Penguin Prison at Mercury Lounge

This was the best show I've seen of Penguin Prison so far! I thought I'd be entertained but maybe not knocked-my-socks-off wowed, but he certainly brought it ...and I was wowed! And despite my initial fears about shooting the show, since most of my concert photographer friends have been complaining about the newly installed LED lights (oh hey! this is a photography blog?), it wasn't bad at all. I just had to time my snaps with the lighting sequences, which was not that hard to predict since I'm fairly familiar the music. I guess it does help to do your research... More photos on House List.

Monarchy at Highline Ballroom

Soulwax at Webster Hall

When I went to Coachella 2007, these guys were playing... but I didn't know about them yet so I merely gave them a cursory listen before moving on to the next item on my festival agenda. I eventually gave them a serious listen and really got into their seamless blend of rock and dance, all the while lamenting the fact that I missed them when I had the chance. Luckily, I caught Soulwax when they rolled into town two weeks ago. You can see more photos at House List.

Moogfest 2011

I've been waiting for Brooklyn Vegan to post my photos from Moogfest 2011, which took place in Asheville, N.C. on October 28 - 30, before reporting on my adventures here. You can see photos from Friday here and Saturday here, but photos from Sunday... a bit lost in the shuffle right now. I'll edit this post with that link when those pictures surface. But for now, here are some of my favorite photos from the festival.

Given all the festivals (or rock cruises) that have popped up recently, it's likely that many of you have festival fatigue. However, I really, really like Moogfest -- it is one of the most well organized festivals I've ever attended, especially in terms of bands running on schedule in the larger venues. The festival has a SXSW feel with various participating venues located within walking distance throughout downtown Asheville. And of course, the festival is in the heart of a pretty cool Southern city (check out this "36 Hours" piece in the NY Times from 2007). Some of the highlights of the festival include checking out local clubs, like the Orange Peel, tinkering with random synthesizers at the Moog Factory, and dining around downtown. So many great restaurants and shopping! There was also "77 Million Paintings", an art installation by Brian Eno available for viewing during the festival (you can watch Eno talk a bit about the installation on the Colbert Report). The only word of warning about the festival: airfare to Asheville can get really expensive if you buy tickets last minute. All in all, this is a fantastic festival with great vibes and killer lineups. Do NOT miss it next year.

Chairlift and Beach Fossils at Mercury Lounge

See more photos from Chairlift and Beach Fossils at Brooklyn Vegan.

CMJ 2011

This was my first CMJ since 2006 without a badge! Though I had a low key week, I ended up going to two events - a recording event at Stratosphere Sound put together by Just Managing and Virgin Mobile Live's party at Brooklyn Bowl. You can look at more photos from the Stratosphere Sound event, where I did a quick snap with Widowspeak (above), by checking out Brooklyn Vegan. Weekend, WATERS, Caveman, and a few other bands also played. Not exactly sure where to find the Virgin Mobile Live party photos at the moment (maybe my pal Abbey's blog?), but I'll just leave the portrait of the perpetual fun machine Datarock (below) as a teaser...

Ladytron at Terminal 5

This is my favorite photo from Ladytron on Saturday night. More at House List.

Oh Land at Bowery Ballroom

More photos at House List.

Dirty Beaches at Mercury Lounge

Check out some photos of Dirty Beaches on the House List. I also snapped some pics of opener Frankie Rose... more photos of both bands might be on Brooklyn Vegan sometime soon.

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart at Bowery Ballroom

Not gonna lie - I was a bit more excited to check out Twin Sister than TPOBPAH last Monday. I've been entranced by Twin Sister's dreamy soundscapes for a while now and they were every bit as weird and lovely in person. (And unexpectedly dance-able.) TPOBPAH are always fun to catch live! Check out photos of TPOBPAH on House List, and even more photos (of Twin Sister and the first opener, Wyldlife) at Brooklyn Vegan.