My favourite pictures from the three Marillion weekends--which are yours?

Marillion, Port Zelande, 2015

So... three full weekends of Marillion: Port Zelande, The Netherlands; Wolverhampton, England, UK; and then Montreal, Canada. Incredibly-wonderful-weekends. So happy to have been there... and to have been allowed the access to shoot all of the shows. This is one very happy photographer :-)

I have (at last) finished editing all of the Marillion photos from the weekends, at least, the evening concerts. I still have many of the support acts, most of the fan photos, the Sunday afternoon Swap The Band and quiz sessions from PZ and Montreal, and a load of others to work on... please be patient a little longer, it all takes a while (and I will update this post to a link to them as I finish editing).

I'm picking out a few of my personal favourites here, from each of the nine shows. Click on any of the photos to go to that evening's gallery. And, if you see another that you like, feel free to use the "Share" button to share on social media (no copy-paste, please!). Just be kind enough to tag @alisontoon and @marillion when you share! (@marilliononline and @alisontoon on Twitter).

Marillion, Friday, Port Zelande

Friday, Port Zelande: I have no clue how this photo "worked". There are a couple more similar shots in the gallery. The incredible light show, the crowd cheering the band... the great atmosphere of a weekend in Marillion World.

The Invisible Man, Marillion, Saturday, Port Zelande

Saturday, Port Zelande: Marillion's performance of The Invisible Man, indeed all of Marbles, was stunning. The video and lights, beautiful. Together? Something to be experienced. Again and again. Each time I saw the Saturday evening show--PZ, Wolves, Montreal--I saw, and heard, something else, another nuance, another memory. Bloody wonderful. Seriously.

When did you say the DVD will be out???

Marillion, Sunday, Port Zelande

Sunday, Port Zelande: I know everyone loves the photo of H doing the walk.. but there's something about this one that I love, too. It's also not a perfect shot by any means, but... I like it. Oh and the ones with the shadow in the spotlight and the smoke. OK, Sunday is difficult to choose.

Marillion, Friday, Wolverhampton

Friday, Wolverhampton: I'm going with this one, just-because it's almost identical to the one on the cover of The Web UK magazine from 2013 (yep, that's mine too). It wasn't intentional... oh OK, maybe just a little intentional.. audience not quite as worked up yet (but it didn't take long at all... the Wolves shows, all three, were unforgettable!)

Ocean Cloud, Marillion, Saturday, Wolvehampton

Saturday, Wolverhampton: All of Marbles, wonderful. Ocean Cloud? I'm running out of superlatives... beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful.

Sunday, Marillion, Wolverhampton

Sunday, Wolverhampton: The three Sunday shows, many singles, oldies and newbies, a lot of singing along, laughter and tears and a whole lotta love...

Friday, Marillion, Montreal

Friday, Montreal: Yes, that's Ian Mosley, drummer, not hidden behind cymbals, sunglasses or anything else!!!!

Saturday, Marillion, Montreal

Saturday, Montreal: "Put your arms around my soul, and take it dancing"... (shivers down my spine, how I love Marbles...)

(Pull yourself together woman. Not here.)

Sunday, Marillion, Montreal

Sunday, Montreal: Steve Rothery, serene as ever, plays on... and H leaps around like Zebedee.

You ever watch the movie, The Last Samurai (the only good movie with Tom Cruise)? At the end, Ken Watanabe's character, Katsumoto, who had been searching all his life for the perfect cherry blossom, sees the blossom falling, and finally realises: "Perfect... they are all, perfect". That's how these weekends were for me. Every moment, perfect. Gaza, Sympathy, oh darnit can we do it again please?????

If I go back through the photos again tomorrow, I'll choose nine different ones, because they'll each bring back another memory.

If you were there--I hope they do that for you, too. If you were not: I hope they share something of the music you missed. Go to http://marillion.com, and take a listen. And if you're on this side of the pond--North America--look out next year for a Marillion gig near you. If you see a tent outside, or a gypsy caravan, that'll be me, Alison.

(And if you enjoy these photos and those of the others who were shooting the weekends, check out the book, A Million Photo Flashes, which contains the work of seven photographers, yours-truly included, and the words of the band. There are copies available, while they last, on http://marillion.com)

Riotmaker opens Concerts in the Park 2015 with happy Calirock!

Riotmaker, with guest Jeffrey Harris, CitP 2015

Sacramento's own Riotmaker opened up this year's Concerts In The Park in style: happy, infinitely-danceable Calirock: a blend of reggae, dub, alternative, cheerful rock. Their album is aptly titled, "Welcome to Calirock", and you can obtain a copy from iTunes, Amazon, or wherever else you buy your music. It's great roadtrip-to-the-beach music--go get a copy!

It's official: with the start of the Concerts in the Park, summer is here--and so is outdoor music!

Riotmaker, Concerts in the Park, Sacramento

If you haven't been to a Concert in the Park, they happen every Friday evening throughout the summer (except July 3rd)--the lineups are on the website, together with info about finding the location, parking, etc. The concerts are free--yes, free!

There's room for dancing in front of the stage. There are food trucks for all tastes, gourmet, sweet, snack, hearty... and a beer tent too.

Yes you can dance, Concerts in the Park

Even Slamson, the Sacramento Kings' mascot, was there, challenging the dancefloor.

Dancing with Slamson, Concerts in the Park

And don't forget Kenny the Dancing Man. He was there, he was dancing... and rumour has it that you'll soon be getting Kenny-the-Dancing-Man tattoos.

More pictures of Riotmaker in the Toon's Tunes Riotmaker gallery. And people-having-fun pictures too--I'll be adding to these during the summer.

One-Eyed Doll, and you need to read (and see, and hear) this!

Kimberly Freeman, One-Eyed Doll, The Boardwalk, Orangevale

I took a few hours out of editing my remaining Marillion weekend photos (yes, I'll share soon, no, they are not ready yet, yes, the weekends were absolutely-brilliant) to see one of my favourite bands, One-Eyed Doll, back at The Boardwalk for the second time in a few months.

One-Eyed Doll

You haven't seen them live yet, I'm sure, otherwise you'd be raving about them as much as I do. Kimberly: great guitar, huge stage presence, multiple personas, full control of the crowd, bendy as all heck... and a beautiful voice. Junior: driving the sound from behind the drums. Together: an extremely entertaining and fun and heavy and metal and halloween sound.

One-Eyed Doll

Someone once told me that you can't paint abstract art well, until you've mastered classical drawing. It's the same with music: you can't put on this kind of show, unless you're a master of the underlying technique. Listen to Kimberly's voice. It underpins all the theatrics and show. Same with the guitar and drums: One-Eyed Doll is built on true rock (in both senses of the word).

Kimberly Freeman leaping from the drum kit, One-Eyed Doll

Those of you around the world, outside the USA: you've not been lucky enough to "meet" One-Eyed Doll yet. You should. So go check out their website, and here's an intro.

More photos in the Toon's Tunes gallery (and back up a level to see the other shows Toon's Tunes has covered).

TBD Fest dates announced: September 18th-21st!

Dates are announced: lineup coming soon. If you really want to participate in the "TBD" spirit, you can buy early tickets right now--without knowing the lineup--at a bargain price.

Now... Aftershock???  Dates please?  #waitingimpatiently #prettyplease

Concerts in the Park begin tomorrow--and One-Eyed Doll on Saturday at the Boardwalk

The Soft White Sixties

The annual outdoor concert series, Concerts in the Park, begin tomorrow in Sacramento. 5 p.m. until 9 pm on Friday evenings throughout the summer, mostly local bands and talent, beginning tomorrow with Island of Black & White, Drop Dead Red, Riotmaker, and DJ Epik.

The one I'm most looking forwards too, of course, is The Soft White Sixties on July 10th. If you haven't seen and heard them yet... be there!

Kimberly Freeman, One-Eyed Doll

Then on Saturday evening, One-Eyed Doll is back at the Boardwalk in Orangevale. Gives everyone who missed them last time another chance! Don't waste it... they're wonderful.

The heart, and the art, of Montreal

Street art, Montreal, Canada

So... I was in Montreal for the final one of this year's Marillion weekends (and yes, there will be photos soon, I promise). First visit to Montreal: lovely city, lovely people, and I really enjoyed the French-ness of everything.

Musician, Street art, Montreal, Canada

Walking along Rue Sainte-Catherine, couldn't help but stare at the street art. Vivid, expressive, and sending some very strong messages.

Part of a building on Rue St Catherine, Montreal, Canada

See more examples in the Toon's Tunes Montreal gallery!

One more Marillion weekend... and the sky above the rain.

Ice cracking, Atlantic Ocean west of Greenland

This coming weekend, I will be in Montreal for the third and final Marillion weekend of 2015. You should be there. Really.

It's been a few weeks of intense travelling, and some spectacular views--the concerts, of course, but also from my window seat. Check out these shows put on by Mother Nature!

Greenland

See more in the From My Window Seat gallery. All taken with Nokia Lumia phone.

Leaving Seattle

Witches. Take a listen. Then go see One-Eyed Doll. OK?

Kimberly Freeman of One-Eyed Doll

While the Marillion Weekends are happening, I'm so attuned to their music, anything else is having a hard time finding ear-space or listening-room, and it's difficult to give anything else the fair hearing a review deserves. New albums are piling up, music that was ordered a while back and recently received; it's gathering dust and probably will until after Montreal.

One album that I can't miss mentioning, though, is One-Eyed Doll's release, Witches. Well worth the wait... if you haven't heard them yet, now is the time. Witches is a mix of heavy rock, theatre and beautiful vocals. Spooky-good. "Prayer", almost orchestral, then "Black In The Rye", more reminiscent of the previous album, "Dirty"... and later in the album, my personal favourite: "Stillness".

Take a listen to "Prayer" here:

And be aware: you really, really won't know the full One-Eyed Doll experience until you've seen Kimberly and Junior live, on stage, in a venue near you. Check their website tour page for dates all over the USA--and if you're in Northern California, head to the Boardwalk in Orangevale on May 2nd.

Steve Rothery Band: delightful!

Steve Rothery, Steve Rothery Band, PZ, The Netherlands

If you have the chance to see the Steve Rothery band live, jump on it. As well as performing at the Marillion Weekends, the bands album, The Ghosts of Pripyat is available now.

Oh, I mentioned it before, did I? Then you should take note already. OK?

The Steve Rothery Band are Mr. Rothery of course, Dave Foster also on guitar, Leon Parr on drums, Yatim Halimi on bass, and Riccardo Romano (also of RanestRane) on keys.

Dave Foster and Yatim Halimi

Steve Rothery and Leon Parr

Leon Parr, Steve Rothery, Riccardo Romano

More photos in the Toon's Tunes Steve Rothery Band gallery.

The story of an unreadable 32-gigabyte CF card: what was lost is now found

From the pit, Marillion Weekend, The Netherlands

Anyone who shoots a lot of photos, whether a wedding photographer, sports journalist, wildlife or music photog, knows that one horrible day, a memory card may fail. You can lose everything that was on the card, if you haven't yet been able to back it up. A 32-gigabyte card can hold an enormous number of images, even when Raw file sizes are more than 20Mb each. What happens when you lose that precious work?

This happened to me on the last evening of the Marillion PZ weekend. I'd had a warning during the afternoon, when a strange error message ("Do you want to format the card? Y/N") (Um, no!) prompted me to switch off the camera, restart and see it was fine, back up the card immediately, and then relegate it to my only-as-a-last-resort memory card. Unfortunately, I had to use it again, late in the evening, as all the others were full. Yes I did think I had taken enough cards with me. I guess that's another lesson learned.

When I went to back up this one card, late at night, it told me there were no images. It lied: I knew there were at least 100 which had not yet been backed up. In the scheme of a 7,000+ image weekend, 100 isn't many to lose, but who knows... that one, best-of-a-lifetime image might be in there.

The secret with an unreadable card (or disk, or any other computer media) is not to do anything else with it. Don't try taking another photo. Don't try writing anything else to it. You need something that will read from the card, but not change anything.

Back home, I tried several different software products, all of which promised to restore data from memory cards, and all of which failed. The majority of these products allow you to try first--see if anything can be found--before purchasing and restoring the files. All worth trying, but in this case, useless.

I could see there was data on the card. But everything said the folder that should contain the images was empty.

Last resort--I took it to Best Buy's Geek Squad to see if they could help. The nice guy there also tried everything: the software they had could "see" the files, but not restore them. It could "see" files of the right size! So they were still there... just not readable. Darnit.

Then he found a software package that I had not discovered online: http://cardrecovery.com. I returned home with my card, downloaded the trial software... and voila! It started discovering the image files. (An immediate indication that this software "knew" image files was that it asks you to select the type of files you are trying to recover--in my case, Canon raw).

Under $40 and not only do I have my lost images back, I also have a few from last year's Aftershock festival, which were deleted each and every time I reused this memory card but which had never been overwritten, I guess. So the software does what it says--finds and restores not only damaged files, but also those that have been deleted.

Something for your toolkit?

This weekend, I'll find out if my one best-of-a-lifetime shot has been restored. I don't think it's in this set, but there are some pics that will make people happy. And that's what counts.

Refugee camps, ISIS, Damascus, 1948... and revisiting Gaza

As I read the news this morning about ISIS (IS) entering a Syrian refugee camp, the Yarmouk camp near Damascus, capturing and trapping around 18,000 people... and then reading that the camp has been in existance since 1948... it's horrific.

Why, why, why are people still living in camps so many years later? This still doesn't make sense to me. In other parts of the world, people have been displaced, gone through very hard times, and then one day grown into new homes.

People shouldn't have to live like that. They should be able to build homes and futures for themselves and their families.

It doesn't always mean going back "home", because that place may no longer be there.

Here's my story of Gaza, and Polish refugees, from 2012. It rings true as much today for me.

Oh and while the BBC broke the news, CNN mentions nothing... nothing. So much for journalism today.

(And maybe the BBC are just being inflammatory... maybe Yarmouk is not a "camp", but an area of Damascus that has long been inhabited by families who arrived there in 1948... it's not clear. Where have all the good journalists gone...)

Marillion Port Zelande weekend, 2015: photos!

Marillion, Port Zeeland, March 2015

Here are all the Toon's Tunes photos from the Marillion shows at the Port Zelande weekend 2015:

http://www.alisontoon.com/-/galleries/music/marillion/marillion-pz-weekend-2015 

There is a sub-gallery for each evening's concert. This is also where (very soon) you'll find more from the weekend, including a load of Marillion's worldwide family.

Feel free to share via social media using the Share function--that way, there is a link back to the band, whose music is a true inspiration. The Share buttons are at the bottom of each page. (If by any chance you use a Lightbox, don't forget to register with an email address, otherwise you won't find it again!)

Thank you for respecting copyright!

Marillion weekend, Port Zelande, The Netherlands... wow. Simply: wow!

Marillion, Center Parcs Port Zelande, The Netherlands, March 2015

A week ago today, I was in The Netherlands, enjoying, very much, the third day of the Port Zekabde (PZ) Marillion Weekend. It's a weekend like no other: three incredible shows by the band, full albums and much more; stunning light and video shows, and the best fans in the world. Center Parcs becomes a Marillion world... people from 52 countries, so many languages heard and spoken, and all understood through the magic of the music.

Steve Hogarth, ("Mr. H"), Marillion

It's taken me every single spare waking moment this week to sort and edit the you-don't-want-to-know-how-many-photos from the weekend. (Work, putting the house on the market, and failing badly to catch up with sleep took  the rest of the time.) I'm still in awe, each time Marillion grants me access to photo them... thank you, guys!!!  I love their music. Anyone who is reading this, and hasn't yet heard Marillion, I hope you find the inspiration to do so now.

Steve Rothery, Marillion

The Marillion weekends, or conventions, happen every couple of years. This year, the first was in The Netherlands, the next in Wolverhampton in the UK, and the final of the three is in Montreal, Canada. Port Zeeland is unique, in that it's at Center Parcs and we live as a large vacation family in lovely seaside cottages a few minutes walk from the beach; the other weekends are very special too, and there are fans who travel the world to be at all three. Once you've seen Marillion live, you know why.

Pete Trewavas, Marillion

The Invisible Man, from Marbles, deserves a review all of its own. So you'll get one, here, soon.

Mark Kelly, Marillion

Today I'm sharing just a few photos: keep an eye out on Marillion.com for more, on Facebook and here, too.

Ian Mosley, Marillion

Will I see you in Wolves and/or in Montreal? Say hello!!! If you don't have your ticket yet, I think there may be one or two left. Not many. Hurry up! (And when you're there, look out for the photo book!!!)

Marillion, Port Zeeland, 2015

Marillion weekend, Port Zelande, The Netherlands

It was a wonderful, wonderful, weekend. I will be sharing stories and photos. For now, hop on over to Toon's Tunes Facebook page, to Marillion's Facebook page, and to the Marillion website tour page to find out if you can still get a ticket for the Wolverhampton, UK, or the Montreal, Canada weekend.

You don't want to miss this!

(And... if you still don't know why I rave about Marillion, check out the Crash Course, free music, free intro, then go buy more because you will want to!)

Photos: All That Remains, from their 1st March show at the Ace of Spades, Sacramento

Philip Labont, All That Remains

These are photos from All That Remains show, supporting In Flames, at the Ace of Spades, Sacramento, on 1st March. Sorry they took a while--it took a while, because I felt I would write a very biased review, and it didn't feel fair.... So I left it... and thought about it, and thought a little more... and came right back to where I started. So.. it is what it is.

All That Remains and fans, Sacramento

I was a little disappointed by my reaction to this band. Not by the show--they put on a good performance--but my own reaction. I'd expected to really like them. I expected "What If I Was Nothing?" to be a powerful, tear-jerker moment in the show: it wasn't, it was sorta flat and unemotional. I expected to like the growly-angry songs less, but I didn't: I liked them more than the ones with "clean" vocals. But most of all, I expected to hear them for what they are, and I didn't... I just kept wishing I was seeing, and listening to, Five Finger Death Punch instead. Because there are similarities. No imitation, just similarities... And one pulls my heart strings. It wasn't All That Remains.

So... I was a little disappointed. Not what I expected. Sorry, guys.

Philip Labont, All That Remains

So this is an unfair, biaised review. No apologies... we like what we like. No doubt, All That Remains could headline their own tour, and bring on the big encores. On this night, they very ably supported In Flames, and the room was full of All That Remains fans. And if I wasn't so head-over-heels with 5FDP, then maybe I'd be a fan, too. But...

Click on one of these photos to go to the full Toon's Tunes  All That Remains gallery, or this link works too: http://www.alisontoon.com/-/galleries/music/all-that-remains

Rag'N'Bone Man does it again: Hard Came The Rain

The more I hear from this guy, the more I want to hear. Take a listen. He grows on you... Hopefully one day I'll get to see him live. Tour dates in the UK are selling out, fast.

Waiting for Aftershock... not Godot. Please, not Godot.

Ivan Moody, Five Finger Death Punch,

It's Thursday 12th, and tomorrow is, logically, Friday the 13th. So why is there no major band called Friday the 13th? Think of all the shares on social media tomorrow! Just because the band's name is... Friday the 13th!

And what's so special about it being somewhere-in-the-teens-in-March? Well... I'm thinking, it's about time the dates for this year's Aftershock festival are released. We knew the weekend by this time last year... patiently, (im)patiently waiting for this year's dates!

Sully Erna, Godsmack

So waiting, and wondering about Friday The 13th, and band names, and dates, and of course the mind wanders to, "Who do you think will be in the lineup for Aftershock?" So here's my wishlist, in alphabetical and not priority order, and knowing that one or two may be impossible, and one or two might not fit your list, and at least one is not metal at all (but heck, neither were most of the Saturday bands last year), and one that I'm going to see six times in the next few weeks so I mustn't be greedy... Feel free to add your wishlist to the comments!

Aaron Nordstrom, Gemini Syndrome

Toon's Tunes Aftershock 2015 Wishlist:

• Alter Bridge
• Blackjack Billy 
• Bring Me The Horizon
• Dillinger Escape Plan 
• Down
• Five Finger Death Punch
• Gemini Syndrome
• Godsmack
• In Flames
• Katatonia
• Lamb of God
• lionfight
• Marillion
• Marilyn Manson
• Muse
• Radiohead
• Soundgarden
• Stone Sour
• 10 Years
• ZZ Top

New Mark Knopfler album out this week: Tracker (and now say Hi to "Beryl")

Beryl isn't such a popular name any more, but when I was a kid in England, it seemed that every other one of my mum's friends, or my friend's mothers, were called Beryl. And of course, there was Beryl the Peril, who we all secretly wanted to be. (And sometimes were. We can admit it now.)

Anyway... here's Mark Knopfler's Beryl. Available now on iTunes etc. You know it's Mr K from the first notes... and it's reminiscent of the earliest Dire Straits.

The complete new album, Tracker, will be released in the USA on March 17th.  And check out the tour dates. I see a visit to Berkeley in my future...

Now I have to go listen to Sultans of Swing. It makes me happy.

Hozier - Someone New, new video with Natalie Dormer

One of the most lighthearted songs from Hozier's first album, Someone New now has a video, starring actress Natalie Dormer as well as the man himself.

If you missed it, here's the review of Hozier's Sacramento show at the Ace of Spades.

In Flames, burning up the Ace of Spades

In Flames, Ace of Spades, Sacramento

This is one of the shows where I say, "I wish".

In Flames, Ace of Spades, Sacramento

I wish I'd heard more of In Flames, sooner. I wish I'd had the opportunity to see them live, before. But you know what? It made this show all the more enjoyable. And a few more In Flames albums have been added to my collection since Sunday.

In Flames, Ace of Spades, Sacramento

In Flames have been around for a while, key members of the Gothenburg "melodic" death/black/metal movement, with recent albums leaning more to the melodic, but still with a load of growling, Check out the latest album, Siren Charms. At times, they sound like Bring Me The Horizon. No wait: BMTH, at times, sound an awful lot like In Flames!

In Flames, Ace of Spades, Sacramento

And it was blatantly obvious: these guys enjoy what they do, and the fans love them back.

Great show, and I wish/hope to see them again soon. Maybe at Aftershock? Put them on my wish list for September, please!

The tour continues--catch them where you can! Details on In Flames' tour page. And more photos from the Sacramento show in the Toon's Tunes In Flames gallery.