ripped through their set and I was able to get some shots but not nearly as many as I wanted. You want to shoot but you don't want to give up such a good spot on the stage and the next thing you know the set is over and 500 people are pushing to get into the Majestic for The Suicide Machines set. What a fucking show!

Black Christmas is our Holiday Party for Detroit Punks, Skunks, Hardcore Kids, Metalheads, and every thrashing Detroiter in between. It's where the middle finger is a sign of respect and admiration not as an all out "fuck you" to the recepient

"These photos were originally taken for For The Love of Punk, please follow them and give them some love. I wouldn't have gotten these pics without becoming a photographer for them. So help me give back to them by giving them a follow and like on social media."  - Chris "Sherburt" Smith For the original post please visit For The Love of Punk http://www.fortheloveofpunk.com/review-gallery-black-christmas-detroit/

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***If you use or repost any photos, please tag us on social media and give us, the artists, and Black Christmas, For The Love Of Punk, and Black Iris Booking credit. We are DIY as it comes, please do not steal from us.***