Boston area Glide photographer Marc Lacatell is clearly very talented behind the lens, but as a guitarist himself and a true old school rock and roll fan, Lacatell holds a passion for capturing the true art of musicianship. We asked him to gather his favorite photos (below) of the past year along with narratives on what made these shots so special.
JW Jones – Narrows Center for the Arts, Fall River, MA 1/4/14
JW Jones, from Canada, opened the show for the legendary Johnny Winter. He and his band were outstanding. The venue has a challenging floor plan for photographing the band, but the lighting was perfect. JW was a pleasant surprise to watch this band perform.
Johnny Winter -Narrows Center for the Arts, Fall River, MA, 1/4/14
On top of the venue’s challenging floor plan, Johnny’s hat cast a constant shadow over his face for most of the night. Sadly, Johnny passed away shortly after this performance and I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to see him perform as well as to snap a few shots during the show.
Trigger Hippy – Brighton Music Hall, Brighton, MA, 1/12/14
Trigger Hippy, featuring Jackie Greene, Joan Osborne and Steve Gorman, was a fun band to shoot. Greene wears his emotions on his sleeve. It was obvious that he loves what he does for a living. Osborne’s vocals were impressive as well. The venue is one of my least favorites to shoot at and the lights are usually a challenge to work with. They were decent for this show.
Reverend Horton Heat – Royale, Boston, MA, 1/23/14
Reverend Horton Heat and his band were fantastic. Heat’s ability to connect with the crowd was really impressive. Having a photo pit and great lighting all while listening to great music made this a memorable event to shoot.
Hard Working Americans – Brighton Music Hall, Brighton, MA, 1/24/14
I was happy to pull out a few decent shots, as the lights were truly horrible to work with. However, with the talent that this band has – the show was great experience.
The Orwells – Agganis Arena -Boston, MA , 2/6/14
The Orwells were the first of three bands for that night. The lights were horrible. They used a smoke machine, which didn’t help with shooting and the sound was terrible. Orwells’ singer, Mario Cuomo (above) did put on an energetic performance and it was obvious that he would have liked to jump the barrier to “mingle” with the crowd.
Arctic Monkeys – Agganis Arena, Boston, MA, 2/6/14
The Arctic Monkeys flat out get it. They held the arena in the palms of their hands from the moment they took the stage. Singer/guitarist Alex Turner displayed charisma and confidence that could rival Mick Jagger. The band was tight and their sound was amazing. Not so amazing, was the lighting for the first three songs that photographers were allowed to shoot for. Oddly enough, the spotlights came out for the fourth song and for the rest of the show.
The Wild Feathers -Brighton Music Hall, Brighton, MA, 2/9/14
Vocal harmonies and a solid blend of Texas and Tennessee charm, the Wild Feathers offer a little bit of everything for music fans. The Wild Feathers are terrific. It’s always a tough venue to shoot at. The lights were okay and the crowd was great.
Blackberry Smoke – House of Blues, Boston, MA, 2/13/14
Blackberry Smoke is one of my current favorite bands as is the House of Blues for shooting shows. The sound and the lighting are always favorable. This was a match made in heaven. I’m already looking forward to their return in March 2015.
Keb’ Mo’ -Wilbur Theater, Boston, MA, 3/22/14
The Wilbur is another theater that is a dream to shoot at. The venue itself is easy to navigate and the lighting is always perfect. Keb’ Mo’ was a treat to cover. He’s a tremendous talent and like Buddy Guy or Robert Randolph, he knows how to work the crowd.
Experience Hendrix Tour- Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom, Hampton Beach, NH, 3/27/14
I can’t get more excited about having been able to shoot this show. The list of artists that graced the stage was more than impressive. The Casino is another one of my favorite venues to shoot at. There wasn’t a photo pit that night, so finding a good line of sight was tough – but the lighting was spot on.
Southern Soul Assembly – House of Blues, Boston, MA, 4/8/14
The sound and lighting were great as usual. Luther Johnson and Anders Osborne stole the show with their intensity and sheer talent.
B.B. King – Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel, Providence, RI, 4/12/14
I had to work hard to get a photo pass for this show. Being able to shoot a legend such as B.B. King is certainly one for the bucket list. Somehow, I found myself on stage before the show talking with B.B.’s entourage and local authorities. I did not have any photo restrictions once the show started. I could have shot all night, but out of respect for King and his audience – I slipped away after a few songs.
The highlight of the night was when B.B. became distracted by a woman in the front row. She was loudly expressing her love for him, saying that she wanted to kiss him. He stopped the show and asked me to stand up and then he told the lady to give me a hug and a kiss instead – in front of the whole theater. I always try to stay out of everyone’s way, but suddenly she and I became part of the show.
Joe Bonamassa -Providence Performing Arts Center, Providence, RI, 5/15/14
This was a killer show and the venue was beautiful. Unfortunately, no photo pit so I had to shoot from the wings. Fortunately, the lighting was excellent. It was my first time seeing Bonamassa perform. I was blown away by his uncommon talent of being an outstanding singer, on top of being so technically proficient and soulful on the guitar. He’s a one-off, not to be missed.
Boston Calling Festival – City Hall, Boston, MA 5/23-25/14
There were definitely pros and cons to shooting this event. First, the pros. The venue was outside and easy to navigate. The performances and people milling around were great. The cons? Well, 100 plus photographers in the photo pit and the unexpected rainstorm were not fun.
Larry and His Flask – The Sinclair, Cambridge, MA, 5/29/14
Larry and His Flask opened for Foxy Shazam. The show was general admission and sold out. I had to get there early and plant myself in front of the stage before the show started to ensure a good line of sight for Foxy. It was packed. Ultimately, I was really impressed by the band’s performance. They were all in. The crowd loved it, as did I. They were a blast to watch and to shoot. The band has since used many of my photos from that night and that is very flattering.
Foxy Shazam, The Sinclair, Cambridge, MA, 5/29/14
Foxy is one of my favorite bands. Their live performance – mostly that of singer Eric Sean Nally, keyboardist Sky White and Alex Nauth on trumpet make for a very exciting and entertaining show. Aside from being pinned to one spot against the stage, in the same spot all night – the lighting was tricky. The Sinclair’s lighting is typically fine, but Foxy wanted their stage bathed in purple light. At times, Nally stepped out from under the purple haze – but it all worked out in the end. It’s a shame the band has recently called it quits.
Rich Robinson, Paradise Rock Club, Boston, MA, 6/6/14
I love the Black Crowes and never skip any of the band member’s solo performances or work with other groups, but Rich Robinson really needs to step up his game. I love his music, but his stage presence is just about as boring as can be. The Paradise is in fact my least favorite venue to shoot. The lighting is almost always horrendous and it’s a brutal venue to shoot in. So, not a great combination of issues. I did squeak out a couple of good shots. This is one of them.
First Aid Kit -Paradise Rock Club, Boston, MA, 6/8/14
Sweden’s First Aid Kit never cease to impress. The sisters’ harmonies are beautiful and they each find ways of shining individually on stage. Thankfully, the lighting was decent. I did have to contend with about six videographers who were filming the show for a national television studio and without a pit, it was an uphill battle all night.
Willie Nelson- Blue Hills Bank Pavilion, Boston, MA 6/17/14
After going back and forth with Nelson’s publicist for two weeks, I was finally granted a photo pass. My persistence paid off and I got a few of my favorite shots from this show. I was given the first three songs to shoot, which is typical but in Willie Time – it was about five minutes. He tears through his set. I knew I had a short amount of time and I was ready to focus solely on Nelson and Trigger. When the show started, Willie had the white spotlight and the rest of the band was blanketed in red light. Being so focused on Nelson, I never noticed that Johnny Depp sat in with the band for the entire set.
Patrick Sweany – Atwood’s Tavern, Cambridge, MA 6/22
Patrick Sweany is the genuine article. Yes, he plays blues influenced music – but he’s rock and roll to the bone. Atwood’s was an intimate venue and a tough one to shoot at. The lighting was not sufficient without a flash and Sweany experienced technical troubles throughout the show. But, being the consummate performer – he trudged through his set with charm and wit along with a killer rhythm section. I do love the mood of this image though.
Jameson -Gramercy Theater, New York, New York, 6/25/14
Jameson Burt was the warm up act for the Rival Sons. He did a solo acoustic set and was very good. The Gramercy was a great venue to shoot at. I included this shot because of its composition and color.
Rival Sons – Gramercy Theater, New York, New York, 6/25/14
My willingness to travel from Boston to New York City and back to Boston in less than 24 hours to interview the Sons’ singer Jay Buchanan and shoot this show should be a testament to how much I like this band. The bus ride was sketchy, but luckily I had a friend with me and when we got to NYC, we had some time to explore the area a bit before heading into the theater to interview Jay. The band’s publicist treated us like royalty with all access passes, admittance to sound check and some cool RS merch. But ultimately, sitting down to pick the brain of Buchanan was a real treat. If you read the interview, you’ll understand that he’s an artist in all sense of the word. The Gramercy’s photo pit and lighting were more than ideal and looking back at the photos and the interview, it was all worth it.
Quinn Sullivan- South Shore Music Circus, Cohasset, MA, 7/10/14
Sullivan’s performance was one of his best that I’ve seen. He has clearly become more comfortable on stage where he’s found his own voice and continued to excel on his Stratocaster. This is my favorite shot of Quinn from that night. Shooting Quinn and Guy was like jumping through rings of fire. The stage rotated and the lights came from directly above. I struggled less with the shots of Sullivan as he performed at dusk, so there was a great deal of ambient light coming in from the tent’s doorways. Shooting Guy proved to be more of a challenge.
Buddy Guy- South Shore Music Circus, Cohasset, MA, 7/10/14
Shooting Buddy Guy back in March while performing with the Experience Hendrix Tour was dream compared to trying to capture any good shots under the tent here. The rotating stage was one of the main problems, but the spotlight from directly above was a bigger issue. It didn’t help that Guy was wearing a white cap. These factors made it very challenging. On a different note, Buddy Guy is a master of his craft and I was happy to be there.
Robert Randolph -Indian Ranch, Webster, MA, 7/13/14
This venue was odd. Nestled within a RV camping ground beside a lake, the stage seemed out of place. Robert Randolph and his band always put on a spectacular show, but their set seemed abbreviated – making room for the Mayor of Memphis, B.B. King. Though I had full access to shoot the show, there was no pit available and there was no standing allowed. So for Randolph and King’s set, I was walking and shooting for three hours – all the while being hassled by security. Not the venue’s, but by state police. Odd is a nice way of describing the whole affair.
Extreme -Hampton Beach Casino – Hampton Beach, NH & Cape Cod Melody Tent – Hyannis, MA, 7/16 & 7/18/14
Shooting Extreme two nights in a row was a blast. The Casino’s lights, sound and photo pit access made for a truly enjoyable shoot. Hyannis’ show was similar and, to boot – singer Gary Cherone put me in a headlock from the stage both nights in a row. Cherone was born to be on stage and he knows how to utilize every square inch, all while reaching every audience member in the house.
KISS – Xfinity Center, Mansfield, MA, 8/1/14 –
Shooting KISS is another bucket list item for most rock and roll concert photographers. It was a bit surreal in the pit when singer/guitarist Paul Stanley was kneeling down and leaning into my lens. The mythic status of the kabuki caked faces of this band always seemed intangible, but they were, right there – inches away. The lighting was amazing and bassist Gene Simmons’ and Stanley’s understanding of how to play to the cameras and the crowd – provided some of the most colorful concert shots of the year.
Rich Robinson – House of Blues, Boston, MA 8/22/14
Robinson was slightly more animated on this night. The lighting was so much better than previous shows and he seemed to be in a great mood – hence the appearance of the ever elusive smile. I love the color of the stage lights. The House of Blues always does a great job.
Jonny Lang – House of Blues, Boston, MA, 8/22/14
The only hard part about shooting Johnny Lang is remembering to shoot Johnny Lang. Yes, that’s right. He’s absolutely mesmerizing on stage. He puts forth more effort on stage than any other artist I’ve ever seen. You see it in the way he plays every note on his guitar to the way he lets out each word when he’s singing. Lang is by far one of my favorite artists to see live.
Vintage Trouble – Brighton Music Hall, Brighton, MA, 9/30/14
Vintage Trouble, as a band, is fantastic. Their live sound and performance is killer. But, the show really comes down to the incredible showmanship of singer Ty Taylor. He exudes a cosmic blend of Al Green and James Brown. Aside from being whipped in the hand by his nickel-wrapped microphone lead, the show was outstanding. And finally, the lights were very helpful – which is usually not the case at this venue.
Hurtsmile -Mixx 360, Malden, MA, 10/11/14
I feel that this photo of Mark Cherone, Hurtsmile’s guitarist, needed to be included in this gallery because it shows his intensity on stage while holding his trusty Gibson SG. I also like the inclusion of the audience along with the composition and the colors.
Rival Sons – Brighton Music Hall, Brighton, MA, 10/7/14
As this was the second time around shooting Long Beach, California’s Rival Sons – I decided to pick just one photo from the night. This is the shot that I feel captures singer Jay Buchanan’s soul while singing the epic ballad “Jordan”. Do yourself a favor and give this band a listen. You won’t regret it.
Lee Fields and the Expressions -House of Blues ,Boston, MA, 12/13/14
I entered the photo pit late and had one song left to shoot Lee Fields and his band the Expressions. He was the warm up act for the Tedeschi Trucks band. Fields is another example of an artist who understands that he’s there on stage to entertain. Watching him from the pit and the side of the stage, his energy and craft were most impressive. Did he entertain? Yes. I like the detail of this shot. I like the expression and sweat on his face.
Tedeschi Trucks Band, House of Blues, Boston, MA, 12/13/14
This was another show that I struggled with getting a pass for, but it was certainly worth it. Susan Tedeschi’s power-house vocals and Derek Trucks’ hot-rodded slide guitar are show stoppers in their own rights. Together, it’s a beautifully blistering tandem assault on the ears. As always, the lighting and the sound were top notch at the House of Blues.
Goddamn Draculas -Boston Music Awards, Boston, MA, 12/14/14
Rounding out 2014 with the last event to shoot for the Boston Music Awards at the newly renovated Revere Hotel was very fitting. One of two bands that truly stood out that night was the Goddamn Draculas. Singer/guitarist Chris Duggan and “the Drax” blasted through a set of songs that offered AC/DC heavy riffs and tougher Queen-like harmonies. The guests ate up every note. This shot of Chris may be one of my favorites.
Sidewalk Driver – Boston Music Awards, Boston, MA, 12/14/14
The second band that fought to steal the show was Sidewalk Driver. Led by singer Tad McKitterick’s over the top stage presence, Driver took the guests attention away from their drinks and schmoozing with stage props and killer rock tunes. The final shot with the confetti is a proper bookend for this gallery.
