I'm so grateful for yet another wonderful year for concerts for me, made extra super by being able to photograph shows from my homebase of Seattle all the way to a crazy tourist bar in the Bahamas. I've shot at big arenas and tiny clubs and festivals and on a cruise ship. I've had the luck to be able to photograph some of my most-favorite artists several times in one year. I hope that I have been able to continue to improve as a photographer, while always trying my best to bring back images that are interesting, cool, funny, or thoughtful, and worth your time to view. I really, really love doing it.
I am putting a little spin on "my favorite concert shots that I've taken from this year," because something that I have noticed about myself as a photographer is that I am a "smile stalker." Even if I may be shooting the most dour band in the world, I will wait and wait to find that split second when the joy or absurdity of performance breaks through and there's an onstage grin. CLICK. Why? I asked myself, why do I gravitate towards smile pix rather than moody pix or epic leaping guitar god pix? I think perhaps it's because I smile so much when I am listening to music or watching a show, from sheer musical happiness or chortling at drummer dropping his sticks or confetti landing on Wayne Coyne's nose during a Flaming Lips show. I love seeing musicians enjoy playing music. So, with this in mind, I would like to share with you my favorite onstage smile photos from the shows that I've shot in 2012. Perhaps they will make you smile, too, and that is a worthy and good thing. Please to enjoy!
King Khan, King Khan & the Shrines, Bruise Cruise Kickoff Party The Stage, Miami, FL. 2/9/12
Brigid Dawson (Thee Oh Sees), Bruise Cruise, Xanadu Lounge, Carnival Imagination cruise ship, 2/10/12
Mikal Cronin (Ty Segall band), Chop Suey, Seattle, WA. 5/5/12
Exene Cervenka (X), Showbox Market, Seattle, WA. 5/12/12
Billy Zoom (X), Showbox Market, Seattle, WA. 5/5/12
Diego Monasterios (Jacuzzi Boys), Green Room, Fort Lauderdale, FL. 6/16/12
Ray Davies, Neptune Theater, Seattle, WA. 7/14/12
Ray Davies, Aladdin Theater, Portland, OR. 7/15/12
Todd O'Keefe (The 88) Aladdin Theater, Portland, OR. 7/15/12
Lars Finberg (The Intelligence), The Crocodile, Seattle, WA. 7/19/12
Tony Bennett, Key Arena, Bumbershoot Music and Arts Festival, Seattle, WA. 9/2/12
The Young Evils, The Promenade, Bumbershoot Music & Arts Festival, Seattle, WA. 9/2/12
Ko Melina, (The Dirtbombs), Tunein Stage, Bumbershoot Music & Arts Festival, Seattle, WA. 9/2/12
Billy Joe Huels (The Dusty 45s), Starbucks Stage, Bumbershoot Music & Arts Festival, Seattle, WA. 9/2/12
Wanda Jackson, Starbucks Stage, Bumbershoot Music & Arts Festival, Seattle, WA. 9/2/12
Jordan Cook (Reignwolf), Starbucks Stage, Bumbershoot Music & Arts Festival, Seattle, WA. 9/3/12
Tord Øverland-Knudsen, (The Wombats), Toyota Free Yr Radio Stage, Bumbershoot Music & Arts Festival, Seattle, WA. 9/3/12
Ty Segall, Sub Pop Stage, Bumbershoot Music & Arts Festival, Seattle, WA 9/3/12
Lights, Tunein Stage, Bumbershoot Music & Arts Festival, Seattle, WA. 9/3/12
Lil' Fan, Bumbershoot Music & Arts Festival, Seattle, WA. 9/2/12
© Copyright 2008- Marianne Spellman