HALFORD returns!

Scorpions Rock Nor Cal like a Hurricane this week!

Scorpions finally bring their "Get Your Sting and Blackout" world tour to Concord on Sunday and Sacramento next Wednesday.  As I've said before, the Scorpions never disappoint.  I caught them three times on the last two tours and was blown away at how good they are 28 years after I first saw them.  Some of the older bands still blow the doors off younger bands that stand around staring at their shoes.  This is supposed to be their final world tour so don't miss these chances to witness one of the greatest rock bands ever!  And do your best to get up front with me!

Cinderella opens the show in Concord and Ratt opens the show in Sacramento.  I haven't seen either band since the late 80's, but I've heard nothing but glowing reviews of either band.  I can tell you that the new Ratt cd is every bit as good or better than anything they did in their early days.......pure molten rock!  The addition of Carlos Cavaso from Quiet Riot has only stoked their fire.

Eric Brittingham of Cinderella filling in with Poison last year.

Jack Ketch opens for OTEP at the Boardwalk on Friday

If you like your metal grindy and progressive, check out Jack Ketch!  These guys will melt your face!


www.jackketchkills.com

Rick Springfield rocks the State Fair

Say what you will, but this guy rocks!  I've seen him twice since my sister is a big fan.  This guy knows how to put on a show and more bands should watch him and take notes.  Gets in the crowd during the show every time.....several times in fact.  He's 59 and looks 39....bastard!  The cougars go nuts.......and what is up with all the middle aged men rocking out to him????????...and they aren't with their wives?

Silent Treatment hits Sac on Friday!

These bastards are playing two sets at the State Fair this Friday at 3PM and 430PM.  They play some of the best original rock out there right now and they bring it live every time.  These guys don't slack.  They are from LA and they get up to Sac almost every six weeks or so.  They will be at The Knitting Factory in Reno on Saturday.  Check them out.

http://www.silenttreatment.net/
http://www.myspace.com/stface

They are also playing the Fire Escape on August 20th with Wings of Innocence.  Get discount tix at the link below.

https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=AESSVTSY7U532

Brad Lang helps out Y&T

My buddy Brad Lang is filling in the low end for the injured Phil Kennemore of Y&T.  Good luck Brad and a speedy recovery to Phil.  I wish I could catch one of these shows.

Brad is currently playing bass with Planet Zero and is playing a gig with Heist on August 21st.  He also just took part in the Jet Red Reunion show.

This weeks show suggestions.

After last weeks great shows.......we got another one coming up.  How will we survive all this rock n roll.  Here are my suggestions for this week.

Thursday July 29th
Hot Lunch Music Series: with LIFE IN 24 FRAMES at 11:00am at Fremont Park in Sac.
Exhale at Club Retro 7PM
Toby Keith and  Trace Adkins at Sleep Train Amp.

Friday July 30th
Foghat at the State Fair 8PM
Silent Treatment at the State Fair 3PM and 4:45PM
A-Train at the State Fair 6-8PM
Ceasar Chavez Park will host Whiskey & Stitches, Final Summation, Bastards Of Young  5:30PM start
Sucker Punch at Dreamers
OTEP and Jack Ketch at the Boardwalk
Soilwork, Death Angel and Swashbuckle at Slims
No Bozoz at Mandango's in Roseville
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy at Harlow's

Saturday
Dave Rude Band at the Bottom of the Hill in SF
Rock & Rhyme and Amberglance at the Park Ultralounge
Mach 5 at Swabbies
Dokken at the Avalon in Santa Clara
Chris Botti at Thunder Valley


Sunday
SCORPIONS and Cinderella at the Sleep Train Pavillion in Concord
Bonebag at Swabbies 4PM

Tuesday August 3
Ratt and Sentinel Beast at the Oakland Metro

Wednesday August 4
SCORPIONS and RATT at Raley Field....Woo Hoo!

Now go make plans to go to as many shows as possible....and don't forget......it's ok not to drink at a show....booze is a waste of money anyhow!.......I'm gonna get blasted for this statement.

Storm Large

I just love Storm.  Wish she would come back and entertain me.  Shot her a few years ago at the Blue Lamp.....she is long overdue for a local show.  Absolutely gorgeous and a lot of fun.  This video proves it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5U-YT-mRmI

Tesla live at 98 Rock

FYI

I'm related to Johnny Cash......just thought I would throw that out there.

A TESLA Holiday Weekend.

I had the fortune to spend most of the 4th of July weekend with my favorite hometown boys TESLA.  On July 1, I got to attend and photograph the private 98 Rock concert for 20 lucky fans.  The band played five songs and Pat Martin brought out the very first copy of Mechanical Resonance given to radio by the Brian Wheat with the playlist notes still attached with the old 93 Rock logo.  It was a great time and the band took the time to meet everyone, sign autographs and take pictures.  Thank you 98 Rock for including me.

On July 2, I got to photograph the band play the 2nd concert ever at Thunder Valley Resort and Casino.  They have a great new amphitheater.  Pictures to follow.

Then I got to hang out with my old buddy and Tesla guitarist Dave Rude and his band Marco and Josh when they played Old Ironsides on July 3.  The Dave Rude Band rocks.  Check them out any chance you get.  Hard rock at it's best.  They are playing at the Bottom of the Hill in SF on July 31st.  I've know Dave since he was in his old band, The Servents.....another great rockin' band.

Adam Lambert this Saturday at Thunder Valley Casino!

The flamboyant Adam Lambert will be strutting his stuff this weekend at the new Thunder Valley Casino amphitheater.  This is a great little venue in which I saw Tesla on July 2.  Much more intimate than the giant Sleep Train Amp.  Every seat is a good seat at this venue.  I can't wait to see what Adam has in store for us.  Opening the show is the gorgeous Orianthi.  She is a young Aussie guitar shredder who's last job was playing with Michael Jackson....don't miss this show........and by the way.....I think both of their albums are awesome.  Adam's shows his true range and tastes.....this guy will be around forever.  Orianthi's is slightly too pop for my taste....but what is a young gal supposed to do.....but she still shreds on the guitar.

The Metal God sings tonight!

HALFORD tonight at the Regency Ballroom in SF.  Get your ass there for an intimate evening of screeching heavy metal.  Halford features Rob Halford of Judas Priest.  He will be performing great songs from the Halford songbook as well as choice cuts from FIGHT and Judas Priest.  Rob is warming up for his stint on this years Ozzfest tour.  I've had the pleasure of seeing this band twice and they absolutely crush.

Aerosmith and Sammy Hagar at Oracle Arena on July 23.

Aerosmith is one of my all time favorite bands. I'm hoping to shoot them officially at this show.....they are a hard one to land......only the mighty Ross seems to get to photograph them.....nice to be the tour photographer. They also never seem to disappoint in the live show dept. Back in the 80's I would see them an average of 3 times per tour....they are hardcore road dogs to this day. Sammy also never ever disappoints. All his many fans know that....they are usually at every show. It will be a good time for Sammy since he can drive home and sleep in his own bed. Hopefully this will be my second time seeing Sammy this summer.......hopefully a third with Chickenfoot in Sept. Go get your rock on!

20 X 4 X 7

It has been a long a wonderful rock n roll filled weekend. I've just finished seeing 20 bands in 4 nights at 7 different venues.......and I only took pix of one of the bands....good to leave the camera home on occasion. Here is a list of the bands.

Izabella, Walking Spanish, Darksun Skypilot, Body Electric, Wings of Innocence, The Rainman Suite, Silent Treatment, Renegade, 3 Inches of Blood, Chimaira, Atreyu, Five Finger Death Punch, Lamb of God, Rob Zombie, Korn, Walking Spanish again and Carbon Leaf! There wasn't a wanker in the bunch!

I know the economy sucks, but get out and see a show!

Tool at ARCO Arena on Tuesday July 13.

Tool rocks....can't get around it. I can't wait to see everyone there. It has been two years since they've been here and I missed the last couple of shows. Glad I got to see them across the street at the Amazon opening for Henry Rollins.....a long, long time ago! I did manage to catch Danny Carey at the Boardwalk with Pygmy Love Circus with Brand X Savior opening. I'll dig out those pix. I also managed to see one of the first A Perfect Circle shows at Big Shots in Roseville. Herb from Primus was still in the band at that point. Did you know that both Danny and Maynard were both in Green Jello?

Get off your ass and go see TOOL!

Sir Paul McCartney at AT&T Park this Saturday.

You won't get too many more chances to see this master. His show is incredible! I'm going just for the pyro during "Live and Let Die"! Still my favorite Bond film.

Rihanna and Ke$ha at ARCO on Friday and Shoreline on Saturday.

Come shake that ass this weekend with Rihanna.  She sure looks a lot different now than the above image from 2005.

HALFORD at The Regency Ballroom on Saturday, July 17th.

Come bang with The Metal God himself at this rare performance before he heads out on Ozzfest.

Rockstar Mayhem Festival this Sunday at Shoreline!

It's going to be a headbanging good time!

KORN ROB ZOMBIE LAMB OF GOD FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH HATEBREED CHIMAIRA SHADOWS FALL WINDS OF PLAGUE ATREYU NORMA JEAN

IN THIS MOMENT 3 INCHES OF BLOOD

SCORPIONS ON TOUR!

The Scorpions are out on their final tour of the world. The Get Your Sting and Blackout world tour is scheduled to circle the globe for another 2.5 years, but I wouldn't miss a single opportunity to catch these Teutonic rockers. They have never disappointed me live the nine times I've seen them since 1982. Pick a date, grab a ticket, get stung!

Check their tour dates here: http://www.the-scorpions.com/english/tourdates.asp

PS....Their final album "Sting in the Tail" rocks. Go out and get your own cd!

The ROKFOTO Blog!

The primary purpose of this blog is to highlight my concert photography. I will also be promoting upcoming concerts and local shows as well as other happenings in northern California and around the world. I'll be promoting the bands I like and bands I think you should listen too as well as all my musician friends and their projects. Once in a while I'll throw out an opinion or two. Enjoy!

NOW GET OFF YOUR ASS AND GO SEE A SHOW!