Music Waste

Earlier this month I shot Music Waste for Streethawk Magazine, a whole lot of local talent at dives spattered across Chinatown and the Downtown Eastside over the course of four days, and hosted by Only Magazine. Read about it here and here. Pictured is Chrisarrific of the Bible Belts and the Choir Practice. More photos on my Flickr.

Spotted Peter

The ridiculously photogenic Peter, shot for Spotted Cock Accessories, whose ware you will find at the Portobello West fashion and art market, the last Sunday of every month.

Nick Krgovich

Nick Krgovich, of P:ano, Burquitlam Plaza, Gigi... a Christmas album under the name of Chris Mastheim, and the aforementioned To Bad Catholics and whatever else he has or has had up his sleeve. Nick is my favourite Vancouver artist and it's always an honour to photograph him. Unfortunately he is not the best at self-promotion, and I often find out about his shows just by accident.

To Bad Catholics

Earlier this year I photographed To Bad Catholics at Julia Chirka's home in East Vancouver, an apartment I had actually been in before when it was rented by friends who were previous tenants. Hanging out with Julia and her cousin Nick Krgovich, it quickly becomes apparent that they are not only of the same blood but seemingly live in a separate, charmed world of their own. A world that consists of two. Their music is the same: difficult to penetrate, but once you get inside it, it's pretty awesome.

Great Lake Swimmer

Erik Arnesen of the Great Lake Swimmers, at Richards on Richards this past Easter weekend.

The Take-Home Chef

Whitecap author and take-home chef Curtis Stone made a stop at Barbara-Jo’s Books to Cooks this spring to woo the ladies with his chocolate creations and charming Australian self. Curtis was on tour promoting his book, Cooking with Curtis: Easy, Everyday and Adventurous Recipes for the Home Cook.

Simon vs. Peanut

In February my friend Simon paid me a visit and forced me to photograph him. Simon is often beside me helping with Spotted Cock art direction, so it was fun to have him on the other side of the camera. Pictured also is Peanut, defending his territory.

Mating Rituals of the East Wellander

Back home in East Welland I went to see a friend's band play but instead wound up photographing the mating rituals of the locals.

Christer

Christer promo shot; this is the main image on her website. Go visit her here or here or even better, in person, July 7 at the Backstage Lounge.

(He smells like gin of the bathtub variety)

Jesse Reid
The result of an impromptu photo shoot in Jesse's kitchen.

A Man After Midnight

Shot over the holidays on Clifton Hill in Niagara Falls, about a block from the hotel where I spent a year and a half of my life as a maid. Sean Ban Beaton, AKA "Eddie" in Toronto's long-running ABBAtastic musical, Mamma Mia (and also the dancing leprechaun in that juice box commercial).

Elliott Brooding

Shot for The Ubyssey; Six Shooter Records' Elliott Brood played the Railway Club on the western leg of their fall 2006 tour.

Cookies and Creamy Mittens

The lovely and talented Hannah captured in a photo shoot for Spotted Cock.

Dandi Wind

Dandi Wind performed at Silkhaus in Chinatown, December 17 2006. Apparently it looked something like this inside her head as well.

Bonnie 'Prince' Billy

A mediocre photo for a speechlessly lovely performance and one of my favourite shows of the year, but it made the Jancember cover of Discorder. This was the first of three consecutive sold-out shows at the capsized hull of an arc-like St James Hall.

Electric Six

Here rocks out Electric Six on the stage of Richards on Richards in October 2006. I shot this for Discorder Magazine.

The Painted Birds

A band photo shoot for my friend Gavin's band, The Painted Birds; as generically band photoey as it gets (though no one is scratching their heads). Not a month later, Gavin left the band. He still, however, uses this black and white photo for his Myspace profile.

Handsome Evil

I caught the husband and wife band The Handsome Family at a poorly attended show at Richards on Richards, one night in December. Both scary and beautiful in that let's-celebrate-the-bleakness-of-life kind of way, the band's dark-bluegrass at once is uplifting, and makes you want to curl up in a ball. I picked up Rennie Sparks' book of short stories, Evil, which served as the perfect reading material for a holiday smalltown trip home. Like Rennie's lyrics, her stories have a sometimes funny and often disturbing insight into human nature, and the evils of general down-home stupidity.

Spotted Cock

Alex; from the first of several photo shoots for Spotted Cock Accessories.

Transmission Festival, Day 2

Shot for Streethawk Magazine in December 2006 at the Roundhouse in Vancouver.

Alternating stages featured Super 700, Mr Hudson and the Library, Malajube, CircleSquare, Wintersleep, Hawksley Workman and more. Read Jordie's review here.

The full photo set is here.