Known for recording songs while improvising on the first take, Damon McMahon took the alternative route for the new Amen Dunes album Love, spending over a year writing material and collaborating with other musicians to produce an album that sounds dreamy and personal, but with a more robust sound than his past recordings. The video for the second single off the album was shot on 16mm film and directed by experimental filmmaker and Godspeed You! Black Emperor collaborator Karl Lemieux in the chilly winter of Montreal (musicians from GY!BE are also on the album. While it’s black and white and dreary, the bright hopefulness of the song is a nice juxtaposition, and the one rhythm groove structure gives the song a trance feel that smoothes the edges of the agitated cinematography. It calms all the voices in your head for a spell. Love comes out May 13th on Sacred Bones.

Thanks to a wonderful Austin citizen, I made it home today from SXSW when the cab companies failed me. I saw 50 bands, multiple panels and interviews, met a bunch of inspiring people, and ate a lot of tacos while walking. My highlights are to come once I finish petting my dog.

Last Friday at the Fillmore Denver, JJ Grey and Mofro headlined a big lineup that included Keller Williams and Nicki Bluhm & the Gramblers. With his white pants and light blonde hair, I really had to take the white down, he looked like an angel in some pics. I’d never seen someone working the spotlight there before, so I got a shot of him, as well as those majestic chandeliers. Read my Westword review of the show here:

http://blogs.westword.com/backbeat/2014/02/review_jj_grey_mofro_fillmore_auditorium_denver_february-21-2014.php

In 1999 at Liberty Lunch in Austin, I saw Keller Williams open for String Cheese Incident, and he totally stole the show for me. I had never seen someone looping live, and stood right in front of him mesmerized, watching his every move. Somehow, I never caught another show of his, and had heard through the years that he was of the dirty hippie variety. I have no problems with dirty hippies, and was excited to see him again opening for JJ Grey and Mofro. When he came out in a slick grey suit with two gorgeous back up singers, my jaw dropped in complete surprise. Elegant, poetic, and extremely expressive, Keller was the highlight of my night, and I’ll definitely see him any time he comes around. More in depth review being published tomorrow at Westword.

Usually at shows I get to be in the photo pit for the first three songs, then have to move back and shoot elsewhere. However, when shooting small shows with lax rules, I’ve learned a trick. About five songs in, when I guess the guitar solo is coming, I’ll quickly go to the front, and without fail the musicians suddenly amp it up, going from the photo above, to this:

I love it.

Ft. Collin’s Aspen Hourglass played The 1Up Colfax last night, and I loved that the drums were not only on the side, but they had a spotlight on him! I always try to get great shots of everyone, and usually the drummer gets the dark, fuzzy end of the stick. Not last night, you can even see him smile.