Saturday night at the Ruby Room in downtown Phoenix. The Stone Foxes from California rolled in to blue rock the joint...only a few hours late. It's always an interesting night when you're at the Ruby Room. I've never been there when a band goes on on-time, tonight was no exception. A solid 2 hours after the show was supposed to start, the first band goes on. I was talking to the new New Times writer about the venue, explaining the lack of any light on the band. Normally, there are 40watt bulbs pointed at 'art' on the walls, and when a band plays, they sort of just turn the bulbs towards the band. But to my delight, when I peeked my head in at the first band, they had large-bulb, white Christmas lights wrapped around mic stands and inside make-shift light boxes. (This idea sounds familiar) I was happy to see some light on stage. But after their set, they took them with them. Not surprising, I'd do the same. But this meant no light for the band I needed to shoot. D'oh.
So, around 12:45 The Stone Foxes start their set. They played pretty heavy blues based rock. They all traded lead vocals, and sometimes instruments. It was a good show. Lots of energy on stage, even if there wasn't a tonne coming from the people in the venue. I probably could have given a more glowing review if it didn't all start so late.
One awkward point in the evening...the NT writer and I were standing outside in between bands as a one-legged girl on crutches approached the venue. She apparently lost her ID, and the door man wouldn't let her in. The right thing to do, but I felt awkward watching her get turned away.
Photographers note: You can't survive shooting at the Ruby Room without a lense with an slower than a f-stop of 2.0 or a flash, in my opinion. My trusty $79 Canon 50mm f1.8 saves the day again!
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