This was one of those shows that I hadn't expected to cover. I hadn't even had it on my radar until The Black Moods show on July 18th at The What's Up. My wife was very excited to cover this one once she learned of it though. So, I put in to photograph it and was surprised with an approval! I think pretty much everyone I knew had the "New Miserable Experience" album by the Gin Blossoms. If you didn't, you certainly knew someone who did.
The Varsity Theater still had a pretty good line going even though we got there about 15 minutes before showtime. We made it through security and noticed the signs said "SOLD OUT". I knew this was going to be a packed venue. I was a little disappointed to see there wasn't a barricade for this show. That meant I had to try and push my way up to the front for a couple songs or be happy shooting my photos from the back or the balcony.
I chose to keep about 3 rows back and push my way up for The Black Moods. I soon found out that was not going to work. People were just not going to move and were actually pretty rude even though I told them it would only be for about 30 seconds. I gave up on that method and headed to the balcony for the rest of the set. Normally, that wouldn't be a big deal, but adding to the frustration was the poor lighting. It was worse than a lot of the smaller venues I go to. No lighting from the front and it was kept pretty dim for The Black Moods. Since I had just photographed them a couple of weeks ago, I got a few decent shots and decided to just enjoy the rest of their set. Seeing them in a small venue first and then this packed venue, I can say the show is no different. They rock no matter what the crowd size is! The Black Moods is certainly a band to watch. I have no doubt they will be growing in popularity in the future! Click the photo below to see all my photos from the show!
The excitement in the venue grew as the time for the Gin Blossoms to take the stage grew closer. I was hopeful that the lighting would be better for them. It kind of was, but there was just more from behind them and they lit up the crowd a lot. Not good for photographers, but it made for a fun experience for the people there. In the end, that's what it's all about, so I wasn't too angry about it. The Gin Blossoms started out with a few of their newer songs and then announced they would be playing the "New Miserable Experience" album from beginning to end in order. Nothing could have made the crowd happier. It was really a treat to hear this album live. It reminded me of hanging out at my friend's house or playing card games with the album playing in the background. Those were great times and I could see the nostalgia in the faces of the fans as well. Bands like the Gin Blossoms and others from that time tend to do that for me and I'm always happy to check each one off my must photograph list! Between songs, the band would reminisce about playing at 7th Street Entry when they were first starting out and other stories from their time on the road. It was so much more than a concert for me at this one. It was an experience that was new, but certainly was not miserable, (like what I did there? lol). Thank you to the Gin Blossoms for the great show at Varsity Theater! Again, click the photo below to see all my photos from the show if you haven't already!
As always, get out and support live performances!! I'll see you out there!!
