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Moonlighting is something I have been thinking about for a long time, mainly in relation to the live music scene I have been around and photographing for the last couple of years. As spectators we have a limited point of view when it comes to the musicians on stage. We listen, we groove, we appreciate, we buy the music and enjoy the heck out of the live experience, I know I do. I also find myself constantly creatively inspired by the energy, the entertainment factor, the musicianship of these very hard-working people who get up on stage and pour it all out. I think it takes courage, passion and tremendous imagination and skill. But how often do we really consider what their “day job” is?

So as a photographer with a journalist heart I have had two things quietly rolling around in my head…

1– Most of these people have to work to make a living, shows don’t necessarily pay the rent. What do they do? How do they support themselves? Can you make a living just playing in the local clubs?

2– It’s an incestuous business. Many of these musicians are in more than one band, have solo projects on the side and many have been in so many bands they can’t even count the number using all their various digits.

I went to Cheap Thrills with a friend a few days ago to find some cool vintage clothes and ran into Mike Farrell of Th Losin’ Streaks. Seeing this well known, awesomely talented musician working behind the counter crystallized the entire thing for me. I remember blurting out the word “Moonlighting!” and asked him on the spot if he would be my first subject. He said “Yes!” By that night I had set up the blogazine and already had a list of people I wanted to feature.

So here goes…

fixed
Originally uploaded by Charrmer.

Meet Fixed.
The deeper I get into the whole music community the deeper the music rabbit hole seems to be and it’s a bit mind-boggling. Thursday night I shot the band Fixed at The Boardwalk. I ran into many people I know from outside the music scene– parents with kids seriously pursuing music as a career. It seems that the youth community, much of it centered around Skip’s Music, is vast and intertwined. Everyone knows everyone and has played in a band with everyone at some point!
These guys on stage have boundless energy, real skills and real songwriting abilities. They were bouncing all over the stage with such confidence and commanding the kind of attention I could only dream about when I was 14 like they are.

keytoarson
Originally uploaded by Charrmer.

Key to Arson headlined this show and were definitely a powerhouse on stage. They are all Sacramento natives and have opened for acts like Kid Rock and Lit so they are definitely on their way up the rock and roll food chain. The lead singer is a tiny thing wearing tiny clothes. This is only significant because his tiny butt crack showed even without bending over. So damn cute!
The show was running long so everyone’s set got cut. According to the stage manager Key to Arson may not have been too thrilled but they were so professional in the negotiation that he gave them an extra five minutes and was impressed that they played their set to the second!
They also had the largest assortment of girlfriends/groupies I’ve seen backstage recently. I don’t meant to disparage anyone at all. One of the girls was darling– the girlfriend of the bassist– cute, nice and helpful as could be.

honeyspot
Originally uploaded by Charrmer.

The 98 Rock show at the State Fair Friday night was great. Too bad attendance was not that big. The mosh pit was full but the seats remained mostly empty. Four bands played– Nu-clear, Circle of 5ths, Honeyspot and Key to Arson. A lively show all around. Honeyspot is definitely one of my favorite local bands and if they don’t get some real attention I’ll be shocked. Their songs are catchy, fun, memorable and the lead singer, Adam, has incredible charisma.

hats
Originally uploaded by Charrmer.

More Wow, fabulous hats! Pimp hats galore! A little slice of strange americana at the fair. It took three balloon pops to win one, not an easy feat!

There was another booth where you could actually have your hand sculpted in wax. It was gross and captivating simultaneously. I almost did it– and guess what gesture I would have chosen… Yes, horns of course!

ozomatli
Originally uploaded by Charrmer.

The coolest thing, and the real reason for this picture, is that they had a sign-language interpreter there for any hearing impaired folk in the audience. He’s the guy on the far right. Ozomatli played the main stage of the fair and was amazing. They had a gigantic crowd, dancing, undulating bodies everywhere, and the bandmembers were so musically impressive. The music was a mix of latin, rock, hip-hop and world beat cleverly melodic and rich. I counted ten people performing on stage. They had so much energy that half the time their feet didn’t even seem to touch the ground. One of the percussionists kept throwing a gourd instrument through the air and catching it, so skillfully it seemed like an extention of his being. I wish I could dance as well as those guys too! The trombone player got most of my attention because he was so happy, so into the movement of the music– his footwork was riveting to me. They ended the show by parading deep into the audience, playing all the while. Wow.

photobooth
Originally uploaded by Charrmer.

The photo booth still remains one of my all time favorite things to do. The pictures are hardly ever really good, or well exposed but there is this honesty to them, a sense of fun in the moment, a sweet silliness. And it’s kinda fun to squeeze into the little booth and sit on the teeny tiny stool. Then there is the scary anticipation of when the flash will go off and will you be making a stupid face when it does… meanwhile you get to stare at yourself and make all these faces in the reflection searching for the right one. The you wait and wait until you hear the internal dryer just before the photo strip drops into the slot– it’s all very exciting. Voila, immortalized!

goldenbear
Originally uploaded by Charrmer.

Kevin, seen here riding the Golden Bear, and I had such a fun time at the State Fair watching Ozomatli, teasing the carnies, watching the fireworks, ragging on some of the art in the exhibition center and of course, chowing on a Texas twisted doughnut. I can’t find any history on the significance of the Golden Bear, which is surprising! Here is an odd little aside… The only U.S. President to ever visit the fair was in 1880– Rutherford B. Hayes, the great great grandfather of Lauren Hayes, my old junior high chum. That’s only four degrees of separation! Of course, one has to go back generations but… 😉

Horns explained
Originally uploaded by Charrmer.

Finally, the mystery of the Devil Horns and it’s relationship rock n’roll has been explained– somewhat anyway.
What we now know is this… Back in the 70’s a guy named Ronnie James Dio, formerly of Black Sabbath, formerly of Rainbow, formerly of Elf and now in his own band aptly titled “Dio” was on stage and did it. He continued to do it at successive shows and it became his trademark until it caught on and is now seen on rocker hands held high all across this lovely world of ours.
The only thing that still remains a mystery is the why of it… why did he do it the first time. That we may never know. 😉
I bet these guys seen at a recent Pennywise show just do it they think it’s cool… except for the renegade in the bunch who chose to shoot a bird for the camera instead.

empireinterior
Originally uploaded by Charrmer.

So this is what a sold out show looks like! This picture was taken just after the headlining band Social Distortion left the stage and the house lights went on. I have been in this venue so many times now but I never saw a crowd this big. The building capacity is 872. Who wants to count the number of people in this photo? Go on, I dare you!
Social Distortion put out their first album in 1983. According to Lars they have been around for 25 years and he would know. I was looking forward to shooting them!
So, I sweetly introduced myself to the tour manager as one of the house photographers… You’d have thought I’d asked him if I could sing the first number with the guys. He was rabid! “NO PHOTOS, no video, no recordings of any kind! If I even SEE a camera (as he stared at the one slung over my shoulder) I’ll take it away!” With that loud and terse statement he turned and left. Buh bye.
We skedaddled to the balcony…
I will add this though. Social Distortion did a fantastic cover of Johnny Cash’s Ring of Fire. Wow. Loved it!