roots - Part 9

Category Archives: roots

Primarily Roots, alt country, blues

Zeus @ a soldout Horseshoe Tavern

Posted on March 30, 2011 | Leave a comment

I like this band, I like their music, fact is it would appear, so do a lot of other people. There was a good sized crowd at the Horseshoe this Friday night in December. Getting to the front of the stage proved to be rather difficult if not impossible without pissing anybody off. So I watched the show from the back with two friends for a bit, then decided I had to try, at the very least, to get some closer shots.

I managed to squeeze to the side of the stage and had some rather challenging angles to deal with. One looking mostly at the keyboard stand, another one with mic stands obstructing my view and I couldn’t even get a clear shot of the guitar player on the far side of the stage. The stage area isn’t the largest so the musicians where a bit cramped.

I lucked out a bit when the side stage bouncer allowed me past a barrier to get to the VIP and musicians stage entrance area. This wasn’t the greatest view either but I took some shots from here and, not wanting to block anyones else’s view in this location, I called it a night, put the camera away and enjoyed the rest of Zeus’ set.

The one thing I would note to myself and advise others after this, is that when going to club or bar without a photo pit area that you have access to, is to get to the venue early, especially when it’s a popular band, and grab a couple beers, scout out your spot and stay there (and hope you don’t have a weak bladder).

Gallery : Zeus @ The Horseshoe, Toronto Dec 3rd, 2010

shot with my trusty Nikon D90 & Tamron 28-75

Almost Missed Little Miss @ The Dakota Tavern

Posted on March 19, 2011 | Leave a comment

Foy Taylor & Miss Higgins

This is where perusing the local weekly entertainment rag is worth while. I had heard about this lady Little Miss Higgins and heard a few of her songs on CBC Radio2 and thought this is some pretty good guitar playing, I should check it out some time. Then I see in Now Magazine that she is playing a gig at the Dakota Tavern in the west end that very night. Starting early at 7pm! Okay then! lets go.

Miss Higgin's

What a show! Little Miss Higgin’s along with Foy Taylor accompanying on guitar and harmonies put on a very entertaining set of country and blue’s songs. Stories about small towns, touring, some undergarment references and life in general filled in with some good ol’ gutsy guitar playing got people drinking it up, myself included.

Jamz Bee

The Dakota was also privileged to be a stop on the Jamz Bee hosted Jazz Safari tour that evening. Jamz Bee, a social guru, hosts the JazzFM91.1 sponsored group trips to various clubs around town checking out live music.

This gig took place Sept 25th, 2010. Shortly afterwards , Little Miss Higgin’s was part of the Women’s Blues Review at Massey Hall. I’m glad I had the chance to take pictures at the much smaller and intimite Dakota Tavern before the Massey Hall show.

Miss Higgin’s is currently on tour in England and Ireland, returning to Canada in May for a stop in Ottawa then out to the west coast for a few gigs.

my gallery from this show: Little Miss Higgin’s Live @ The Dakota Tavern

little miss higgin's

Photog notes: there was not a lot of light in the Dakota so for most of the shoot I had the ISO cranked up to 3200. I was also using a variable aperture zoom which was not too effective in this situation. It was the only lens I had at the time, this fact helped me understand what it was I was going to require to get better low-light shots in the future.