#Shrbrt

[mr-geargrinder]

I may have gotten a little carried away drawing NPCs from my weekly Magic Assholes in Space game, but I also feel like I'm starting to nail down an artstyle for this game. 

Here's Black Licorice (the "Dark" Gnome) and Shrbrt V'n Yrbrt, the Space Trucker.

[shrbrt-blog1]

HIM's Final Show in Michigan with CKY and 3Teeth

HIM and CKY have been a part of my life since the CKY2K video came out and Bam Margera exposed all of us degenerates to Finland's finest, HIM and of course all the music from CKY that influenced us. I have no idea how many times that shit led partying to get way out of fucking control, but it almost always seemed to happen. The early 2000s were wild.  I did my normal rituals before a show and then headed my stoned ass to the Fillmore for the last ever Michigan show HIM will ever play. "Holy fuckballs it's cold as fuck" I told the parking lot attendant, he laughed and said "Have a good night sir, don't drink too much." Oh man, this guy. I only walked 5 blocks and I was freezing and sweating my ass off somehow, probably from walking faster than normal because it was bitter cold and I'm never properly clothed. Detroit, I fucking love you but my god, why do you always snow during autum. This show was November 11th, felt more like a January night instead. As I'm typing this, we're buried in a good 8 inches of snow and it's 10 days before Christmas. How the boys in HIM can handle Finland weather is beyond me. I'm about done dealing with this weather!

I got in with no hassle to the Fillmore and walked down to the main floor to enjoy the opening act. 3teeth remind me of Stabbing Westward if they weren't melodic, instead just dirty and grimy industrial and bass heavy as fuck I feel like shit for not wearing my Atari Teenage Riot shirt. It's good but not where I need my industrial to be but totally understand the appeal to this band, they are definitely their own breed.

I went outside and toked on my vape pen for a while, making sure to warm myself up every few minutes. I eventually made my way down to the photo pit before the next band came out. CKY will forever be dear to my heart. Lineups be damned they put on a great show and are loud as fuck. With the departure of Darren I think everyone had doubts, but they were still fucking great with Chad leading.  I expected to hear 96 Quite Bitter Beings last, not third to last. Escape From Hellview being their last tune and they are nailing it as I type. 

  PHOTO'S FROM CKY'S SET

HIM the pride of Finland graced the stage and my fucking heart fluttered. Thanks to proper timing and my friend Jessica the two of us ended up dead center when they walked out to a sold out Fillmore. She gave me this "oh myyy" look and I gave her a comedic elbow to the side and even had to fan myself off a little.

Halfway through the first song and an emergency happened in the crowd. I couldn't tell what happened but Ville being the kind beautiful soul that he is, stopped the show. Made the LD turn the house lights on and make sure the concertgoer was ok.

What a class mother fucking act that beautiful Finnish bastard is. 

I believe we got to photograph an extra song. Yay for security not doing their jobs. It works out for all of us media. We're not gonna jump up if no one else does. I find that to be a cliche of photo pits. When security can't tell when three songs are done. 

"Wings Of A Butterfly" a song that gets hundreds to whip out their cell phones, belted out by both the band and pretty much every person in the crowd, including yours truly. I get always wanting to pull your phone out at shows. I do it too. From a media standpoint, it's impossible to cover music without using a phone at some point. I just don't understand doing it and watching the phone screen instead of the show. Especially something as amazing as HIM's last Detroit show ever. I just wanted to keep a lot more of the set to my mental memory instead of my phone's internal memory.

Probably the loudest I have ever heard a Fillmore crowd get in all my years of coming here. It caught me off guard how fucking loud they got after what seemed to be the last song of the night. That is until they returned to the stage, and fucking ripped through "Rebel Yell" by Billy Idol. I couldn't thank of a better goodbye to Detroit, for the dudes in HIM. Thanks for the memories and all the music over the years fellas, so many of will never forget this band, this music, or this tour.

PHOTOS FROM HIM'S SET

[taakayama]

shrbrts replied to your post: Why do girls in glasses have to look so cute???

mine always fall of bc god knows im not allowed to be cute

Biggest lie of 2k17

[weliketheiroldstuff]

Working to give the site a full launch on April 1st, but some unforeseen circumstances popped up that might lead us to push back to summer or later. Until the full launch we will be working on ways to push some content out there on this platform, twitter, and instagram.  

[ultrabeast03]

cleaned up/updated an old sketch I did for @shrbrts !

[thejuiceboxvapeshop-blog]

NEW DROP ALERT! The new @myuwell Nunchaku tank delivers monster flavor on a sleek design, also available with its own stick kit which takes 18650’s so a weak battery problem is eliminated. Next is the @aspirevapeco Skystar, a very clean mod equipped with the Revvo tank. This tank design is flawless, fill it without even opening the tank! Just squeeze and go. The coil itself is easily one of the most durable and longest lasting as well. @snowwolf X Feng is a beast. The sleek design plus phenomenal color scheme will draw anybody in. Now to the juices- The Shammy Shake (A notorious shamrock mint shake) Panda Shake (an Oreo Milk Shake) and Bananza Shake (you guessed it, banana milk shake) all mouth watering flavors. The Snaxx is a Blue Rasberry Gummy fruit snack that you enjoyed growing up. The Burst is one of the best starburst style flavors we’ve ever tasted. @roundseliquid has the SHRBRT (sherbet fruit ice cream) CONES (a honeydew ice pop) and Squares (my personal favorite, rasberry cheesecake) @loadedejuice has some of the best deserts. The New Melon milkshake will become a vapors favorite, as well as their Cookie butter, Jelly Donut and Apple Fritter. @lips_and_drips Orange creamsicle is literally the only creamsicle flavor that actually stood out and was an all day vape for us. And last is the Slushy King, blue rasberry and Rainbow slushy. —————MORE JUICE STILL TO COME, STAY TUNED OR COME BY AND TRY THEM OUT!���💭 #eliquid #snowwolf #vapemods #ejuice #vapecon #cloudchaser #vapor

[vaperazzi-blog]

📷 vaperazzi ▪▪▪ SHRBRT squad! @shrbrteliquid Info@shrbrteliquid.com ▪▪▪ #VAPEPICTURES #vaperazzi #cleanbuilds #shrbrteliquid

[airmays]

More change is happening in a single human lifetime than in the previous 10,000 years combined. ∞ Upcoming prints based on these originals. Curated by @knstrct /// knstrct.com Black line morphing symbols on Rich ethereal color back drop ○ #birch #sustainable #forest #sealife #ocean #color #🎨#candypaint #shrbrt #calenblake (at Venice Beach, California)

[shrbrt-blog1]

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. 

[shrbrt-blog1]

Tiny Moving Parts Release New Video for "Caution" Off Their New Album

Caution, the new song from Tiny Moving Parts comes with a deep but still comedic video featuring the members in janitor outfits rocking out at work at a near retirement age. I won't go further into the video, just watch it. "You are caffeine in my bloodstream" yep, that lyric fucking does it for me. I am definitely stoked for more new music by Tiny Moving Parts. Their new record drops January 26th and will surely be one of the best of the year. The band has churned out record after record with increasing talent and creative muscle that for me at least, puts them ahead of everyone in post-hardcore or emo or pop punk or anything related to any of those genres, and they fucking do it as a trio.

TMP does something most bands never achieve, they have their own distinct signature sound that gives the listener the ability to not check who the artist is when it comes on some random online channel or Spotify playlist. You know when you're listening to Tiny Moving Parts, even as their sound continues to grow and develop they are merely growing their sound as they do. I saw them earlier this year with Have Mercy and  Real Friends and they showed them both up. Easily had the most energy from the crowd and the most energy on stage. 

[shrbrt-blog1]

Animals as Leaders and Periphery's Convergence Tour @ St Andrews Hall

I got to St Andrews Hall late as usual and missed the opening act Car Bomb. I walked into an already packed St Andrews Hall and immediately got my way to the side of the photo pit. As the crowd started to get a little restless the lights dimmed and the fellas in Periphery walked out on stage. 

Periphery has to be one of the most creative bands in music. The crowd at St Andrews absolutely loved them. I am honestly blown away by how intense this shit is live. Up close and personal with these bands was some of the most exhilarating shit I have photographed. Their music, both Periphery and Animals As Leaders, is prolific, technical on a mature level, and brutally creative in a way that sets both groups in a league of their own. It's no surprise they get along so well.

Periphery is easily one of the best bands I have ever witnessed a set by. That shit literally blew my fucking mind. I don't know what to really say other than to gush about that set.

After the rest of Periphery's set, I made my way downstairs to The Shelter to use the bathroom. While doing my thing a guy waiting in line said "Great, someone pissed in one of the fucking sinks." I found it to be hilarious because I just ranted the other day about how much more cleaner St Andrews Hall is now that Live Nation has their hands in it. But nothing, nothing will stop the ridiculousness that is a Saturday night crowd in Detroit. When you gotta go, you gotta go. 

I made my way upstairs and apparently I was a little over-zealous. I figured most of the gear would be off stage by then. Nope. Not even close. I asked the nearest security guard what the Animals As Leaders set time was. 30 minutes from the minute I asked him. Fucking a. But then he told me... Animals As Leaders were playing for over an hour.

I went back downstairs to the Shelter and chilled for another 10-15 minutes and then made my way back up to the main floor to wait for Animals As Leaders to come out. The beautiful thing about shooting a trio is a smaller amount of subjects makes it easier to get photos. Then you add that this band is too fucking technical to "go off" on stage. Instead of throwing their bodies and guitars around, they just play their instruments and that's more than enough. The music these dudes come up with and play every night is some of the most incredible shit my ears have ever heard. Again, seeing this up close and personal puts it at a level that I can't describe properly. 

I probably shouldn't have worn my Deftones shirt as I have had "DEFTONES!!!"  yelled at me a dozen times tonight. Funny, but it always catches me off guard.

Someone threw something at my face that night while I was photographing upstairs. Might have been a pocket full of change flung upward from the main floor. Could have easily been an inch higher and took my eye out or smashed my lens. Whoever it was... I hope one day you find a level of peace that makes you regret that stupid shit.

Not surprised in 2017...

Proving just because the music is intelligent doesn't mean all the fans in the crowd are.

Let's not forget someone pissed in the sink earlier in the night...in a bathroom with troughs nonetheless.

As I walked out to go to the car, a guy was being cheered on as he barfed his fucking brains out over the guardrail of the smoking section. Concertgoers laughed hysterically while cheers came from the strip joint next door's smoking section.

Mind you it was maybe 1015?

I would have stayed until the end but the whole getting hit in the face with a rock thing put a damper on my night. As much as I believe that person needs peace, I also wouldn't mind putting up a pair of fives to what I'm assuming would be a chinstrap beard and a drooping jawline that it highlights, I will end with this.

Don't be an asshole.

[shrbrt-blog1]

Citizen's Album Release Party for As You Please with Sorority Noise and Great Grandpa

I was stoked to get approval to photograph and cover the Citizen release show October 19th at St Andrews Hall in Detroit, Michigan. Citizen is easily my favorite current band with Michigan ties. They are on a level that most just don't get to in my book, daily rotation at the Shrbrt compound. This is one of the first shows where I realized how much time to myself I really have when I go to these gigs alone. It helps for these posts because I can write about the things happening throughout the show. If there's a fight or the openers just absolutely kill it or like this night, someone got a little too drunk too early. I'll get to that later. Great Grandpa is a good band. They remind me of the innocent art school kids. Both talented and creative but also the type to believe unicorns are real. I feel like The Cat would be all about them. Their set was a welcoming delight to start the night off. They gained quite a few fans that night a long way from their home in Washington. 

Sorority Noise is fantastic, their balance of quintessential emo and post-hardcore aggression made me a fan a while ago. Although they are one acoustic guitar away from having a bigger fan out of my girlfriend than me. They told a story about the last time they played in the Shelter and Juicy J was upstairs at St Andrews Hall. I got a good chuckle out of his description of Juicy J's throne emblazoned with weed emblems and pot leafs. This story between songs helped grow my attachment to this band even more. 

Citizen started off their set with "Jet" a song I have listened to well over 100 times since its release. The video is on a level of eclectic weirdness I have come to expect from the group of Mid-Westerners. They followed the first single off of As You Please with "In The Middle Of It All" and the last song I photographed was "Sleep" off my favorite record by Citizen, Youth.

Security split the crowd during Sick and Impatient to rescue a very drunk concertgoer. Fantastic how fast they saw him faint and were able to get him the help he needed. And by the help he needed I mean they held him up as he blew chunks into a garbage can just to the left of the photo pit. I remember saying to myself "Never a dull moment in Detroit". 

Citizen has proven themselves to be a heavyweight in today's underground music. They definitely have the ability to level-up and break through the mainstream. It would not surprise me at all to see them headlining the Fillmore's and Theater venues across America over the next couple years. The new record solidifies their spot in Mid-West "Emo or Pop Punk or Post Hardcore or whatever the fuck you want to call it" history with As You Please. They back this claim (I just made) up with an intoxicating live show that made me disappointed at only getting to hear 16 songs by them, when that's well then more than they needed to play. Check out the gallery below and make sure to get the new record!

BUY As You Please HERE! Visit Sorority Noise on Bandcamp HERE! Visit Great Grandpa on Bandcamp HERE!

SETLIST: JET IN THE MIDDLE OF IT ALL SLEEP CEMENT CONTROL THE NIGHT I DROVE ALONE FIGURE YOU OUT ROAM THE ROOM SICK AND IMPATIENT FEVER DAYS WORLD (live debut) I FORGIVE NO ONE YELLOW LOVE HOW DOES IT FEEL THE SUMMER ENCORE: FLOWERCHILD  

[shrbrt-blog1]

Four Year Strong At St Andrews Hall 09.16.17

Back in September I was asked to photograph Seaway as they rolled through Detroit with one of my favorite bands Four Year Strong. It was the 10th anniversary tour of Rise or Die Trying and it was an incredible night. I got there a little late so I missed I believe the first two bands. 

St Andrews Hall is hands down my favorite venue. The number of bands that come through is immense. Legendary acts have played up and downstairs. Huge bands have played small gigs here and well the staff are always incredibly nice and hospitable. It wasn't always the nicest or cleanest or friendliest venue, but it has become that.

I truly appreciate how much work the staff and owners put into the building in the remodeling and upgrading of the venue. Private bathrooms upstairs, no need to go to the Shelter now that there are bathrooms upstairs. Instead, the men's bathroom downstairs is now a part of the backstage area. Pretty brilliant if you ask me. The upstairs is so different than I remember. Rise Or Die Trying is one of those records that I will take with me for the rest of my life. I love the music Four Year Strong has put out and some songs more than this entire record. My attachment is purely emotional and romantic to the ideas of nostalgia helping guide us through the present.  

This brings back to a very dark period of my life where a lot of music at the time was helping me navigate a lifetime of failure, pain, and grief. People give me shit about the way I live and some days they seem to forget I can barely breathe, literally. This isn't a ploy for pity, it's merely a statement that just because you read my writing, or follow me on instagram or have read through this website, doesn't mean you know me as a human. Mainly, you know what I put out to the world and this is why I try to remain positive no matter how cynical I really am. The title of this record plays into all of this shit. RIse or Die Trying is for everyone who has been beaten down. Everyone who has felt loss or battled in some kind of way to get to this day. It's so fucking positive it is almost corny as fuck. On that note check out the photos below and make sure to keep an eye on 4YS as they just announced a tour with Less Than Jake for early 2018. 

Seaway Gallery Like Pacific Gallery

[shrbrt-blog1]

Self Help Fest Detroit (Gallery and Review)

A Day To Remember's Festival “Self Help Fest” came to Detroit for the first time October 7th. This lineup was pretty nostalgic with the last four bands being artists I have listened to consistently for a very long time. This was my initial draw to the festival. They sealed it with the supporting artists and the affordability of the festival with tickets being around 60 bucks with fees. Equals out to 5 bucks a band, touring bands at that, with huge stages and amazing sound. Can't beat the young festivals when they're done right. This is something I want to give ADTR and company credit for.

A lot of festivals either bite off more than they can chew or they underestimate their abilities as festival producers. The important shit for me as a photographer, a fan of the bands, and as a festival goer were all met. Proper sound, great lighting, dope lineup, decent set times, not a lot of conflicting time, decent concessions, cleaner bathrooms, access to free water, shelter from the weather, free parking, within an hour of my bed. That doesn't mean there weren't issues because there were, some completely out of the festivals control, others not so much. 

GALLERY 1: TOO CLOSE TO TOUCH, SYLAR, THE PLOT IN YOU

The Cat and I got to Freedom Hill a little later than I wanted to. Instead of her coming back at a later time and going shopping at the mall, she decided to get in the insane line at the main entrance. I was told to go to a different box office to get my pass. I figured either there was a small entrance for media only and realized how far of a walk it was. The complete opposite side of the grounds. I laughed. Mind you, there is a lot of laughing that went on this day as I was incredibly stoned shortly after getting to the venue.

I walked the way toward the other box office and in that time met a guy who got VIP passes and was walking the length of the fence also. We walked all the way behind the main stage and he seemed to be really impressed, I like that shit. I am fucking spoiled rotten when it comes to access to these bands and musicians. I don't take it for granted and I try to take it all in from everyone's perspective. He was no different than most, a lot of “wow” and “holy shit” and “Isn't that the one guy?” I love it.

I fucking love when people get that excited about this shit, that set the tone for the entire day for me. I'm thankful to be here. When I saw the other parking lot I started laughing. The guy was like “what's so funny?” and I kept laughing and eventually said “Sorry, we all parked over there, waited in line to get into that entrance, could have driven 1000 feet and parked right here, walked right to the box office, got our passes and got in while they are still not letting people in at the other entrance.” He looked around and said “Fuck... I stood in that other line for like 30 minutes man fuck.” He went to the VIP booth and I never got his name, hope he had a good time.

GALLERY 2: ISSUES, WAGE WAR, MOOSE BLOOD

I went to the Media booth and got my pass. I asked if I could use that entrance and the dude laughed and said: “That's what it's there for.” I laughed that off walked away and wondered how many people yelled at him already by then. Empathy, it's easy to come by when you're high as fuck on weed cartridges and medibles.

I got to the East entrance and a few older gentleman looked through my bag and noticed my photo pass and made my way in a pleasant experience. Most of the time it is, sometimes it's a little different. They were hospitable but brought up a minor “fiasco” with another photographer before me. I will not go into detail about it because I'm just not that guy. I really don't want to throw anyone under the bus. It took me two seconds to figure it out the next day on Instagram though. Tighten up. 

GALLERY 3: OF MICE & MEN AND FALLING IN REVERSE

While going through the first few Underoath photos I noticed Spencer is looking directly at me from afar. I thought to myself, hmm, it's been a long time since I first saw this band. And I looked up the tour with Zao. June 2002. The Shelter. Unearth headlined. Yeah. Then I remembered something. I only saw Unearth in The Shelter once, and that was the night of "The Great Underwear-Unearth Pit". Where what seemed like the 20 biggest guys I have ever seen in my life stripped to their underwear, mostly tighty whities and moshed for Unearth's set. You don't forget shit like that. I have been to I'm going to guess 2k+ shows in my lifetime now? They blend together. My shocking realization that this was the first time I saw Underoath. This lineup was The Changing of Times lineup, pre-Spencer. Yeah. Some people actually remember that version of the band. If you went back and told me I would photograph that band on a massive stage 15 years from now, I would have told you to get bent. You can chase what the world is looking for, or you can do your thing and the world will come to you. Even if it's just for a moment. That band didn't get to that stage to throw me a look for a split millisecond. They did it because of their love of the music they put out. I'm just a fucking leach of that, and well I'm ok with it. Do what you love and sometimes people who do similar things will toss you that “I see you” so many are looking for nowadays.

GALLERY 4: UNDEROATH

 Pierce the Veil, the San Diego foursome came out to a setting sun and a roaring crowd. Going right into “Bulls In The Bronx” set my fucking heart rate to maximum overload. Absolutely impossible for me to not sing a song that is played daily in my house. I knew at some point some of the photos would end up lacking a little because of my inability to not scream lyrics and kinda lose my shit for a minute.

We get sandwiched between thousands of fans and the band they're there to see. I have tried for the past few years to just “do my job” and sometimes I am successful. This day, this set, this song, NOPE. I might as well have put the camera away until after that fucking flamenco solo. The lighting changed every few seconds it seemed. I couldn't get my mind to focus. I was fucking enamored. They were fucking killing it. I have felt a connection to this band for a long time. I mean, since Myspace, god I'm old.

GALLERY 5: PIERCE THE VEIL

The dudes from Florida who brought us the festival itself decided to let Rise Against headline over them. I had a few thoughts about this. Until the days before when the schedule was released, it was assumed that RA was a co-headliner and ADTR would be the main headliner. I have been around for a minute, Rise Against has been around a bit longer than ADTR. They have pushed the limit on what a political punk band can do. ADTR has pushed their own limits, but they have done it with a shorter time-frame.

See most people just got mad at the concept that a band that influences another would headline over them. In plain objectivity, it makes sense. In this case, it is kinda weird. I honestly don't care but so many fucking people do. I have no idea. They had the same set lengths. If anything I figured they waited for the weather to see what was going on with that. It is ADTR's festival, so no matter what they should be playing if they are on the lineup.

Considering the weather became hairy later on, ADTR's set went off without a hitch. Including firing off streamers at the beginning of the set that got stuck on the upper part of the stage rigging. While in the photo pit I witnessed a photographer take a load of confetti to the face. Within like 30 seconds there was a stage manager there to fucking light up security for not keeping the photographers back. All day I noticed the confetti blasters. But every set I was in the pit for, the rolls of confetti were sitting on top of the machines in plastic. When I got in the pit for ADTR they were loaded into the machine. I will never forget the look on her face. Total shock. Usually we're warned about this shit, and obviously, this is why people were yelling at each other about it. Regardless, another set where screaming lyrics became incredibly hard not to do.

GALLERY 6: A DAY TO REMEMBER

Rise Against is a band I have always felt a deep connection to. Politics affect us every single day and people ignore it. They get mad when bands and musicians talk about it. Which is really weird, considering most of our artistic movements and rebellions came out of fucked up policies and corruption. That type of shit breeds creativity and independence. It makes free thinking want to spread the more people get pushed down. The early days of show-going in Detroit for me began in early 99. From then on I would see Rise Against an unknown number of times. I honestly am going to go with like 13 times from 99 to 04. In the beginning, they were opening for everyone. Even playing super early at Warped Tour. I met them at a couple different shows and they were always humble, kind, and intelligent. A lot of times I meet bands and they were amidst partying and it wasn't their best moment, or they're exhausted and come off cold, I always give em the benefit of the doubt.

I literally never had that issue with RA.

The type of band that when you're around them, you feel stupid. The room that I feel dumb in, is the room I want to be in, just how I feel about it. It is intense to look back at how many shows this band has played since then. So many small venues, basements, house shows, backyards, hall shows, and into decent venues and having tour buses and being in a band big enough to use their voice for positive political causes. Slowly changing the stereotype of punks, bands like Rise Against inspire the shit out of people like me, even all these years later. I still remember seeing them play 1000 Good Intentions regularly. I feel like there was once where it was twice in a week at St Andrews. Every time a bigger punk band came through Detroit or Pontiac from like 99-02, Rise Against was likely a support act on the bill. Only so many bigger punk bands were from the region at the time. To look up at these same dudes, completely grown as humans and musicians, was an unforgettable wet and windy experience I will tell people about for years to come.

After three songs I made my way through the drunk and stoned and wet crowd as the wind and rain started to really pick up. I managed to get a handful of crowd shots and then booked it to where the Cat was at. We hilariously made our way all the way back to the car which seemed to take forever. I really wish I could have stayed and watched the rest of the set but I had a bunch of camera gear, a cold and drenched girlfriend, and a couch and table full of dabs calling my name. We somehow made it home safely and avoided getting obliterated by the massive wall of storms that headed right at the festival at the end of the day.

GALLERY 7: RISE AGAINST

As a whole, this was a great festival. Simple, two stages, plenty of space, time to get to each stage was maybe a minute, the nachos were stale, the weather was dope for most of the day and ended with it being pretty insane. I didn't hear a bad set or fuck ups from the bands. I didn't see any fights. I did see some people get helped my medical, way too drunk and not enough hydration. Hydration should be one of your top three concerns when going to a festival kids! It makes doing an all-day fest like this less painful. It also helps when you're sweating and only drinking booze all day, skip that fucking hangover and headache with some water you bastards. 

Thanks to A Day To Remember and Self Help Fest for letting me shoot and cover this festival. I really appreciate it. Thanks to Stacie the Cat for being with me all day and getting me some crusty nachos. Thanks to everyone who stays patient with me as I'm doing this all on my own, content-wise. I really love doing this and want to keep doing it, so I'm going to continue to do so as much as possible. With the winter coming more of my coverage will be of records and songs, not just because a lot of tours skip Detroit in the winter, but also because it is usually horrendous weather for a few months to travel in. So glad to end the summer and start the fall off with this festival. I hope you dig the photos and words, please feel free to repost or share any of the content, just give the artists, Self Help Fest, Shrbrt.com, and myself credit.  

[shrbrt-blog1]

Around The Fur, Deftones Sophomore Record Turns 20 This Weekend

I was 14, a freshman at Glen Brook South High School in Glenview, Illinois. I was already an avid Deftones fan but they had yet to become what they mean to me today. That is of course until this record dropped. Some have asked me "Why do you have Adrenaline tattooed on you if Around The Fur is your favorite?" It's because I haven't gotten around to it. Adrenaline was the introduction to this band when I was in middle school, Around The Fur was the solidification that Deftones were going to forever be my favorite band. 

Around The Fur is the first real Deftones record. Adrenaline was so angsty and perfect for the time but it was by no means the definition of this band. But we all start somewhere, and that record remains an inspiration on many levels. What Adrenaline lacked was a deeper dive into melodic and shoegaze sounds that are a staple of Deftones signature sound. An aural experience that has helped them play alongside all different types of musicians. We all were punched in the face by "My Own Summer" and then fell head over heels when we heard "Be Quiet And Drive". There are other songs that stick out that weren't singles like the title track or "Dai The Flu" and "Headup" which are polar opposites in style. I personally love the entire record and all those tunes are dear to my heart, but a sometimes forgotten secret track "Damone" is easily one of the best tunes they have ever written. Well worth fast forwarding the CD or Tape through Chino hitting a bong via answering machine to somewhere after the 35-minute mark, that drum fill to intro the song gives me fucking goosebumps. 

If you put this record in with "Nu-Metal" it is the best record of the genre. Deftones have been hard to categorize which is why Deftones fans just call em Deftones. No reason arguing is it Nu-Metal or Alternative-Metal or Shoegaze/Metal, who gives a shit about that? Its a band that can go on many types of bills and tours and not only fit in but win over fans worldwide. They have covered everyone from Lynyrd Skynyrd to Sade. Not only does Around The Fur hold up 20 years later, but this band does, regardless of style or sounds used to influence their songwriting. They are still one of the best bands to come out of the 90s, and still be relevant to this day. 

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Rings of Saturn 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 Michigan's own Death Metal Legends, The Black Dahlia Murder headlined Summer Slaughter 2017 by 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.

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 in the coming weeks and thanks for checking these out! If you share or repost these images, PLEASE give the artists, Summer Slaughter, Shrbrt.com, and myself credit.