Marillion, three weekends, seven photographers, a million flashes of inspiration, and one book. Coming soon.

And it's all about the music, the musicians and performers, the lights... because all the photographer does is catches a flash of the light shining from the sound and soul on the stage. This book shares quite a few such moments from three wonderful weekends of music, headlined by Marillion, enjoyed by fans who travel from around the world to participate.

The 2015 Marillion weekends are coming soon... will you be there?

Can you guess how many photos seven photographers can take during three weekends of their favourite band's shows? I guess you'll just have to buy the book to find out! On sale at all three weekends, and then online later this year.

Get your copy of this book at one of the weekends...  I'll be at PZ and Wolverhampton. See you there!

The Last Internationale announce they're joining tour with Scott Weiland and the Wildabouts. That'll be fun.

Delilah Paz, The Last Internationale

The Last Internationale today announced they will be touring the US with Scott Weiland and his band, the Wildabouts. Not a huge set of dates, so go buy your tickets before they are all sold out. And if you haven't already, take a listen to We Will Reign.

The are also playing BottleRock in Napa. And we saw them here in Sacramento at Aftershock last year.

Which reminds me... Scott Weiland... last time I saw him, he was still with Stone Temple Pilots, at Aftershock 2012,

Scott Weiland

Which reminds me... isn't it time that the Aftershock dates are announced? Right now I have the whole of September blocked off, just-in-case. Right?

More pictures from the Hellyeah Blood For Blood tour: Archer, Like a Storm, Devour The Day

Archer, opening the evening, Sacramento

Apart from Like a Storm, who had a tiny-little-bit more light, the entire evening was rather... dark. From a photographer's point-of-view, that is. As mentioned earlier in the Hellyeah review, better just to watch and listen to the show, and have fun that worry about the photos!

The evening began with Archer, a three-man rock band from Santa Cruz, definitely a Megadeth influence there, and maybe a little Steve Vai

Matt Brooks, Like A Storm, Sacramento

Next up were Like a Storm, the three Brooks brothers, all the way from New Zealand, performing mostly covers... and a didgeridoo. I couldn't quite believe it--two didgeridoos in one week, in Northern California. Go figure.

Chris Brooks, Like A Storm, Sacramento

Main support act put on a rocking show--Devour The Day,  Very enjoyable and worth seeing.

Devour The Day, Sacramento

To see more photos from each of these bands, click on the image to go to the Toon's Tunes galleries. And also see HELLYEAH: Blood For Blood at the Ace of Spades

Beware of Darkness... a 'tween-album playlist-mixtape-EP available now

Kyle Nicolaides, Beware of Darkness, Sacramento

Check out Beware of Darkness' new mixtape/EP, Sanctuary Season. You can also buy it on iTunes now.

A little more electro than Orthodox, but still with the haunting Nicolaides vocals--especially A Stranger Saved My Life--and with a couple of fun voicemails thrown in for good measure. Kyle, roll up the cables next time, OK?

I can die happy now. Hozier, Ace of Spades Sacramento, 11 Feb 2015

Hozier show, sold out

Yes, I can die happy now. But not just yet. Want to do that a few times more, yet. See and hear Hozier, live, in concert.

This guy is for real. His music is timeless, his voice... soulful. Blending blues, soul, Irish ballad, folk... Hozier is here to stay. Humble and brave and can I hear some more, please? I see a lot of musicians who put on good shows. There are very few who are absolute standouts. Hozier is.

Backed by a band of very talented musicians and singers, a beautiful light show, and sound levels that were spot on, allowing the clarity of Hozier's voice to ring out.

"Jackie and Wilson", "Someone New", so many beautiful songs from the self-titled album, "Hozier"... many performers hold back their biggest hit until an encore, but Hozier completed the main set with "Take Me To Church", beautifully arranged... and then came back for a four-song encore.

The show was sold out months ago, way before most people knew he was even touring the USA: nothing to do with the Grammies performance, but the Grammies can only have boosted demand for last-minute tickets. There was not one single ticket available on StubHub yesterday--I checked. Craigslist only had ads from people desperate to buy a ticket. Doors opened at 7 pm, and there was a line about a mile long, winding around to S street, waiting to go inside the Ace of Spades. Future dates on this tour are sold out. You might want to grab a ticket for the recently-announced dates later in the summer, before they are all gone too. They are like gold, and they deserve to be.

What more can I say? Hozier just raised the bar for performances... you CAN have a well-lit, beautifully-sounding show on tour. I'm not mad. It's true--he proved it, last night. (And at the end of the show, Andrew Hozier-Byrne thanked everyone on his team... all the musicians, the light guys, the sound guys, PR and management... and on behalf of everyone at the show last night, I say thank you, too!)

Sold-out crowd enjoying Hozier

Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful show.

Want to hear more? Buy the album, "Hozier". Check out the video from the Grammies. See if you can beg, borrow or steal a ticket from one of the other dates on the tour--this was just the beginning.

Anyone who knows me will know how much I was itching to shoot this show. I hope that one day soon, I have the opportunity to photograph a Hozier show. I promise to do it justice.

Thank you, Hozier. Come back to Sacramento soon. We miss you already. There might be a road trip in my future...

(Oh and tour organizers? That's how it should be. One support act to set the scene, and the main star of the evening, with a full-length, wonderful performance. And then everyone goes home happy at a decent time of night. And they buy loads of merch. Yes, that's the way to do it.)

(How did I first hear Hozier? By following a YouTube path when listening to Rag'N'Bone man... if you like Hozier, you may enjoy him too.)

And this is plain awesome... Hozier and Annie Lennox

In case you missed the Grammies (if, like me, you were at the Hellyeah show), then I'm sharing this here. This would have been my own Grammies; highlight. While I enjoy Sam Smith's music and song, this young man, Hozier, has something timeless... and with Annie? Wow...

(See this review for why I so would like to see Annie Lennox live again. It's been far to long! Must be at least XX years since a night way-back-when at Leicester's De Montfort Hall... sigh.)

Reminder: Hozier plays the Ace of Spades tomorrow night, 11th February. If you don't have a ticket, you might get lucky somehow... radio station giveaways? Expensive resale ticket? But that would be very, very lucky. The show has been sold out, for months.

You might just have to make do with this video. Put it on repeat. Real voices. Real songs. I love it. Oh and don't forget to check out Annie Lennox's album, Nostalgia.

HELLYEAH: Blood for Blood at the Ace of Spades, 8th February

Chad Gray, Hellyeah

We could have stayed home and watched the Grammies, but we preferred to go to the Ace of Spades. fill it with humanity, and see a great night of rock, instead. Because we all know how much rock there is at the Grammies, right? And because... Sacramento loves Hellyeah!

Vinnie Paul, Hellyeah

Headliners-superband Hellyeah stole the show. Vinnie Paul, he of Pantera, standing and waving to the crowd from behind his raised drum kit. Tom Maxwell of Nothingface on guitar; Kyle Sanders on bass, and of course, Mudvayne and Hellyeah frontman, Chad Gray.

But this is more than a sum of parts, previous experience, other bands... this is Hellyeah, and unique, and a great show!


This was a show to watch from the back of the room, on the balcony, to see the full light show and audience interaction. The crowd moved as one, like an ocean of Chad's extended family.

Chad Gray, Hellyeah

It wasn't really a show for photography: far too little light for the cameras. But there are a few shots in the Toon's Tunes Hellyeah gallery (or click on any of the photos in this post)... and if you missed them at Aftershock last year, see the Toon's Tunes Hellyeah Aftershock 2014 gallery too!

Catch Hellyeah's tour throughout the USA--and at Download, Castle Donnington, UK too! Go see them! You'll have fun!!!

Otep's tour stop at the Boardwalk, Orangevale: Thira, Downfall 2012, Zeroclient, Cataclysmic Assault

I preface this review with the fact that, much as I really wanted to see Otep again, by ten PM on Thursday the 'flu, a migraine, and three weeks of non-stop travel caught up with me with a vengeance... and rather than hide out in the bathroom at the Boardwalk, I went home to feel ill in private. So... I didn't get to see Otep, nor the final support act Terror Universal. Next time. (And next time, hopefully before 11 pm on a weekday-workday-evening...

Zeroclient

Opening the evening's show was local band Zeroclient, and these guys get better each time I see them. They are working it... look out for them.

Cataclysmic Assault

Then came Cataclysmic Assault (try saying that quickly ten times... I keep mis-spelling it!), thrash metal from Yuba City.

Downfall 2012

Then Downfall 2012. These guys are something else... three-man, multi-instrumentalist band, drums, bass, guitar, vocals, home-made percussion from all sorts of containers... and a didgeridoo. Yep. They were fun, entertaining, musical and yes, I'd go see them again. Hailing from Houston, Texas, you can find out more about Downfall 2012 on Facebook and on FeedTheMuse.

Here's an example of their music, official video (it starts really quiet... wait for it!):

And then Thira... always a good show, the steampunk-rockers are visually-intriguing, very energetic, and fun to watch.

Thira

Click on any of the photos above to see the full Toon's Tunes photo galleries!

And the Sammie nominees are....

Zeroclient

The Sammies are SN&R (Sacramento News and Review)'s annual celebration of local music talent, and this year's nominees are all listed here on http://newsreview.com

Nominees include Zeroclient (on stage tonight at The Boardwalk),  and many, many, MANY more, in all music categories ranging from metal to jazz. Cast your votes!!!

(I wonder when they'll add a category for music photographers, writers/reviewers, promotors, managers, and more???)

First few days of February are looking good. Hell, yeah!

Otep

Otep, February 5th, at the Boardwalk in Orangevale, supported by a list of bands including the weirdly-intriguing Thira.

And then... HELLYEAH, at the Ace of Spades, on February 8th.

HELLYEAH

And then, and then... Hozier, at the Ace, on February 11th. If you remembered to get a ticket. Cos Hozier's were sold out, long long ago.

Not a bad start to the year. Not bad at all. See you there!

FallRise, acoustic evening, at the Back 9 in Citrus Heights

FallRise

An acoustic evening with FallRise last night at Citrus Height's Back 9 Bar and Grill. Intimate setting, lots of fans and friends; not just music, but questions-and-answers, signings, and more.

Not all bands are brave enough to go unplugged. FallRise are, and it works, and they sound really good.

Sammy Karlin, FallRise

More Toon's Tunes photos in the FallRise gallery.

Playlist for a long train ride or a Sunday or...

Forgive any typos, posted from phone while on train... Originally put this together on Sunday but was just perfect for today's train journeys.

Life in Her Yet, by Rag'n'Bone Man
Christchurch Bells, by Hothouse Flowers.
Streets Fell Into My Window, by The Red Paintings
When I Meet God, by Marillion
Take Me To Church, by Hozier
A Song For You, by Celine Dion
Look At The Fool, by Tim Buckley
Strange Sky, by The Tourists
Baby Can I Hold You, by Tracy Chapman
Watch The World End, by Trace Adkins
White Rabbit, by Jefferson Airplane
I'm Not The Only One, by Sam Smith
Brave, by Josh Groban

Migrating photo servers is not easy. But is it worth it? You tell me!

So... I spent much of last week, and the weekend, completing the major part of the migration of Toon's Tunes photogalleries and other AlisonToon.com photos from one hosting service to another. There was no way to do it painlessly or without breaking anything. Right now, many older blog posts are without their images, and I'll be fixing that over time.

I've updated the article I wrote a while back, comparing my original hosting service (Zenfolio) with the new one (PhotoDeck). You can read it here: Photographer's choice: Zenfolio or PhotoShelter? Or PhotoDeck? Yes, please!

If you notice missing images, they will come back, sometime soon... (would be faster if Blogger had a search-and-replace function, but it doesn't). In the meantime, you can always go directly to http://alisontoon.com and browse through the Music galleries! You might see something you missed!

... and Coachella, too! Lineup announced, tickets on sale this week!

Tickets go on sale tomorrow! There are TWO weekends: April 10-12 and April 17-19.

Lineup includes  headliners AC/DC, Jack White, Drake, and many, many more. I'd look out for The War On Drugs, Hozier, Bad Religion, Fitz and the Tantrums, Kasabian, St. Vincent... but that's just a few. So many good acts! (Don't forget your sunscreen!)

BottleRock Napa lineup announced! Looks good! (Watch the video.. music, food, wine...)

Dates: May 29-31st. Tickets go on sale on January 8th at 10 a.m. Pacific time. Buy tickets ASAP, as they sell out--fast!

Delila Paz of The Last Internationale

So many to see in the lineup! Robert Plant! Imagine Dragons, No Doubt.... And... if you didn't see them at Aftershock last year, don't miss The Last Internationale. Seriously. Oh... and I really, really want to see the Gipsy Kings.

Full details on the website: http://www.bottlerocknapavalley.com/ or on BottleRock Napa's Facebook page.

Want more: here's a preview!

So what are you doing tonight? Fireworks, fun, music? Lots to choose from!

There's TBDfest's New Year's Eve block party, with Gigamesh, Oliver, Sister Crayon and more. I hope you have tickets already, cos it's sold out!!! Dress up warmly!!!

And there's Sac of Stars at the Boardwalk with Korean Fire Drill, Clockwork Hero, and many other Sacramento favourites.

And there are fireworks (two shows!) and much more in Old Sacramento: check it all out here on the NYE page.

And that's just the tip of the iceberg (and yes, it's chilly, but only relative to our usual nights)!

Whatever you are planning on doing... keep safe, don't drink and drive and watch out for those who do. See you next year!

And that was 2014: a musical roundup!

Author & Punisher

Thinking back over 2014, and what a year it was. Early on: Author and Punisher, lionfight, Otep... then later, Bret Michaels and Blackjack Billy.... So much music! As a photographer, sometimes I listen as much with my eyes as with my ears at concerts. At the end of this post, you'll see why. But first, here's my summary of the year that's about to come to a close! (And if you want to scroll back through the year, use the archive link ---> over there on the right!)

Adam Granduciel, The War on Drugs, TBD Fest, 2014

MOST LISTENED-TO ALBUM, at least in the last quarter of the year:  The War On Drugs, Lost in the Dream. After seeing them for the first time at TBD Fest here in Sacramento, I was lost in the album. The subliminal notes from Dire Straits, Bob Dylan; the opening of Red Eyes so reminiscent of the opening of Dry Land... and the most sublime transitions in Suffering that just turn my heart inside-out, and the so-danceable and intense An Ocean Between The Waves. How could this fail to become one of my most-listened to albums? Then there's competition with Gemini Syndrome's LUX, which continues to be one of my most-listened-to albums of recent years... and Marillion's Sounds That Can't Be Made, But both of these were released prior to 2014, so what will 2015 bring?

Ivan Moody of FFDP (Five Finger Death Punch) and Alison Toon of Toon's Tunes

BEST FESTIVAL, difficult choice, as each festival covered this year was unique and very, very memorable. From Cropredy in England with flags and rain and Marillion to TBD Fest in a dusty Sacramento construction site... all were wonderful experiences. But Aftershock always stands out, and this year was immensley memorable for the chat with Ivan Moody of Five Finger Death Punch. (Photo credit Karli Hughes.)

Steve Hogarth (H), Marillion, Cropredy festival, 2014

BIGGEST REGRET: Not seeing Gemini Syndrome live this year. However, I did get to spend some time chatting Brian Steele Medina... and will be there next year, somewhere, somehow! Also... not making it to Knotfest, as I had to be somewhere-else at the same time. Maybe we can fix that in 2015?

Fans waiting for Five Finger Death Punch, Aftershock 2014

GREATEST CROWD: The People Of Aftershock, of course!

The Soft White Sixties at the Assembly, Sacramento

BEST DISCOVERIES: A whole list of music new-to-me, including The Last Internationale, The Red Paintings, The War On Drugs, and, way back in April, The Soft White Sixties. They are phenomenal and I really, really want to see them again in 2015. And don't forget Sacramento's own The Three Way!!!

Rob Zombie at Aftershock 2014, Sacramento

MOST DIFFICULT TO "SHOOT": Other than the usual local low-light venues, which are always ridiculous, I have to rate Rob Zombie's show at Aftershock the most tricky to photograph. Not only was the lighting difficult, I was squished between two speaker stacks and two videographers who blocked the view of the stage. But... you just work with it!

BEST INDOORS LIVE PERFORMANCES: one of these might just have been at the very end of the year... those of you who wrote your lists before the end of December might have missed One-Eyed Doll!

The Three Way, March 2014

MOST-ENJOYED LOCAL BANDS: Sacramento has a lot of talent, a lot of performers, and a lot of bands who are weekend-warrior-locals. Some of whom really stand out, probably because they constantly work at their music, learn and grow: (and for me, most important: they sing on-key!)  It will be interesting to see what happens in 2015, as some of my favourites have lineup changes, some are touring, some have albums out. Check out especially Zeroclient. The Three Way, Fair Struggle, A Mile Till Dawn, The Alpha Complex, FallRise,  Journal.

MOST-ANTICIPATED FOR NEXT YEAR: Marillion weekends!  Aftershock 2015!!! And--hopefully will make it there in 2015--Knotfest!!!

LEAST CHANGED IN FOREVER: Steve Hackett. He must have a portrait in the attic.

FAVOURITE PHOTO OF 2014: This one of Nic Astacio, lionfight. And it explains why I love photographing performers... of any kind of music, and often with the most inapropriate lenses for the lighting conditions. Because of moments like this.

Nick Astacio, lionfight, Sacramento 2014

Toon's Tunes Christmas Day playlist... because you have to!

Blue Christmas, Elvis Presley
Do You Hear What I Hear?, Whitney Houston
Gaudete, Steeleye Span
Happy Xmas (War Is Over), John Lennon
I Believe In Father Christmas, Greg Lake
I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day, Wizzard
Joys Of Christmas, Chris Rea
Last Christmas, George Michael
Little Drummer Boy, Wyclef Jean
Lonely This Christmas, Mud
Merry Christmas Everybody!, Slade
Peace On Earth/Little Drummer Boy, Bing Crosby and David Bowie
River, Nashville Cast
River, Robert Downey Jr.
Santa Claus is Coming To Town, Bruce Springsteen
Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree, Mary J Blige
Thank God It's Christmas, Queen
Walking In The Air, Aled Jones
White Christmas, Stiff Little Fingers
Ave Maria, Stevie Wonder
Christmas Card from a Hooker..., Tom Waits
Fairytale of New York, The Pogues
White Christmas, Ally McBeal cast
Silent Night, Sinead O'Conner
Step Into Christmas, Elton John
Happy Xmas (War is Over), Marillion  (YouTube link cos not yet on iTunes in the USA)

You know where to find them all!  Merry Christmas, happy Thursday everyone!

One-Eyed Doll at the Boardwalk, Orangevale. A summary. A horror show. Sheer musical genius!

Kimberly Freeman,  One-Eyed Doll, Orangevale

A One-Eyed Doll show. Brilliant! (And at the Boardwalk in Orangevale: nice and intimate.)

Let me try to paint the picture... Pippi Longstocking meets Marilyn Manson for a cup of tea with Edgar Allen Poe in a house designed by Tim Burton. Then there's a pope, the devil, a royal queen, a telephone call on a dismembered leg; a little-girl-lost, a big heavy metal guitar, a voice that sends shivers up your spine (and that has nothing to do with the lyrics, but they'll have the same effect, though it might be laughter too); darn good drums played by sorta-Father-Christmas, smoke, lasers, a mushroom head-hat, a Scorpion,.. did I miss anyone? Probably...

Kimberly Freeman,  One-Eyed Doll, Orangevale

Don't go to a One-Eyed Doll show expecting to be an audience. You're part of the show, whether it's voting for your religion (Twinkies? Yoyos?), affirming the humanity of serial killers, turning your back while Kimberly changes clothes, getting up on stage because you're wearing a One-Eyed Doll t-shirt, or helping to kill that damn scorpion... And it is so much fun. And such good, very good, music.

Junior, One-Eyed Doll, Orangevale

On the road for more than 300 days a year, these guys truly work at their art and their music--and it shows. This is entertainment, this is professional, this is dark-and-heavy-and-fun music, and I don't want to miss another show.

Kimberly Freeman,  One-Eyed Doll, Orangevale

Kimberly plays a signature Tregan guitar. In case you want to treat yourself. Still time before Christmas, right?

Kimberly Freeman,  One-Eyed Doll, Orangevale

Watch out for One-Eyed Doll back on the road soon, and with a new album too: keep an eye here and here.

Full set of photos from the show in the Toon's Tunes One-Eyed Doll photo gallery. Or just click on one of the photos above.

For a review of the show at the Ace of Spades last year, click here.

You're in for a treat... One-Eyed Doll, tomorrow night, at the Boardwalk, Orangevale.

One-Eyed Doll, Sacramento, 2013

See you there! Doors open at 7 pm. Find out more on One-Eyed Doll's Facebook!

(In case you missed One-Eyed Doll last year, here's the Toon's Tunes review. Don't miss this time!)