I'll be the first to admit I'm really bad about updating my blog. There's usually so much going on that I've got something to write about, I just never make any time to write.
To change, that I want to try and write at least once a week about some of the different things that have been going on over the year since my last post. Tonight, I really just feel like writing about today.
I've been looking forward to today for over a little over the month, and even more so within the last week or so. Started off with a half day at work - nothing really worth mentioning there, except we got some information about a big project that's coming up soon. Had lunch with my former recruiter that is looking for a website for a business she is starting up. It was a very interesting, refreshing conversation. And, it was very good to see her again. This recruiter is the person responsible for opening some doors and getting me into excellent projects. The last project turned into the current full time position I currently have. Yea, I worked hard to make the most of each project, but I would not be where I am today in my career without being given an opportunity to succeed.
The main source of my excitement was about Mitchel Musso's concert in Pontiac tonight. I was looking forward to hearing some of the new songs in person. After really enjoying last year's concert in Ionia, I was looking forward to this with high expectations. Unfortunately, everything started down hill when I started into the concert. The venue was Clutch Cargo's in Pontiac, which was formerly a church in downtown Pontiac. I was looking forward to photographing the concert with my 50D, but the Clutch Cargo employees would not let me take in my camera. So, I walked back to my car and put everything away and went back into the concert. When I got in there, I must not have stayed any longer than five minutes. The concert was in the basement of this old church - no seats, dark and a good 200 people or so standing elbow to elbow and crowding as close to the stage as they could. Not exactly my ideal environment. I'm not claustrophobic or anything like that - this was just wayyyy out of my comfort zone. As badly as I wanted to see the concert, I knew I would not be able to enjoy it, so I went home.
I suppose I could have blown $30 worse ways, so I'm not upset over the amount of money I spent ($20 for the ticket and $10 to park). I also realize this was out of Mitchel's control. I do hope that he still enjoyed being here in Oakland County today - I also hope that if he ever comes back he will be able to get a better venue. I was very upset over Clutch Cargo relegating his concert to a basement, and the enforcement of a non-posted or published photography policy.
So, this ended up being one of those days where the day started off on a really good note, and ended very flat and off key (sorry for the music allusion - at least my dry sense of humor is still functioning).
Now that I'm finally caught up from reviewing 300+ photos from Mitchel Musso's concert this past Thursday in Ionia, I thought I would add in a quick overview. Actually, I think I can summarize the show with three letters - wow!
Overall, I was very well impressed by the quality of the show. When I go to a county fair for a concert, my expectations aren't usually as high as they might be for a concert at a venue like DTE, Meadowbrook, or the Palace of Auburn Hills. Let's face it, the resources you have available at a fairgrounds are much more limited. Space is not always the same since the stage and sound equipment are temporary, not to mention smaller since they need to be portable. Still, Mitchel and his team seemed to use that to their advantage by putting on a show that worked in a slight variety of costumes (especially with the dancers), and even more variety in music. That combination worked very well to keep everyone interested in what was going on at that moment, and wondering what might be coming next.
What seemed to leave the biggest impression on me was the way that Mitchel conducted himself on stage. Confidence in his abilities without seeming arrogant, awareness of the fans, and genuine appreciation for the hard work of his dancers and band. Sometimes you can get a sense of who a person is by the way the play a role on TV, but you don't really get the complete picture. Mitchel's concerts are probably one of the few chances someone will get to see Mitchel for who he is. He is doing a great job at taking that opportunity to have a great time and leave a good positive impression on the people who get to see him.
The other thing I'll comment on about the show was the variety of music. I usually don't expect this much variety in one show - most artists tend to run with their genre once they've identified it. Mitchel showed a versatility that left another big impression on me. He will definitely be another young musician that will be added to my collection. I'm certainly looking forward to hearing his first CD.
Well, I will wrap up with a little bit about the photos, in case you're reading this after coming here from Mitchel's website. I've been around photography for as long as I can remember. My grandfather had his own dark room in his basement, and my parents always seemed to have a camera around between the two of them. I really started using my own camera at 9 or 10 maybe, and it just stuck with me. During high school, I took the Yearbook / Journalism class each year so I would have a prime opportunity to practice. I took everything from sports photos, band concerts (since my step brother was in the band class), and candid and group photos. In more recent years, I have been shooting high school soccer games, and had eight photos published in the Oakland Press during last year's season. I shoot with a Canon 20D digital camera, and a Sigma 70-200 2.8 zoom lens. I also used my 2x extender during the concert, so I was effectively shooting with a 140-400mm zoom lens. You're more than welcome to look over my photo gallery if you like while you're here. More photos from Mitchel's concert can be seen here. From that link, you can view any of the public photo galleries I have posted.
Thanks for reading and stopping by! Hope you enjoy the photos!
Caio,
Andy