Interviewed in the Huffington Post!

In case you've ever wondered who is behind this blog and photography, here's a little insight. Author and speaker Phil Simon was kind enough to interview Alison Toon for the Huffington Post: click here to read the interview!

Photo above by Jade Hughes

The Voice... my version. Share yours!

So, I love the concept of NBC's The Voice TV show: singers, vocalists, making it big, purely on the sound of their voice. Nothing to do with looks, age, musical style, but just based on the way the sounds make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. (I know, it's just-another-but-slightly-better form of reality TV: it's the concept I like.)

So I thought I'd put together some of the vocalists who have that affect on me, every time I hear them. See what you think. Make up your own list and feel free to share in the comments!

Ivan Moody, Five Finger Death Punch

H (Steve Hogarth), Marillion

The late, great, Tim Buckley

The late, great, Freddie Mercury, Queen

Trixie Whitley

And Josh Groban. On my version of The Voice, he'd make it through the Blind round, but get kicked off soon after, for poor choice in songs.

The White Noise, from Los Angeles... stay in Sac!

The White Noise, Ace of Spades, Sacramento

Also on tour with Enter Shikari, and performing at the Ace of Spades earlier in the evening on Sunday, was aggresssive-rock band The White Noise from L.A.  Frontman Shawn Walker declared from the stage that Sacramento would be the band's new adoptive hometown, but I bet he says that to all the girls and boys...

Shawn Walker, The White Noise

Aggressive, rocking, punkish; I found myself fascinated by Mr Walker's antics; one second screaming, the next, singing; drinking water and spit-spraying it into the crowd, launching himself over the barrier into the mosh pit, returning every time (and there were many ventures off-stage) with something from the crowd: someone's sunglasses, a random beanie, then throwing them back into the pit. Vastly energetic, imaginitive, naughty. Tweaking a nipple, knocking over a mic stand then holding a free mic in a suggestive pose for guitarist David Southern to sing into, on his knees, while one of the crew nipped on stage to right the stand; not a note was missed.

Shawn Walker, The White Noise

This band made me smile, made the entire crowd move, and I hope they'll be back in town sometime very soon. Hometown or no, Sacramento will welcome them!

The White Noise, Ace of Spades, Sacramento

The White Noise are on tour with Enter Shikari and Hands Like Houses. Check the tour dates on the band's Facebook. The White Noise are Shawn Walker (vocals), David Southern (guitar and vocals, Josh Strock (guitar), Bailey Crego (bass) and Tommy West (drums).

Here's a recent video from The White Noise; it's frantic image-shifting is such a good fit for the music and the live show. Their first EP, Aren't You Glad? is out now. Take a listen!

Hands Like Houses, Dissonants, and a broken tour van

Trenton Woodley,  Hands Like Houses

Support for Enter Shikari last night, and on a long tour around the USA, are Hands Like Houses. This band from Canberra, Australia, are not new to the USA--they've done Warped, and they played the Ace of Spades early in 2015--but they nearly didn't make it here last night. The tour van broke down on the way from Portland to Sacramento, 3 a.m. on a Sunday morning... but the magic (and hard work) happened, they arrived at the venue just in time to take the stage at 8.25 p.m. Not one second late. I'm very glad they did...

Joel Tyrrell,  Hands Like Houses, Sacramento

So much energy. So much good music. Love the slap bass...it creeps up and slaps you in the back of your head as you're listening to the sound and watching Trenton Woodley leap around the stage.

Hands Like Houses, Ace of Spades, Sacramento

Trenton Woodley,  Hands Like Houses

And these guys look as if they are really enjoying themselves on stage, on tour. Maybe it was relief at reaching the venue on time? Or maybe they always play like this? I don't know--I do know that I've spent most of today listening to Dissonants, Hands Like Houses' latest album. (Check out New Romantics for example of Joel Tyrrell's bass.)

Hands Like Houses, Ace of Spades, Sacramento

The music is metalcore without the screamo; clean vocals over layered melodic metal; alternative yet anthemic; just darn good. Take a listen. See what you think.

You know what?  I'm starting to build my wish list for this year's Aftershock. These guys are on it.
The tour continues--click here for the venues and dates: around the USA with Enter Shikari, then several dates in the UK in May. And for more info, see Hands Like Houses' website: http://handslikehouses.net/ or Facebook 

More photos from last nights' Hands Like Houses performance in Sacramento, in the photo gallery: click here! http://www.alisontoon.com/-/galleries/music/hands-like-houses

Enter Shikari, at the Ace of Spades, Sacramento

Enter Shikari, Ace of Spades, Sacramento

After the support bands had gone, the stage was cleared for Enter Shikari, returning to the Ace of Spades, early on in their major 2016 North American tour. "Over here" from their British homeland, the band's tour includes both coasts of the USA and several dates in Canada, plus festivals including Carolina Rebellion, Welcome to Rockville, Northern Invasion and Rock On The Range.

Enter Shikari, Ace of Spades, Sacramento

Touring in support of their recent album release, The Mindsweep, released last year and winner of the AIM (Association of Independant Music) award for album of the year. Much-loved by (British music/pop magazine) Kerrang! and their awards, the album is everything Enter Shikari is known for: resolutely non-genre, un-label-able, ever-changing, and yet the perfect blend of metal, hardcore, alternative, hard rock, true punk (British punk with political statements) and electro.

Rou Reynolds,  Enter Shikari

The stage setting; minimal. No props, few mic stands, one or two pedals. Cables snaking across the floor. The lighting; less than minimal: a couple of banks of strobes, reflecting on the floorboards of the stage; a searchlight or two, and that's it. We can't see the bands' faces, but it doesn't matter. The stage is an explosion of energy, the music's good, and the crowd are there to listen and to sing along to all the songs. Everyone's happy.

Rory Clewlow, Enter Shikari

With songs ranging from 2007 (Sorry You're Not A Winner, from the band's first album, Take To The Skies), right through to tracks from The Mindsweep, the show covers the breadth and depth of Enter Shikari's career.

Take a listen to The Mindsweep, Enter Shikari's fourth studio album. It's well worth adding to your music collection. Contrast the high-core-energy of Anaesthetist with the beautiful, sparse Dear Future Historians... and you'll see why this team of guys from Hertfordshire, England, cannot and will not be pigeonholed into any musical genre/meaningless label.

Catch the tour: all the dates are here!

More photos in the gallery:  http://www.alisontoon.com/-/galleries/music/enter-shikari

Tomorrow is Record Store Day!

Some of us routinely hang out there anyway--but for those of you who haven't ventured into a record store for a decade or so, or even better, those of you who grew up with iTunes and downloads and streaming... tomorrow is a good day to (re)discover the joys of browsing through physical music. Vinyl and CD. Artwork. Tomorrow is Record Store Day!

Go on... try something new, unheard, just because you like the artwork. You might never look back.

Participating record stores in the Sacramento area include:

Dimple Records at all their locations, MediumRare Records and Collectibles, Brooks Novelty Antiques and Records (one of my favourites, tucked away in Firehouse Alley in Old Sac),  Rare Records on Broadway, and more stores around the area. Go to http://recordstoreday.com/Stores to find a record store near you!

Otep: Generation Doom tour, and album's out tomorrow; check out Doll Skin!

Otep, The Boardwalk, Orangevale: Generation Doom tour

One of the things I love most about Otep tours--apart from Otep's own performance, of course--is that I'm always introduced to at least on superb band, who, without the Otep tour, I might not be lucky enough to hear, or find out about.

Sydney Dolezal, Doll Skin, at The Boardwalk, Orangevale

A couple of years or so back, it was One-Eyed Doll (who will be back at the Boardwalk themselves soon). Last year, Downfall 2012 were new-to-me and memorable. Seeing Otep in 2014 is memorable for another, sadder reason--Wayne Static was headlining, and it was only a few months before his untimely death. But this week, at the Boardwalk in Orangevale again? Otep introduced us to Doll Skin, and they put more hard rock musicianship, energy and sheer musical presence into less-than-an-hour onstage than most grown-up dudes do in a lifetime of garages. Sixteen, seventeen and nineteen years old, these young ladies have a long and successful career ahead of them. It's not gone unnoticed: they are under David Ellefson's (Megadeth) wing, and released their debut album, In Your Face, on Megaforce in October last year.Doll Skin are Sydney Dolezal (16), vocals; Alex Snowden (16), guitar; Nicole Rich (17), bass; Meghan Shea Herring (19), drums.

Nicole Rich, Doll Skin

Alex Snowden, , Doll Skin

Look out for Doll Skin. They are stealing the show.

Meghan Shea Herring, Doll Skin

Also on the bill on Tuesday was September Mourning, seen last year at Aftershock festival in Elverta, with the unique mix of graphic-novel caricature and hard rock, It will be interesting to see what this band develops into over the next couple of year; how will the characters and music grow?

September Mourning, The Boardwalk, Orangevale

September Mourning

Main support for Tuesday's show was Lacey Sturm, previously lead singer with Flyleaf (and with her fellow Flyleaf band member, and husband, playing guitar in her band. Her first solo album, Life Screams, is available now, and includes a really nice, different, cover of the Police's Roxanne.  Also in Lacey's setlist: Flyleaf's Chasm and All Around Me, plus songs from Life Screams, the entire album being well worth attention. Lacey will be supporting Otep on several more, but not all, of the tour dates--check here.

Lacey Sturm, The Boardwalk, Orangevale

And then Otep! Leading up to tomorrow's release of Generation Doom (Friday 15th April), the album has been streaming this week on Billboard; some very recognizable Otep-metal-poetry-song, some more melodic, even a cover of Lorde's Royals... Generation Doom, in its entirety, a much-awaited, anticipated and worth-the-wait follow-up to 2013's Hydra. (I'm eagerly awaiting my colored vinyl which arrives tomorrow, release day, while listening to the streamed version while writing this... it's good. It's very, very good!)

Otep, Generation Doom

From the emotion and melody of In Cold Blood to the poetic fight of Equal Right Equal Left, Generation Doom is both provocative and memorable. Otep Shamaya's voice, one moment a screaming banshee, the next, as beautiful as sunrise. Yes provocative. Yes, memorable. Yes, articulate indeed.

Articulate, activist, Otep, in the house at the Boardwalk. Very good show; very good tour. Catch a date if you can: its a long tour, across most of the USA. And it's only just begun!

Photo galleries:

Otep: (seriously, seriously low light): http://www.alisontoon.com/-/galleries/music/otep/otep-boardwalk-apr-16
Lacey Sturm:  http://www.alisontoon.com/-/galleries/music/lacey-sturm
September Mourning: (seriously low light): http://www.alisontoon.com/-/galleries/music/september-mourning/september-mourning-apr-16
Doll Skin (lights!!! thank you!!!):  http://www.alisontoon.com/-/galleries/music/doll-skin

Otep, The Boardwalk, Orangevale

(Otep: "He called me a dyke, I called him an ambulance.")  I'm still laughing about that one.

Memphis May Fire photo gallery added

Matty Mullins and Cory Elder, Memphis May Fire

From the tour with Killswitch Engage (click for the review), and the date at the Ace of Spades, Sacramento, last week: here's the photo gallery: http://www.alisontoon.com/-/galleries/music/memphis-may-fire

"Matty Mullins, vocals,

Ink, art and music... here's the art, here's the ink

Tattooed man, NorCal Tattoo and Music Festival

I've posted a few examples of the stunning body-art seen at this past weekend's NorCal Tattoo and Music Festival. Traditional tattoos ranging from sailor's anchors to Mother; Christian and gothic, Japanese and Indian, all testimony to artistry, patience, permanence and pain tolerance.

If you see your work (or your body part!) in any of these pictures, please email me with the URL of the picture so that I can add details. More pictures in the gallery, click here: http://www.alisontoon.com/-/galleries/life/tattoos

Stunning... simply stunning.

Ganesh tattoo, NorCal Tattoo and Music Festival

Killswitch Engage, the Incarnate tour, and a full metal house

Killswitch Engage, Ace of Spades, Sacramento

Thursday evening in Sacramento, and the doors open at 5.30 p.m. Despite the early after-work hour, the venue is filling rapidly for the sold-out Killswitch Engage show, Openers Toothgrinder from New Jersey quickly have the crowd in motion and a mosh pit quickly develops, along with a path to the water dispenser closest to the action.

Jesse Leach, vocals, Killswitch Engage

Up next: 36 Crazyfists, from Alaska, and they drove the temperature up and up. They've been around the metalcore scene for a while, and they know how to get the crowd going. Really intense, and fun, set from 36 Crazyfists.

Energetic crowd! Killswitch Engage, Ace of Spades, Sacramento

Main support, Memphis May Fire, from Dallas, Texas, showing why they have rapidly become very popular. Huge energy and great stage presence, and the crowd is going insane. The guy with the red t-shirt has crowd-surfed into the pit at least twice already, and Killswitch Engage haven't even taken the stage, yet.

Killswitch Engage, Ace of Spades, Sacramento

And then they do: Killswitch Engage, in smoke and fog and searchlights and violently-bright strobes, and wow, what a show!!! First time in Sacramento for several years: I think the last time was at Sleeptrain Amphitheater, out in Wheatland, in 2009. The show is intense, it's superb, it's crazy, and it's so very well received by the packed-to-the-gills crowd at the Ace of Spades. Playing songs from the new album, Incarnate, and heading to a final crescendo with The End Of Heartbreak, My Curse, and In Due Time, Killswitch Engage showed what makes a metal concert so memorable.

Killswitch Engage, Ace of Spades, Sacramento

People were singing in the streets on their way back to their cars, wrung with sweat, giddy with the music. What a concert, what a night!

Don't miss this tour! All dates can be found here.

More photos from Killswitch Engage in the photo gallery: http://www.alisontoon.com/-/galleries/music/killswitch-engage

Photo galleries for the supporting band will be added soon!

NorCal Tattoo and Music Festival begins today!

Detail of back

See some beautiful ink, get a tattoo, listen to music... good way to spend the weekend. It's all happening at NorCal Tattoo and Music Festival, and CalExpo, the site of California State Fair. Take the entrance on Exposition Blv and head towards the big white tent, through the rodeo gate.

Judging a tattoo competition

Beginning today and continuing until late Sunday, there are many tattoo artists present, and there will be concerts Saturday and Sunday. For full details, see the festival website. The concert lineup is here--note that there may be more bands added to Sunday.

Beautiful Ganesh tattoo

See a few more ink masterpieces in this photo gallery (will add more pictures this weekend): http://www.alisontoon.com/-/galleries/life/tattoos

San Francisco's Outside Lands festival lineup... you have to see this!!!

This is the lineup as posted today, 5th April. Subject to additions and change and... wow, do I really, really see Radiohead????

Tickets here: http://www.sfoutsidelands.com/tickets

Dates: August 5th to 7th

Place:  San Francisco!!!

Find all the info and keep updated on the festival website: http://www.sfoutsidelands.com/