Music Monday: Eel House and St. Animal.

Alaska, Music, Photography

I had few gigs to juggle Saturday, April 20, 2013. I had a brief, but necessary, walk on part in The Firebird at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Between those was load-in and sound check for St. Animal, headliner at The Pub that night. After sound check a brief trip over to KUAC’s studio to help out with Alaska Live, feature Eel House. Immediately after the second performance of Firebird it was back to The Pub to soundcheck the opening band and start the show.

Eel House is a four-piece with vocals, their music is a mix of contra dance, bluegrass and indie-rock. I didn’t have to time to stick around and get all their names.

Keys, drums and vocals comprise part of Eel House, who performed on Alaska Live with Lori Neufeld.

Bass and fiddle make up the two-remaining members of Eel House.

St. Animal has six members who at any point in time play a variation of drums, bass, electric guitar, mandolin, fiddle, banjo, trumpet or trombone.

St. Animals plays an energetic set at UAF’s Pub, Saturday April 20, 2013.

Fine Art Friday: North Star Ballet’s “The Firebird.”

Alaska, Music, Photography, Portraits

A few weeks ago I mentioned a new posting theme: Fine Art Friday. That has been the first, and only, installment. Until now.

North Star Ballet School, in Fairbanks, Alaska, will premier The Firebird this weekend, a ballet based on a Russian fairy tale, and set to music by Russian composer Igor Stravinsky. A full article about the local production with dancer, director and seamstress interviews can be found at the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner.

It’s a standard fairy-tale plot, a prince battles evil to free a damsel in distress, in this case calling on the Firebird to help him defeat the evil Kotschei. Dancers adorn bold, bright and colorful costumes, especially Kotschei’s cape and a group of monsters under his control. Continuing with vivid colors, the second act includes three short pieces, Red Arc/Blue Veil, Suite With Hats, and Der Rosenkavalier Waltzes.

Firebird has performances at UAF’s Salisbury Theatre, Friday April 19 at 8 p.m., Saturday April 20 at 2 and 8 p.m., and Sunday April 21 at 2 p.m.

Kotschie (Jarrin Overholt,) is banished by the Firebird (Wendy Langton,) as Prince Ivan (Ian Ziesel,) looks on

Monsters capture and torment Prince Ivan

The Firebird and Prince Ivan dance together in the forest.

Red Arc/Blue Veil is not a dance with a narrative. Instead it is a study in movement and music. Composed by Fairbanks-based, but internationally-renowned composer John Luther Adams, Red Arc/Blue Veil is metaphorical piece about the Aurora Borealis, exploring the geometry of time and color. Fluid successions of movement rise and fall, crisscrossing the stage. Lighting – green, red, blue, and purple – strengthen enhance the ethereal feel.

Movement and form is repeated in a canonical form, meaning the same steps but at different times.

Movement and form are repeated in a canonical form, meaning the same steps, but at different times.

A fitting, and fantastic, lens flare for a piece symbolizing the northern lights.

Music Monday: TIm Robb at Creamers Field.

Alaska, Black & White, Film, Music, Photography, Portraits, Street

First things first: My condolences go out to all those affected by today’s Boston Marathon tragedy. I have spent some time viewing photos and watching videos, it truly is horrific. I can’t imagine the utter shock and chaos felt during what should have been a time of jubilation.

I was riding my bike to school, just about this time in 2012, and stopped by Creamers Field to shoot some 35mm, B&W film. I happened upon an unexpected scene.

Fairbanks musician Tim Robb watched the arrival of Canada goose while practicing guitar, his dog in attendance. Robb is a very enjoyable, mellow yet enthusiastic musician. The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner correctly critiques his work: “Robb… typically blurs the style lines through free-form interpretation and improvisation.”

I was worried I didn’t have anything for Music Monday, then I found these gems in my archives. The first image is a lesson in micro-composition. A few extra seconds in the viewfinder and I may have panned up and to the right, eliminating the rear-door handle and “Outback” emblem, at the same time getting all the lettering on the barn and the vents on the roof.

Tim Robb practices guitar while his dog hangs out at Creamers Field, April 2012.

Tim Robb practices guitar while his dog hangs out, Creamers Field, April 2012.

Bright morning light causes squinty eyes, but doesn’t diminish smiles.

Music Monday: Clinton Fearon

Alaska, Music, Photography, Portraits

Please excuse my lack of posts in the previous week, I had been traveling with limited use to internet.

Jumping back into posts today with a brief Music Monday. Clinton Fearon, Jamaican Reggae artist, played a solo show on Alaska Live with Lori Neufeld March 8, 2013. Check out his podcast on KUAC’s website.

There was a shortage of light during this particular shoot, so even at ISO 3200 my shutter speed was a somewhat testy 1/25th of a second. Thanks to a steady hand and image stabilization I was able to get a few sharp shots. One cool effect of a slow shutter is the blurring of Clinton’s strumming hand.

Clinton Fearon uses music to spread his message of hope and love on Alaska Live, with Lori Neufeld.

Music Monday: Steve Brown and the Bailers at the UAF Pub

Alaska, Black & White, Music, Photography, Portraits

Fairbanks-based rockabilly band Steve Brown and The Bailers will perform at the UAF Pub this Saturday, March 30, 2013. Here’s a great show poster created by Sue Sprinkle of 5th Avenue Design & Graphics.

Their most recent show was also at UAF’s Pub, February 24. After helping set up microphones and patch them into the snake I hung around to dance and photograph.

I’ll be the first to admit, this isn’t my finest edit. First off, none of my images are exceptionally sharp, rather they’re quite fuzzy. Second, either I misplaced, or didn’t even shoot RAW images, so my hack-job edit today was of small, unforgiving JPEGs.

For those who don’t know, a RAW image is 16-bits per color, uncompressed and the complete, unaltered file captured by the camera. In comparison, JPEGs are an 8-bit, compressed file. While a RAW file can be many-times bigger then a JPEG, the nature of the file allows for digital manipulation without altering the pixels. There are drawbacks other then large file sizes, but for all intensive purposes, shoot RAW.

Hope you enjoy!

Steve Brown and the Bailers at the UAF Pub, Feb. 24, 2013.

Steve Brown and Robin Fienman on guitar and vocals sing together February 24, 2013.

With their groovy melodies, expert playing and relatable lyrics, Steve Brown and the Bailers inspire a dance floor of all ages and abilities

Making sure everyone hits the last note of the night together.

Making sure everyone hits the night’s last note together.

Music Monday: Nor’easter, With Video.

Alaska, Black & White, Music, Photography, Portraits

Boston-based band Nor’easter, founded by Max Newman of Fairbanks, spent some time sharing music in the KUAC studios Feb. 1, 2013. This contra-dance band features Max Newman on guitar and mandolin, Cedar Stanistreet on fiddle and Julie Vallimont on piano and accordion.

Being a band with Alaska roots, Nor’easter got the filming treatment during their Alaska Live session, which I will embed at the end of this post. Want more? Check out their full Alaska Live podcast.

It’s evident they have fun sharing their music, which indeed induces foot tapping.

Music Monday: Fairbanks Winter Folk Festival

Alaska, Music, Photography, Portraits

Welcome back to the second installment of Music Monday, on Far North Light.

Twice a year, in summer and winter, The Fairbanks Folk Festival offers a chance for some of the many Interior Alaska bands a place to conjoin and perform. February 9th, at Pioneer Park’s Civic Center, over 30 acts took turns filling 15- and 20-minute sets. Performances ran the gamut from solo singer-songwriters and a comedian to picking sessions with dozens of stringed instruments.

I was there finalizing recordings for my internship at KUAC, which allowed me some time to photograph as well.

Check out “The Best of the Fest” podcast on KUAC’s website, where you will also see a slideshow with more pictures that I took. I recommend the recordings that start with Ester Jelly Jam and New Cut Road.

Bruno Grunau, of the band Ice Jam, plays mandolin with his 6-week-old daughter Annabelle.

Warming up in the green room at Fairbanks Winter Folk Festival.

A very full stage.

Emcee Lori Neufeld chats with members of Zingaro before they take the stage.

Ukulele Russ: One man, one ukulele, lots of hair.

Music Monday: The Young Dubliners on Alaska Live

Alaska, Black & White, Music, Photography, Portraits

In an effort to increase the regularity of posting I will be creating a few themes for Far North Light. Today is the inaugural day of Music Monday, where I feature photos of the various venues and concerts I’m involved with around Fairbanks.

Capturing the essence of music in a photograph is no easy task. Obviously the biggest hurdle is lack of auditory signals. What is possible is trying to capture the symbiotic relationship band members share with one another, as well as audience members. Much like a sound wave reflecting off ceilings and walls, energy fills the studio or dance floor, it’s that energy that is possible to photograph.

Often to capture the intensity a plethora of obstacles must be navigated. Studio settings don’t offer audience members, or the added energy they bring, to incorporate into the photo. Bright spotlights accompanied with dark surroundings can easily lead to blown out highlights or indiscernible shadows. My technique is expose so no highlights have lost information, then bring back detail in the shadows. Rarely is ISO set below 1600. Another common impediment is a cramped enviornment: instruments, bodies and microphones can easily decapitate an important figure in the background. Thanks to the near unlimited picture taking ability of digital, shoot enough and there’s bound to be good frames.

As I mentioned in a previous post I’m doing a professional media internship for KUAC, Public Radio of Alaska. I assist Lori Neufeld in the production room for her show, Alaska Live, a live-music radio program feature Alaskan and visiting artists. The most recent band to play in the studio was The Young Dubliners. This Celtic-Rock band played a mellow version of their stage show. Check out the podcast here.

The Young Dubliners perform on Alaska Live in KUAC’s studio at University Alaska Fairbanks.

Alaska Live: Tony Furtado and Peter Mulvey, Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Haas.

Alaska, Black & White, Music, Photography, Portraits

As part of my journalism degree I’m required to complete a professional-media internship. To fulfill this requirement I have been interning for a program called Alaska Live, part of Alaskan Public Radio, KUAC 89.9.

Alaska Live is a live-music radio program, featuring Alaskan-based musicians, as-well-as visiting artists. It is good experience learning some of the inner workings of broadcast radio, and an excellent opportunity to hear some amazing music. Although my internship is not photography based, it’s hard to resist fulfilling my photographing fetish. Two of my duties include editing audio and posting podcasts online.

Here are some images of the visiting artists.

Tony Furtado, left, and Peter Mulvey perform together Jan. 31, 2013 for Alaska Live with Lori Nuefeld.

Scottish fiddler Alasdair Fraser and cellist Natalie Haas on Alaska Live.

Soundslides: “Song of the Sikuliaq”

Alaska, Music, Photography

“Song of the Sikuliaq” is an eight-minute piece of music composed by UAF graduate student Emerson Eads. Performed by the Fairbanks Arctic Chamber Orchestra, audio and video recordings will be played during the launch of UAF’s new Research Vessel Sikuliaq, Saturday Oct. 13, 2012, in Marinette, Wis. Click on the above links to view articles published in UAF’s Sun Star, relating specifically to the musical composition and the capabilities of the research vessel.

Soundslides is a multimedia story tool combining still images with audio. The purpose is to tell a more complete story then audio or images could individually.

The full-length video of “Song of the Sikuliaq” can be viewed here.