Shooting As I Lay Dying helped me realize a new rule regarding rock photography: The size of the drum kit is directly proportional to how much you want to make sure to grab shots of the drummer. Some of my favorite shots from their stop at House Of Blues were of drummer Jordan Mancino, who on more than one occasion stole the spotlight with extended drum solos. That’s not to say the rest of the band didn’t do their best to keep up.

MORE AFTER THE JUMP »

Seattle metal band Demon Hunter stopped at Chicago’s House Of Blues on their tour supporting their new release The World Is A Thorn.

They put out a heavy set to prep the crowd for headlining act As I Lay Dying.

MORE AFTER THE JUMP »

Even though I wanted to see just how brutal a performance Cannibal Corpse would put on at House Of Blues, I was really interested to see opening thrash band Skeletonwitch.

Hailing from Athens, Ohio, I’ve seen these guys play a couple dive bars a few years ago in my hometown Columbus. They’ve since moved up to bigger touring acts, and are making headway in the “thrash metal revival” genre.

And dammit, their name alone kicks ass.

MORE AFTER THE JUMP »

DISCLAIMER: Photos contain inordinate amounts of hair.

I really tried to get more photos of faces, but it was really difficult. Cannibal Corpse literally let their hair down at House Of Blues, not to mention whipping it everywhere. In addition to hair, devil horns were flying all over the place during this brutal set.

MORE AFTER THE JUMP »

Ten years after the release of their self-titled sophomore album, New Found Glory decided to throw an anniversary tour. Stopping at Chicago’s House Of Blues, they surprisingly played like it was released yesterday. They played an energetic set comprised of every song from the album, plus a five-song encore. Hardly any time was wasted once they hit the stage to bust out dangerously infectious pogo riffs. NFG was running around the entire stage with so much intense energy I was surprised when my three-song limit was up. I tried my best to grab shots of the entire band, but I couldn’t help but be drawn to the sheer photogenic energy of frontman Jordan Pundik.

MORE AFTER THE JUMP »

Alt-rockers Switchfoot played to a sold-out House Of Blues crowd last night in support of their new album Hello Hurricane. They continually expressed love for the city of Chicago, even paying homage to Smashing Pumpkins with a cover of “Today.” Lead singer Jon Foreman even joined the audience on several occasions, coming out to sing among them even from the far wing. It’s almost no surprise that the band has such a huge fan base.

MORE AFTER THE JUMP »

I was super excited to catch an opportunity to shoot GWAR at House Of Blues. Known more for their stage theatrics than for their actual music, I knew they’d make for great photo opportunities. I made sure to bring a poncho and wrapped my camera in a plastic bag, knowing that I had front row seats for spraying and splattering of fake blood. I kept laughing the whole set. These guys know how to put on a ridiculous show.

MORE AFTER THE JUMP »

“Black Wednesday” is a (mostly) Chicago colloquialism used to refer to the day before Thanksgiving, to symbolize a Homecoming-Of-Sorts. And this year’s Homecoming Queen was Kid Sister, stopping in at Chicago’s House Of Blues while on tour to promote her debut album, Ultraviolet. She was backed by duo Flosstradamus, with whom she started as MC in the Chicago club circuit years ago.

While it was a fun time, I do want to casually mention that the “Ultraviolet” stage lighting theme made my job challenging. Red and Magenta stage lights are a concert photographer’s worst enemy. However, House Of Blues is a really fancy venue with good sound, and Kid Sister knew how to take advantage of that to get a full house dancing.