Photographer Christie McMenamin had the pleasure of meeting up with London-based collective The Skints in New York recently. The band – comprised of Jon Doyle, Jamie Kyriakides, Josh Waters Rudge, and Marcia Richards – was absolutely delightful, and we have some portraits to prove it!
Keep up with The Skints here.
On November 7th, incredible songstress Phoebe Bridgers entertained quite the audience at New York’s Brooklyn Steel venue. Photographer Christie McMenamin got some beautiful shots to share!
On November 7th, our incredible photographer Christie McMenamin captured some drop-dead photos of Julien Baker when she performed at Brooklyn Steel in NYC. Check them out – and get lost in the mood – below!
On October 27th, the indelible Garbage regaled a full house at Kings Theater in New York City. Our wonderful friend and glorious photographer Christie McMenamin was there to nab some highlights for you.
Keep up with Garbage here.
**Please send all of your positive thoughts to Christie as she is going through a bit of a rough time health-wise, hence why some of her photo sets are going up a bit belated.
Everyone’s new favorite supergroup is Boygenius, the (no less than) GENIUS collaboration between incredible songstresses Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, and Lucy Dacus. We were lucky enough to have photographer Christie McMenamin on the ground for their show at Brooklyn Steel on November 7th. Peep those photos below!
Keep up with Boygenius here.
Phenomenal songwriter Butch Walker headlined a show at Irving Plaza in New York fairly recently, captivating the crowd as he has for years. The energy coming off the stage was palpable as soon as he stepped on, and we were regaled with a gorgeous evening full of amazing showmanship. Photographer Christie McMenamin captured that for us, and it can be witnessed below.
Acclaimed singer/songwriter Greg Holden made his return to New York City on September 23rd. Opening for Butch Walker, who produced his single, “On The Run,” Holden’s performance was like a homecoming. It’s a rare thing for an opener, especially one singularly armed with an acoustic guitar, to hush Irving Plaza from front to back, but Holden managed to wield this uncanny power with effortless ability.
When Holden first emerged from the side of the stage, the crowd’s vigorous, impassioned applause was astonishing. He strolled out with an unassuming, quiet confidence and began strumming as the audience quickly fell silent. As his 7-song set kicked off, Holden was oftentimes chatty between songs, lending an affable familiarity with a room of people whom he’d never met, treating them like valued friends. Constantly encouraging the crowd to sing and clap during parts of his songs, Holden’s set was interactive, a joint, group effort.
On “Home,” Holden issued a command for the audience to stop their feet in time to the beat. In turn, he received an eager assent as the stomps echoed throughout the venue and shook the floor. Holden’s newest track, “The Power Shift,” was prefaced by a quick lament, noting Donald Trump was currently in the city. The audience loudly booed, prompting Holden to launch into this political song, calling others to recognize the link between power and inequality, and one that was more than well-received in New York City.
“Boys In The Streets,” arguably Holden’s most moving song, showcases his lyrical prowess, one that is omnipresent throughout his work. Telling the story of a father struggling with his son’s sexuality, it’s only on his deathbed that he makes a confession: his intolerance was due to what he was taught growing up. He finally understands and encourages his son to be himself. Holden’s live performance evoked the pathos and pain of both son and father, and cheers went through the crowd as Holden reached the uplifting conclusion.
Lastly, Holden performed “Hold On Tight,” a triumphant, empowering song that bursts into a big, gleeful chorus as he sang an urgent warning: “don’t take your life for granted.”
It was an awe-inspiring set from a seasoned musician, one who will no doubt be back to New York City in the future.
Ciaran Lavery, an Irish singer/songwriter, performed an intimate solo set at New York City’s Rockwood Music Hall on June 22nd.
Playing to a small, darkened room, a reverent silence took hold of the audience the moment Lavery began his first song. Switching back and forth between acoustic guitar and piano, his sparse accompaniments allowed his gentle, hushed voice to soar. With introspective, narrative lyrics, Lavery is a poetic storyteller. His ballads pull at your heartstrings, his words run the gamut of emotional experience. As a performer, he makes meaningful eye contact with each member of his audience, drawing his listeners further into his world.
In-between songs, Lavery continued his stories, revealing his sense of humor. Speaking of nervousness on an airplane, he once tried to relax by watching, as a dog lover, Marley and Me. He wasn’t, however, aware of the ending. Lavery also had a revelation while listening to the radio on a long drive, attempting to figure out the meaning of the genre “soft rock.” With a creeping sense of dread, he put it together: he is soft rock. Lavery easily pulled laughs from his listeners’ throats as he framed simple, universal experiences as ones of casual mirth.
More info about Lavery can be found here.
On June 21st, Aimee Mann and Superchunk entertained a large crowd at the Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival in New York. Photographer Christie McMenamin was on hand, and captured some stunning photos for us.
