Liz From St. Louis
Art, Music, Attitude and tales of Awesomeness
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Last nite I had the pleasure of attending the ‘St. Louis’ (technically Sauget, IL) stop of the 2009 AP Tour. And let me tell you what, those good dudes and dudettes at AP Magazine sure knew what they were doing when they put together the lineup of bands, it was a phenom. The kids didn’t stop rocking out all nite and everyone left sweaty and tired but with huge smiles on their faces.
Check out the rest of my photos from the nite…
I was able to catch 3OH!3, The Maine and Family Force 5 – I missed Hit The Lights and A Rocket to The Moon due to the fact that I had work obligations. All three of the bands that I saw were really great live and had the crowd going; seriously I haven’t seen such an enthusiastic crowd that was ready to P-A-R-T-Y in such a long time, it was awesome.
Being the ‘old fart’ I am, I had only ever heard the names of The Maine and Family Force 5, never having listened to their music before. I was completely blown away by Family Force 5 – from their comical coordinating outfits, their sheer energy, ability to work the crowd, sweet dance moves and OMG can we talk about some awesome beats and sampling? It literally was just this frenetic dance party that didn’t stop for a second, that band made my nite.
Be sure to check out Family Force 5. You can thank me later
Tags: 3OH!3, ap magazine, concert photography, Family Force 5, Pop's, The AP Tour, The Maine
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March 16th, 2009Music
From Mike Shea’s blog:
I did get my inspiration to be a music journalist after watching Almost Famous for the first time. Hiding behind a camera lens just so happened to be the natural progression of things for me. It’s funny just how truthful, and applicable to my own experience, that snippet from Mike’s blog is.
Sometimes I think about resurrecting my dream of becoming ‘the enemy’ – the 17-year-old Liz would be highly disappointed with how uneventful my post-collegiate life is, but those are the breaks, kid. I still watch Almost Famous whenever I lose perspective on things; I still relate all too-well with William Miller sitting in the bathtub surrounded by disregarded, balled-up, half-written ideas while trying to pull through in the eleventh hour.
“Listen, you’re doing great. The only true currency in this bankrupt world is what you share with someone else when you’re uncool. Listen, this is my advice to you… be honest and unmerciful. You have to make your reputation on being honest and unmerciful. And if you get into a jam, call me. I stay up late.” – Lester Bangs in Almost Famous
I don’t think there could be any truer words than those. We all have to settle into our own uncool and base our reputations on being honest and unmerciful.
& Elizabethtown is quite an inspirational film as well…
Tags: Almost Famous, ap magazine, Cameron Crowe, Elizabethtown, Mike Shea -
AP Magazine, June 2008 issue (Cobra Starship on the cover)
Tags: alkaline trio, ap magazine -
July 25th, 2006Uncategorized
I’ve been busy with the internship at AP, which I’m not complaining about. But that’s why it’s been hard for me to keep up with this thing more than weekly.
I will tell you that I’ve been working with Ted who is the art/production assistant. He makes spreadsheets in Excel of things we need (like live photos, posed photos, screenshots of video games, movies, CD art work, DVD box art, and things like that) and then I get to email all of these crazy publicists and get everything. I’ve also been working with Norman the photo editor on putting together a database of all of the photographers and their detailed info. Every Tuesday I get to sit in on the production meeting with everyone from art and everyone from editorial. Needless to say, Tuesdays are my favorite days
I really enjoy working with all of these people and seeing just how everything comes together, it’s neat to just do the little things that I do because I know that if I didn’t do them, there’d be nothing but words on the pages! I have gotten to design the subscription cards that are going in issues #219 and #220 and retailer cards for Canadian bookstores.And the big news is that… I’VE GOT SEVERAL PHOTOS BEING PUBLISHED IN #219! Which is the October issue, hitting stores on Sept. 7th! So you all have to go buy loads of copies
Saturday it rained a lot and we had to take the van to a local car place to get some O2 thing-a-ma-jig fixed. I wasn’t into it but we went to a hot rod show/concert thing in West Salem, OH.
Not even two bands into it, we had to leave to drive to Cleveland Heights to see Big Sandy and His Fly Rite Boys at this really cool venue called the Grog Shop. And I have to tell you, it reminded me of The Galaxy but cooler. It’s in a neat looking building that looks like you’re down in a cave. It was cool tempeture wise and they bathrooms were clean, definately not like the Creepy Crawl
Big Sandy was good but I was overtired and not in a concert mood. Just not my thing, I like loud and fast better. He played a song and asked if anyone was from Missouri, Mom shouted, she was the only one. Well, it turns out Big Sandy was surprised Missouri folk were in Ohio, so he asked why we were there, Mom explained. He thanked us for coming and wished me luck with the internship, in front of all of these people! It was crazy, I felt bad because here he was wishing me luck and I was definately bored and unenthused with the concert. I smiled thankfully and gave the obligitory thumbs up, it was a cool moment. So, then Big Sandy played this “Misery” song which is about being in Missouri. The rest of the nite he smiled over at us, pointed and waved and even raised his glass to us a few times. Mom and Grace had fun.
We didn’t get home till 2am and were exhausted. I slept in late Sunday and then we moved into a bigger hotel room with 2 beds because I had been sleeping on an inflatable mattress on the floor, plus when Cait and Dad come to visit we need more room. So, yesterday we moved and that was tiring. I took a nap and then Grace and I fended off kids and took a soak in the hot tub. Mom finally got some good sleep but Grace and I had a hard time sleeping last nite. We were watching the celebration cakes competition on Food Network, and dammit, we fell asleep before the end. So, if you know who won, tell me!
I’m into my 3rd week at AP and working on helping Mom book the flights for Cait and Dad to come up here and then for all of us to get to NYC. We’re all excited to go!
Tags: ap magazine, big sandy and his fly-rite boys, cleveland, travel -
July 19th, 2006cleveland
Welcoming you to Cleveland Ohio where I’m laughing at your face!
Well kids, today was an amazing day.
Not only did I have a zillion more publicists to email today and more stuff to wrangle. But Norman came in asking if I brought in my photos. So, we looked them over in his office and the first thing out of his mouth was “these are really good, you must be proud of them” and he smiled. I almost fainted. Even the Hawthorne Heights and Dresden Doll ones… he liked them all. Leslie came in and picked out one of the DD ones and said she loved it. Norman liked my photos and Leslie? I’m still not sure this actually happened or if I’m living in some altered reality. Needless to say, I have four photos that will be in the tour portion of the Fall Preview section of the October issue.
[not only will my name be listed in the main staff box as "art intern" but I'll get photo credits as well!]
I got to design a retailer card all by myself (postcards advertising new issues with the logo of a particular bookstore on it for promo) They were for Hastings and Books-A-Million. So, if you see them, I was the one that put them together! And then I had to read through a feature story and pull photos to go along with it, very boring since the story was dry and the photos were just okay.
I have A LOT of stuff to do tomorrow, it’s insane around the office because Ted’s putting together record reviews (fondly refered to as rec rev’s) and front of the book (first section of the magazine, before the feature stories) stuff. And I still have photos and shizz from publicists to sort out and edit/resize for it. But good news is that I’m going to get to design some pages of my own very soon!
I really want the new MSTRKRFT album.
Tags: ap magazine, cleveland, concert photography, internship -
July 14th, 2006cleveland
Well, things at AP are going well but there doesn’t seem to be a lot to keep me busy. I have been helping the photo editor make and update a database of all of the photographers (150 or so) and all of their info, but I’m still waiting on 50 or so photogs to get me their info. Christopher (my boss) is putting together a media kit for advertisers for 2007 (this is to show highlights of the past year and our demographic, sales and such and to to try and keep our sponsors and advertisers as well as get new ones) and I’ve had to help pull photos and pages from PDFs of past issues that are all on DVDs. I also listened in and lent some ideas on a poster for a Warped Tour time capsule the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame is doing.
Yesterday as I was walking out of the building to get lunch I passed Ryan and Brandon of Panic! at the Disco in the stairwell. And later in the day I saw Bob from The Hush Sound in the lunch room talking to Leslie (an editor).
I got to go see Panic! at the Disco at this really cool venue called the Plain Dealer Pavillion which is down in the Flats section of downtown Cleveland on an inlet of Lake Erie. It was really humid but there was a nice breeze. Due to problems with the guestlist, I missed The Hush Sound entirely and they were the band I was supposed to shoot! :-\ I did get to see Dresden Doll and shoot them. After the first 3 songs I went into the crowd and spotted Andrew McMahon of Jack’s Mannequin/Something Corporate and I was completely stunned but really happy. (Jack’s Mannequin was in town the nite before at the House of Blues and I didn’t go).
Andrew!
And so I ran off to the bathroom and called Kelly to share the excitement. And just as I walked out I saw Andrew again at a concession stand! So I just had to go talk to him, and I did! He was so nice and just really sweet (I had met him once before but that was a way long time ago… like January of 03). I told him I’ve seen him in Columbia, MO and that I go to Mizzou, he smiled and laughed saying he always has a good time at Mizzou, that it’s always fun. I told him my friends and I really enjoy his music and he held my hand for a moment after he shook it. He asked if I was from Cleveland and I explained that I’m interning at AP, he thought that was neat. Like, wow… I just couldn’t believe I was standing there talking to him and he was just so sweet. I’m just sad I didn’t get to see the concert Tuesday because Jack’s Mannequin is great. He said they’re touring in October and recording in the winter.Panic! at the Disco was amazing and I really wish Caitlin would’ve been there to enjoy it with me because I know she wanted to see them and she would’ve loved it. Their stage setup was very Moulin Rouge and Smashing Pumpkins’ “Tonight Tonight” video-esque. And they even played a cover of “Tonight Tonight” as well as “Karma Police” by Radiohead. I’m not a big Radiohead fan but I like that song a lot. I got back really late and was so tired!
I sat in on my first production meeting today which was very interesting and informative, I learned a lot by just listening to how things work and what these people really talk about/do in putting together a magazine. Lots of good gossip type things that were funny. But I didn’t have anything to do other than put a few new people in the photog database and I was so tired, so I left in the middle of the day.
Mom and Grace were very bored since it was nasty and rainy the last few days. The weather cleared up today and they both got sunburned, Grace is really red and we had to get some aloe gel for her. Mom is still struggling because of quitting smoking, she’s resorted to baked goods but I’m not complaining because I’ve been jonesin’ for sweets for awhile now.
Tomorrow evening we’re going to a mall that’s nearby for Mom to find clipon sunglasses for her glasses. Saturday we’re going downtown to see pirate ships at the harbor in the Flats!
We’re planning a trip to Niagara Falls and New York City for the first weekend in August – DAD AND CAITLIN ARE COMING!!!
Tags: ap magazine, cleveland, internship -
July 11th, 2006cleveland
Today was the day, I started at AP.
I woke up this morning to a bad thunderstorn and a sick stomach but I made it to 1305 West 80th St!
And when I got into the building I got lost in all of the crazy little hallways but eventually went down the funky orange and green painted hallway down to a single black door with the AP sign next to it. A signed taped to the door said to knock, I did and Christopher was there to greet me. I got to take a tour of the office and wow, got to be the founder and CEO Mike Shea along with his pitbull Tieago who just roams around the office and licks on your ankles. Everyone I work with is awesome; Christopher, Ted, and Rob.
I have my own desk in the Art/Production room which is a huge open room with a big table a little ball chairs in the middle. One of my tasks today was to go through the huge final proof pages of September issue and organize some of them in numerical order… PS for anyone who voted on MySpace, Head Automatica’s on the cover and it’s sweet. I also got to help make some postcards for advertisements that are going to be handed out at the Quebec date of Warped Tour.
Norman who is the Publisher and Photo Editor is going to have me help him with some legal paperwork that all of the photographers have to sign and send back, I’m going to try and see if I can get on with being a contributing photographer. I got to also help brainstorm with Scott in Editoral and Ted on a poster for the bands backstage at Warped Tour for bands to donate things for a time capsule the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame is doing that’ll be opened in 2031. So they bounced around ideas but I came up with the final slogan of “How will your moldy shower shoes smell is 2031?” or “How will your girls jeans fit in 2031?” Lol. And there may be an illustrated robot with scene hair
My schedule is M-F 11am to 5pm and woot we’re sponsered by Redbull so there’s a little fridge full of free Redbull!I love AP.
Tags: ap magazine, cleveland, internship -
July 7th, 2006cleveland
Grace, Mom, and I made it to Cleveland in about 11 hours. We stopped in Effingham Illinois for breakfast, outside of Indianapolis to change drivers and then outside of Columbus for dinner. We got to our Marriott Residence Inn around 8pm and it’s a sweet little setup (pictures on the way – we still have to unpack).
We just had breakfast and it was really good, we get a free hot breakfast here and chowed on some waffles, eggs, sausage, and potatoes. Mom’s got some coffee and Grace is getting ready to go. We’re going to drive by AP’s offices and then go scope out the shopping/grocery situation here in the Westlake part of Cuyahoga County Ohio (only 15 miles from beautiful downtown Cleveland!)
FYI: I plan on using this blog to share photos and stories of my time here in Ohio and at AP Magazine. So, family and friends you can now track down just what I’m doing
Tags: ap magazine, cleveland, internship
