nearly midnight [lawrence]

there are only a few artists i'd travel two and a half hours to see on a random tuesday night; neko case is one of them.  not only because i've enjoyed her music for several years, but hearing her perform live is nothing short of magical.  in an era of auto tuning and twerking, it really is amazing to watch a live performance from someone with honest talent.

neko was on tour promoting her new album, which holds tracks already climbing up the list of my favorites. although we didn't share the eye-locking moment we did back in 2007 it was still an amazing show, and i'm thankful cameras take significantly better photos than they did six years ago.  if you've never heard of her, please check her out.  i'm partial to the song "hold on, hold on", but if you stumble upon her new album first, check out "night still comes," "local girl," or "ragtime," a few of my favorites from the new album.

the only people for me are the [acl] ones

after six years of attending and photographing the austin city limits music festival, i've learned one thing; i rarely look back and enjoy pictures i've taken of far off stages with tiny little performers singing. the pictures i enjoy most are those of my friends, and the 75,000 other people that form a three day, music loving, community.  a utopian society, swarming with strangers, solely based on their shared love of sound. a camp where you can cut loose the ties of traditional society; a place of pilgrimage where people can unpackage their personality and be whoever...or whatever they please.

one of my favorite quotes is from jack kerouac, and too me, there's no better way to describe the crowd at acl.


"the only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars."

good times, [chili soup]

"some of us have great stories, pretty stories that take place [downtown] with [booths] and friends and [chili soup]"

i know i do.

once again the chili cook-off proved to be a great time with great friends; friends from near and far, both old, and new. so thankful this annual event has become a tradition amongst my friends.