Photo Ladies

Our Favorite Shows of 2016

Photo Ladies

We asked The Photo Ladies: what was your favorite show of 2016? See the responses below. 

Happy New Year!

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Rachel Naomi

Mudcrutch (a.k.a. Tom Petty with two members of the Heartbreakers)
Webster Hall (New York City), June 10, 2016

"Tom Petty is in my top three favorite artists of all time and I've had the honor of getting to know his band through the years and got to photograph a few of their East Coast shows this summer. These shows were amongst the best of the year because …

"Tom Petty is in my top three favorite artists of all time and I've had the honor of getting to know his band through the years and got to photograph a few of their East Coast shows this summer. These shows were amongst the best of the year because these guys simply can't be beat when it comes to live music...they transport you to another world."

Jessica Williams

Twenty One Pilots
Madison Square Garden (New York City), August 11, 2016

"Twenty One Pilots have always been my favorite band and have held a special place in my heard since I discovered them, four years ago. After trying multiple times to photograph them, I finally got the chance to at one of the most historic and monum…

"Twenty One Pilots have always been my favorite band and have held a special place in my heard since I discovered them, four years ago. After trying multiple times to photograph them, I finally got the chance to at one of the most historic and monumental venues in New York City!"

Emma Watts

The Struts
The Vanguard (Tulsa, OK), April 23, 2016

"The Struts has to be one of the most memorable and fun shows of 2016. It was only my third time getting a photo pass, I had only heard one of their songs, and it was my first time attending a show alone. I wasn't sure how it'd go and I thought I'd …

"The Struts has to be one of the most memorable and fun shows of 2016. It was only my third time getting a photo pass, I had only heard one of their songs, and it was my first time attending a show alone. I wasn't sure how it'd go and I thought I'd feel out of my element, but I  actually ended up having an amazing time. The show was sold out, and I shot from the crowd since there was no photo pit, so it was really cool to see how engaged the band and crowd were. They're a really unique band and give off true '70s rock concert vibes, so I left the show a huge fan (I've seen them again twice because of that night!)."

Ester Segretto

The Cure
Madison Square Garden (New York City), June 16, 2016

"The Cure were at the top of my photography bucket list for years. I'd seen them live many times over the years, but this was the first time I was able to get credentialed for their show. I felt 16 again. I was overwhelmed with excitement and n…

"The Cure were at the top of my photography bucket list for years. I'd seen them live many times over the years, but this was the first time I was able to get credentialed for their show. I felt 16 again. I was overwhelmed with excitement and nerves but I stayed focused on the job even when our third and final song in the photo pit turned out to be 'Pictures of You.' After we were escorted out of the photo pit I promptly made my way to my seat, and cried!"

Kelly Young

Grouplove
Bottlerock (Napa, CA music festival), May 27, 2016

"Grouplove's Bottlerock set was their first live performance in a while and it really showed. Along with many other members of the crowd, I had been waiting to see them live for years, and the energy was incredible. Because Bottlerock is entirely ou…

"Grouplove's Bottlerock set was their first live performance in a while and it really showed. Along with many other members of the crowd, I had been waiting to see them live for years, and the energy was incredible. Because Bottlerock is entirely outdoors and Grouplove's set took place around sunset, the dusk light made for a really beautiful atmosphere - and good lighting for photos!"

Andrea Massazza 

Be The Wolf
Legend Club (Milano, Italy), November 25, 2016

"It was the release party of Be The Wolf's second album 'Rouge.' Being a local band, seeing the crowd knowing every lyric (of both old and new material) and giving back THAT amount of energy to the band, was really awesome. I've known these guy…

"It was the release party of Be The Wolf's second album 'Rouge.' Being a local band, seeing the crowd knowing every lyric (of both old and new material) and giving back THAT amount of energy to the band, was really awesome. I've known these guys for a while now and seeing them keep growing just give me joy!"

Jenn Kostesky

Henry Wagons
Interstellar Rodeo (Winnipeg, Manitoba), August 14, 2016

"Henry Wagons had the difficult task of opening the last day of the three-day Interstellar Rodeo festival, but he came out and delivered the set of the festival! He drank a bottle of the wine that was paired with his music, stole a beer from a serve…

"Henry Wagons had the difficult task of opening the last day of the three-day Interstellar Rodeo festival, but he came out and delivered the set of the festival! He drank a bottle of the wine that was paired with his music, stole a beer from a server in the audience, tossed an audience member's hat across the festival, and covered Bruce Springsteen, all before 2 pm.  Needless to say, Henry Wagons was a photographer's dream, really making my job easy. It was really great seeing an artist take a 1 pm set on a hot Sunday in August and turn it into a real party!"

Carolyn Lederach

Daughter
Union Transfer (Philadelphia, PA), March 3, 2016

"Daughter has been one of my favourite artists for years.  I’ve seen them at least five times by now, but the show in March was the first time I got to shoot them since I started doing concert photography.  There’s that weird nervous / exc…

"Daughter has been one of my favourite artists for years.  I’ve seen them at least five times by now, but the show in March was the first time I got to shoot them since I started doing concert photography.  There’s that weird nervous / excited feeling of wanting it to be perfect, and also trying not to cry cause it’s Daughter.  I also knew like ten people at that show which never happens.  We all cried together afterwards, it was great."

Laura Sedor

Ghost
The Castle Theater (Bloomington IL), April 19, 2016

"I love the drama of a heavy metal act with costumes. Every photo is telling a story, and looks so different from your average rock show. Ghost had just won a Grammy a month or so back and there was a huge crowd. So fun. I'm a fan of metal."

"I love the drama of a heavy metal act with costumes. Every photo is telling a story, and looks so different from your average rock show. Ghost had just won a Grammy a month or so back and there was a huge crowd. So fun. I'm a fan of metal."

Victoria Sanders

FKA twigs
Pitchfork Music Festival (Chicago, IL), July 17, 2016

"FKA twigs puts on the most amazing show, audibly and visibly. Every movement is carefully calculated, and in union with the music."

"FKA twigs puts on the most amazing show, audibly and visibly. Every movement is carefully calculated, and in union with the music."

Kathy Flynn

The Struts
Fonda Theater (Hollywood, CA), November 3, 2016

"I have been dying to shoot The Struts since they first came to the States.  I saw one of their first U.S. gigs at the Troubadour in 2015, where they shot to the top of my bands-I-want-to-shoot list due to their style and presence. The Fonda sh…

"I have been dying to shoot The Struts since they first came to the States.  I saw one of their first U.S. gigs at the Troubadour in 2015, where they shot to the top of my bands-I-want-to-shoot list due to their style and presence. The Fonda show, which was my fourth time seeing them live, did not disappoint.  The Struts are true rocks stars and put on a helluva show.  And they are incredibly fun to shoot." 

Whitney Hensley

Brand New
The Field at Verizon Theatre (Grand Prairie, TX), July 22, 2016

"This was a bucket list shoot for me. Theres absolutely nothing better than getting to photograph your all time favorite band. Hearing that they will be calling it quits in 2018 makes having that moment that much better. Another reason this show was…

"This was a bucket list shoot for me. Theres absolutely nothing better than getting to photograph your all time favorite band. Hearing that they will be calling it quits in 2018 makes having that moment that much better. Another reason this show was so great was that I finally got to meet one of the band members before the show!"

Sara Feigin

Romes
Mercury Lounge (New York City), June 16, 2016

"This band completely blew me away, their energy completely filled the room. While the lighting wasn't the best, I created some of my favourite shots at this show just due to the bands insane stage presence. This was one of those concerts, where whe…

"This band completely blew me away, their energy completely filled the room. While the lighting wasn't the best, I created some of my favourite shots at this show just due to the bands insane stage presence. This was one of those concerts, where when they finished, I wanted to quit my job and follow them around for the rest of my life."

Vanessa Jertschewske

Gabrielle Aplin
Albert Hall (Manchester, UK), January 28, 2016

"It was the first show I got to photograph in Manchester, a city I really adore. Gabrielle Aplin is one of those artists you just cherish for the fantastic songwriting. Shared the pit with some wonderful photographers and got to shoot the entire sho…

"It was the first show I got to photograph in Manchester, a city I really adore. Gabrielle Aplin is one of those artists you just cherish for the fantastic songwriting. Shared the pit with some wonderful photographers and got to shoot the entire show - so it was just a dream for all the obvious reasons."

Jordan Hefler

Knuckle Puck
Scout Bar (Houston, TX), March 4, 2016

"I had been obsessively listening to Knuckle Puck's 2015 album 'Copacetic' and heard they would be part of the AP World Tour with Neck Deep, Like Pacific, and State Champs. I'm from Baton Rouge, so my boyfriend and I were determined to make the…

"I had been obsessively listening to Knuckle Puck's 2015 album 'Copacetic' and heard they would be part of the AP World Tour with Neck Deep, Like Pacific, and State Champs. I'm from Baton Rouge, so my boyfriend and I were determined to make the drive to Houston to see them. I was so excited about seeing/photographing Knuckle Puck that I actually found photos where my arm was in them....because I must have been punching it up in the air so frequently (oops). There were so many stage divers and crowd surfers that kept knocking me over in the pit but it was the most exciting show I've shot to date!"

Clarissa Villondo

Brand New
Merriweather Post Pavilion (Columbia, Maryland), July 12, 2016

"Brand New has been one of my favorite bands for over a decade. Honestly, 'The Devil & God Are Raging Inside Me' was such an influential album on me and so it was great that they allowed photographers this year. I was finally able to photograph …

"Brand New has been one of my favorite bands for over a decade. Honestly, 'The Devil & God Are Raging Inside Me' was such an influential album on me and so it was great that they allowed photographers this year. I was finally able to photograph one of the most influential bands in my life and the light was actually cooperative."

Edwina Hay

The Damned
The Gramercy Theatre (New York City), October 30, 2016

"The Damned celebrated their 40th anniversary with three US shows.  I attended their final one in New York and the band played for nearly three hours (two sets with a 20 minute intermission in between and an encore). Photographers were allowed …

"The Damned celebrated their 40th anniversary with three US shows.  I attended their final one in New York and the band played for nearly three hours (two sets with a 20 minute intermission in between and an encore). Photographers were allowed to shoot the first three songs of both sets. I ended up being really happy with all of my shots and it was the perfect way to spend the night before Halloween. Plus, the legendary band ended up sharing my gallery for Impose Magazine with their fans which was another highlight."

Annette Holloway

Skillet
The National (Richmond, VA), October 16, 2016

"Incredible show featuring songs from my favorite album of 2016.  The new production made for great photos, plus the new music and great friends made this my favorite show of 2016."

"Incredible show featuring songs from my favorite album of 2016.  The new production made for great photos, plus the new music and great friends made this my favorite show of 2016."

Kate Scott Daly

Motion City Soundtrack
The Metro (Chicago, IL), September 18, 2016

"This was the band's final show after a nearly 20-year career. Photographing this show felt like I was actually snapping a little moment in history."

"This was the band's final show after a nearly 20-year career. Photographing this show felt like I was actually snapping a little moment in history."

Abi Raymaker

Coldplay
Made in America Festival (Philadelphia, PA), September 4, 2016

"I was super bummed that I got turned away from the photo pit for Coldplay's set, but it ended up being a blessing in disguise, because this crowd shot is one of my favorites! The whole festival was so much fun to shoot and attend!"

"I was super bummed that I got turned away from the photo pit for Coldplay's set, but it ended up being a blessing in disguise, because this crowd shot is one of my favorites! The whole festival was so much fun to shoot and attend!"

Carter Howe

Dragonette
Royale (Boston, MA), December 11, 2016

"I shot this show for Bandsintown, and hadn’t had a lot of previous knowledge on the Toronto-based band Dragonette. I only knew of the band from a few tracks they’d been featured on. What astounded me was their ability to bring an arena-type visual …

"I shot this show for Bandsintown, and hadn’t had a lot of previous knowledge on the Toronto-based band Dragonette. I only knew of the band from a few tracks they’d been featured on. What astounded me was their ability to bring an arena-type visual and sonic experience to a 1,000-cap venue, and a crowd of about 100. They incorporated LEDs and mirrors in an incredibly refined and enticing way that rivaled the visuals of artists with exponentially larger fanbases. Their light show with eclectic, clean dance music made the crowd go crazy, and eventually made me fall in love with their music and the experience of shooting them."

Erika Reinsel

Kid Cudi
The Fillmore (Philadelphia, PA) and Terminal 5 (New York City), February 8 and 10, 2016

"I was asked to shoot by Kid Cudi & his team, which was pretty honoring in itself considering he doesn't usually allow photographers at his shows. I was first asked to shoot his Philly date, but then they also invited me to his NY show. Recently…

"I was asked to shoot by Kid Cudi & his team, which was pretty honoring in itself considering he doesn't usually allow photographers at his shows. I was first asked to shoot his Philly date, but then they also invited me to his NY show. Recently, Kid Cudi used three of my images for his merch from these shows. Aside from that, he puts on an amazing performance with so much energy, and has some of the most passionate fans!"

Sophia Ragomo

The Struts
TLA (Philadelphia, PA), December 16, 2016

"The Struts never fail to disappoint me.  Their music is the perfect mix of old and new, and their energetic stage presence captivates fans of all ages.  Having loved their music for about two years now, it was such a treat being able to s…

"The Struts never fail to disappoint me.  Their music is the perfect mix of old and new, and their energetic stage presence captivates fans of all ages.  Having loved their music for about two years now, it was such a treat being able to see them perform and photograph their fabulous show."

Krystina Gabrielle

Halfnoise
DC9 (Washington, D.C.), November 9, 2016

"It was hard to pick a favorite show of 2016 but I will say this show put me in the best mood while shooting. It was the day after the election and all day I felt pretty bad and didn't even want to be in a room full of people. Shooting Halfnoise's s…

"It was hard to pick a favorite show of 2016 but I will say this show put me in the best mood while shooting. It was the day after the election and all day I felt pretty bad and didn't even want to be in a room full of people. Shooting Halfnoise's show was such a nice break from reality and Zac put on a really great set. I also loved the shots I got from the show and briefly spoke with Zac afterwards and it was nice to interact with such a positive and upbeat person."

Judie Vegh

Juliette Lewis and the Licks
Riot Fest (Denver, CO), September 4, 2016

"Riot Fest Denver was a phenomenal weekend this year. So many great acts. Although I didn't have a press pass, I decided to take matters into my own hands and capture all the bands that I really wanted to see. Juliette Lewis & the Licks were pla…

"Riot Fest Denver was a phenomenal weekend this year. So many great acts. Although I didn't have a press pass, I decided to take matters into my own hands and capture all the bands that I really wanted to see. Juliette Lewis & the Licks were playing on Sunday, and I had missed them when they rolled through Cleveland the previous month. Hearing such great things about her, I wanted to see Juliette live. She exceeded my expectations. What a show woman! I ended up getting really close to the stage, and was able to snap a photo just as she nosedived into the crowd. That moment was complete luck, but caught the attention of Juliette Lewis and is now the cover of her latest EP, 'Future Deep!'"

Brigid Gallagher

Patti Smith
The Riviera Theatre (Chicago, IL), December 30, 2016

"Patti Smith celebrated her 70th birthday in her hometown performing "Horses" in full with her band. To witness this special moment, let alone photograph it, was a dream. Seriously, I wish every night was a Patti Smith concert. It's church, a rally …

"Patti Smith celebrated her 70th birthday in her hometown performing "Horses" in full with her band. To witness this special moment, let alone photograph it, was a dream. Seriously, I wish every night was a Patti Smith concert. It's church, a rally and a show rolled all into one. Much thanks to the birthday girl for ending a tough year on the highest of notes."