Bill Cosby

Happy New Years!!!?? Okay, so I'm a little early, better early than never, or ? Whatever!

December ended with a bang for me and I hope this new year continues. So, when you think of CLEAN comedy, whose the first name to pop in your head... Eddie Murphy. Noooo, Richard Prior... Nooooo, the one and only BILL COSBY.

When I was a kid, I used to watch Bill Cosby on tv, playing Dr. Cliff Huxtable on his show named The Cosby Show. I also use to listen to him on live records, yes the black, grooved things that spun on a record player.

What a gentlemen! I was backstage with Mr. Cosby taking pixs of a gift that the theater presented to him. Mr. Cosby was more worried about making sure I was getting the shots that the theater required of me. Him holding a framed picture of the old Genesee Theatre when it first open. It was an old black and white photo of the old marque and people entering the theater. I've never have a talent put me first! Usually the photographer is the last on the ladder for being thought of and accommodated for. So to say the least it was enjoyable night.

I was given 10 minutes of shoot time any where in the theater but had to be at least 10 rows back. After getting the required shots and some favorites, I sat back and enjoyed the rest of the show.

What an amazing comedian, to be funny and clean.

Next up is Brian Setzer, from the Stray Cats.

Till next time

Buddy Guy and Dave Mason

Back in the saddle again.

Had my first encounter with Blues Legend Buddy Guy and rock and roller Dave Mason. Between the two of these guys, you could start your own trophy company for all the awards these guys have won. Phenomenal, the music these guys can produce just makes you sit back in your seat and wish it was 60's and 70's. Speaking of that era, that is which most of the audience was, peace, love, and having a good time, minus the funny smoke.

Buddy being 70+ years young can still pick the wired instrument like no other.

Dave Mason opened the night up. Dave had a set of his older music along with music from a new CD that came out. Great stuff!!

It is was a true pleasure to spend a wonderful evening with these two great performers.

Till next time

Randy

Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood

Laughing and taking pictures, in a dark theater, standing in precarious positions. I can't thank the engineers at Nikon enough for vibration reduction. Colin and Brad were awesome, I had a very hard time doing my job. Hilarious, gut spliting, orginal, pee your pants funny, okay I didn't pee my pants, but was very close.

Its nice to see what improv can produce, its kinda like watching Americas Funniest Videos live and in person. Just wish I could rewind. Colin and Brad brought up volunteers through out the entire show and didn't once embarass any of them, well, maybe just a little bit. It was in good fun and the volunteers appeared to be having the time of their life.

Knowing a couple comdenians personally and having some knowledge of what goes into an act, Colin and Brad made it look so easy and flawless. They transitioned from one skit to the other without missing a beat. One minute volunteers are controling their movements then to being Usher the next, rapping the night away. The rap was good!! The TV show Whose Line Is It, did not do these gentlement justice, they are as funny as it gets. If you get a chance to see these guys in concert, please DO NOT miss the opportunity, working the next show or not, I won't be missing them.

Till next time

Randy

Too Short and Slick

Slick, a Billboard's top 40 artist opened the evening up for the headliner Too Short, a night of R&B, Hip Hop, and Rap. To say the least, I thought is was going to be an interesting night.

After Slick had his set, then Too Short came on and belted out some of his hits from the late 80's early 90's. I even remembered a couple of his songs, just didn't realize that some were so explicit. Not to say I didn't like it that way, and the song made more sense than what was being played on the radio at the time.

The concert went off without a hitch and plenty of folks enjoyed a night of entertainment.

Thats it for now, I have Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood from Whose Line Is It on deck for my next blog.

ttyl

Randy

Here are some of the pictures from that nights festivities.

Folk Music

I had a very entertaining night of folk music over at the Genesee Theatre this past couple of Saturdays ago. Folk music, when I asked someone that question and heard the response of some banjo playing, moonshine drinking folk from up in the mountains, I couldn't disagree more. I had thought I had an idea of what it was, kinda along the same lines my friends response, but no its deeper. Its deeper than most country music is. Oh, I'm not going to get all mushy and sappy, but I will say folk music has a real story. Not just about a pickup truck and girl, well some songs have that in them, but that's not whats it all about.

I had the privilege to shoot Nancy Griffith, a award winning folk singer, song writer. As I was there doing my thang, shooting away and actually listening to the music, I started to get it, and was truly enjoying the concert. Don't tell the people over at Genesee that, they might want to charge me for admission or take back my check.

If your open to all kinds of music and have a chance to hear a folk band, give a try, you might be surprised on how much you like it. I certainly was, I went to Itunes and bought a couple of Nancy songs. Here is couple pics from her concert the other night at Genesee Theatre.

Tesla

If your 30 plus in age, you should remeber the 80's vaguely. The big hair, gobs of makeup, and rock and roll bands. This past Friday, I had the opportunity to go back down memory lane with Tesla. I remebered as a kid walking down to the Coast to Coast store in our little town and buying my first hard rock album. Yes, album, the big round black thing with a bunch of grooves in it that spun on a huge device with a needle that made the music, a phonograph. Tesla was that first album.

I couldn't tell you how excited I was to be able to see them in person let alone hang out back stage as Genesee Theatres photo man. It truely is unbelieveable that these guys off stage are no different than you or me. These guys were truly humble, and just wanted to hang out, until there onstage. This is the place for them to let all the fustration of the world come out. It was a great concert, after 23 years of being together, these guy still "rock"!

Tesla also had two great warm up bands to get the juices flowing for the main event. The first set belong to a band named Damaged. They were up there for almost an hour just jamming away. They have a great sound to them and my feeling, if it matters, you will be seeing alot more of them in the near future.

The second set with The Leo Project was another jam session of rock and roll 80's style. Minus the big hair and gobs of makeup. Tesla couldn't made a better choice before taking the stage, than to have these great bands get everybody to rock the night away.