Burnt Like a Strawberry

Saturday morning, we drove across town so my husband could stand on the back of a flatbed trailer in the middle of a field under the blazing noon day sun and sing for no money. He's a musician, and more often than not the love of performing is more important than making money at it. Not for the drummer, though. He didn't come. And the frontman was sick. Still, they sounded very good. John and Joe (far left and far right) had already been on the back of the truck for the previous hour playing with the Squalor Hollow Boyz. I kicked myself for not bringing the video camera, because it was a beautiful, although windy, day. And my skin got fried. Should have brought sunblock, too. I'm just not thinking in terms of summer yet.

Meanwhile, the night before, my son was on assignment for Style Weekly, photographing Avail's surprise appearance with Lucero at Nanci Raygun's. The torch passes. Ten years ago, I was photographing bands at that same club (when it was Twisters), but for the Music Journal.

Elliott Yamin

I went to the James Center to see Elliott Yamin. Actually I had to photograph it as part of my day job, but I probably would have gone anyway. I just wouldn't have gotten as close as I did without being credentialed. No surprises. Sometimes you think movie stars are going to be bigger than life, and then you find they're much shorter. Elliott looked exactly like I expected, like he does on TV. Very humble guy. Must be weird to be a nobody on the local Richmond music scene...even a nobody on the total Richmond scene...and then in a span of six months or so, come home to this kind of huge reception.

Susan Greenbaum's band opened for him and ended up playing a half hour more than they planned because Elliott's limo was late.