black fret showcase | sxsw 2021

black fret showcase | sxsw 2021

St. Patrick’s Day at SXSW 2021 was an absolute blast. The Black Fret showcase featured six Austin, Texas-based bands in their showcase, giving us some of that SXSW hometown flare we were missing from our couches. Featuring Sydney Wright, Ley Line, Motenko, Eimaral Sol, PR Newman, and Buffalo Hunt, the music was magical already without the added lunar backdrop. Peep the highlights and check out the work Black Fret does below!

Black Fret believes our local music is art, worthy of the support of our community just as the symphony, opera and ballet have been supported for generations. We are a 501(c)3 public charity whose mission is to support the creation and performance of local music. Since 2013 we have contributed over $3.6 million to the local music economy of Austin, Texas. Learn more or join us at blackfret.org.

panic! @ the disco @ sprint center

panic! @ the disco @ sprint center

Through almost 15 years of intricate, involved lyricism – the crazy involved titles of the early days, the lineup rotations, the bevy of music videos and the expansion of Brendon’s vocal range – we’ve held on to our deep appreciation for Panic! @ The Disco. So to be asked to photograph Brendon Urie and his team of bandits at Sprint Center on Saturday night, there was zero hesitation. The performance itself was the most involved we’ve ever witnessed from the musical project, Urie’s energy palpable from the first jump out from the hole in the middle of the stage, to his last round of bows and high fives with the audience. The man absolutely thrives off of this life, and you can tell.

What, perhaps, is most notable about his show when comparing it to his performances of yesteryear – think ten years back – is that they have, somehow, become even more theatrical. That was what was so outstanding about Panic! @ The Disco when they emerged on the scene about 14 years ago, they existed as a beacon for the outcasts. The theatre kids, the gamers, the anti-socialites. And now here he is, all this time later, continuing to provide that entertaining escape for other generations, and leveling up with each step. (Just ask whoever he hired as his vocal coach in the past ten years, if you don’t believe us.)

In fact, he even took a moment during his set to bless an unborn child “in the state of Panic” which, to his credit, is a clever saying to have up his sleeve. (Or up his bare arm, depending on if he decides to keep his shirt on or not.)

Either way, here are some fun photos from the inclusive and beautiful evening.

T-Pain @ Bonnaroo 2018

T-Pain @ Bonnaroo 2018

Though we didn’t think much about it during the announcement of the Bonnaroo 2018 lineup, Day 2 of the festival brought us our biggest surprise of the weekend. Our excitement to photograph T-Pain made it so we ran past Adam Devine and Chance The Rapper to get a good spot in the front.

Do not regret.

Keep up with T-Pain here.

out and about @ sxsw 2018

out and about @ sxsw 2018

SXSW 2018 was absolutely insane. We only got to head down for a couple of days, but we packed in so much culture and new music discovery, our heads are still spinning. Below, peep a selection of “out and about” photos along the streets of Austin in March!