Everest Awakening Nepal Benefit Photos

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Everest Awakening, is a new organization ” founded in light of the recent earthquake to bring together musicians, artists, writers, poets, activists, politicians, and scientists in an effort to raise awareness and funds for Nepal and neighboring territories of the Himalayan region. Using our skills and various platforms, we are doing what we can to spread awareness and hope, using our voices and resources to keep people informed and educated, and to help others to direct their efforts and donations to where they are needed most.”

Founded by Jesse Paris Smith, the organization hosted a benefit event on May 17th at City Winery in NYC to raise funds for victims of the two recent devastating earthquakes in Nepal. The event featured Jesse’s mother Patti Smith along with Loudon Wainwright III, Michael Stipe, Kaki King, Shyam Nepali and more. Pictures from the afternoon show are below the jump. Michael Stipe read a poem, he did not sing because of allergies. Loudon Wainwright III performed a few goofy numbers. Kaki King brilliantly played her guitars, one of which sounded like a kyoto with a simple modification. Patti Smith did one song, followed by a cover of “Everybody Hurts” (with the writer, Stipe not far away), then a new poem about the tragedy in Nepal (accompanied by Jesse on the piano) and then finally with almost all the musicians back on stage, she did “People Have the Power” for the finale.

Please make a donation to this organization or any organization of your choice and help provide relief to the victims. Pick up a few songs that were generously contributed to Everest Awakening by various artists as well via the stream below.

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‘We Can Smirk It Out’ New York Peace Institute Benefit

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Last week, I had the privilege of photographing the New York Peace Institute’s ‘We Can Smirk It Out’ Benefit Comedy Show at Gotham Comedy Club. The New York Peace Institute is an organization “committed to promoting peace in our communities. Whether a dispute involves two people, dozens of people, or several groups, we can help.” Their ‘We Can Smirk It Out’ benefit featured Negin Farsad, Marina Franklin, Mark Normand and Bill Santiago, with MC duties by Harrison Greenbaum. Some of my favorite photos of the comedians from the event below the jump or just click this link for the full gallery.

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Chaplin Award Gala for Robert Redford Photos

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On Monday April 27th, the Film Society of Lincoln Center held their 42nd Chaplin Award Gala honoring screen legend Robert Redford. I was one of the secondary shooters (the first string included Godlis) and captured the evening beginning with some red carpet photos before going into Alice Tully Hall for the award presentation event. Rachel Del Giudice wrote for Lincoln Center,

“The award was presented to Redford by his The Way We Were co-star Barbra Streisand, who received the award in 2013. Other presenters included actors Jane Fonda, Elisabeth Moss, and John Turturro, Oscar-winning CITIZENFOUR director Laura Poitras, and All Is Lost director J.C. Chandor. The Chaplin Award Gala is the biggest fundraising event of the year for the Film Society and we’re thrilled to report that we exceeded our fundraising goal. Thanks to everyone who helped make it such a huge success!”

You can check out photos from some of the other great photographers at the Lincoln Center page already linked to or on this Sundance Institute tumblr page. Then click more to see some of the favorite photos of Robert Redford that I grabbed.

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Manic Street Preachers Webster Hall Photos

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Last month I got to catch Manic Street Preachers perform their album The Holy Bible (for its twentieth anniversary) at Webster Hall in NYC for the Village Voice. The reviewer, Linda Laban, wrote, “This tour is a celebration of its very nature. Webster Hall’s audience was ready for that and sang along on those catchy, cutthroat choruses: “We’re all just walking abortions.” And having not really heard the album, or that song, much before, I was excited to experience the show especially as it was the band’s first trip stateside since 2009. Opener Jennie Vee went to sign autographs and meet fans after her set. The Manics were thrilling to watch with Nicky Wire jumping around a lot. ‘The Holy Bible Tour’ didn’t keep The Manics around the US very long unfortunately and their only upcoming tour dates are the following few shows in the UK:

May 30, 2015 Edinburgh Usher Hall
Jun 01, 2015 Wolverhampton Civic Hall
Jun 02, 2015 Southampton Guildhall
Jun 05, 2015 Cardiff Cardiff Castle
Jul 19, 2015 Latitude Festival Henham Park, Suffolk
Sep 12, 2015 OnBlackheath Blackheath, London

But if you want to relive the Webster Hall show, check out my photos below the jump.

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Discovering Brooklyn’s Secret Weapons

On Saturday April 25th, I met up with Gerry and Danny of Brooklyn band Secret Weapons ahead of their headlining show at Rough Trade Records in New York City on April 25th 2015. I got to catch their soundcheck and performance as well as hang out with the band and their friends. They create some catchy, danceable tunes which can be streamed off their Soundcloud page below. Of course, I took a bunch of photos, so you can find my gallery of Secret Weapons here or see a few favorites below the jump.

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Walk the Moon Terminal 5 Photos

Over on the Village Voice recently, there was a review by Jill Menze of Walk the Moon‘s first of two sold-out shows at Terminal 5 on April 14th of 2015. She wrote, “Walk the Moon put their progress on display with a polished and highly energetic sold-out show. The band catered to the young-skewing audience — their biggest fan, it turns out, is an adorable five-year-old girl who shouted every lyric through the entire set” and her full review is up here. A couple of my photos are up alongside the article but a bunch more, including one of some fans who created the line to get in at 6 am, are shared below. The band was recording their T5 shows for something so maybe I’ll make a tour video for being in the photo pit. Wouldn’t that be neat?

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