I got asked to cover the band Framing Hanely at a venue in Detroit. The show was on a Tuesday night and getting up there in years I didn’t want to out that late on a weeknight (plus I needed to set a good example for my teenagers). So I requested to cover the band at The Machine Shop in Flint instead (that plus I was covering the Viva La Bands tour that week and didn’t feel like driving to Detroit twice in one week).
I had not been to the Machine Shop in a very long time, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I checked out their website and found some pictures that their house photographer takes. Pics looked good and the place was easy to get to. My wife isn’t really into the rock stuff but I dragged her along with me. We got to the Machine Shop about the time the doors opened and there was plenty of free parking. Yes, free parking! I’m thinking that I like the Flint club thing. We enter the club without a hitch and get a table. The Machine Shop is nice. Good size room, clean with fun stuff on the walls and a decent amount of TV screens showing videos. We realize that we are a little early, order a beer and find a seat.
I hope I got the band order right. This Saturday night the lineup was Trapt w/Framing Hanley, Endeverafter, and Given Six.
The first band (I believe is Given Six) starts around 1 hour after we get there. I snap a few pictures to get a feel for the room. The band is pretty good. They had decent energy and put on a good show. My assumption is that they are local because they appear to have friends and family in the room.
Next up is Endeverafter. I spent a few years in Los Angeles and these guys oozed LA glam. They hit the stage with confidence and mention that they are from LA (confirming my assumption). These guys are great! The set ends and both my wife and I are left wanting to hear more.
Next is the band I was sent to cover. Framing Hanley comes out and the set starts with a delay because of technical issues. They band looks young, I’m guessing 16-18 year olds (I find out later they are 17-21). The house gets the issues taken care of and the band tears into the first song. My first impression is that they remind me of a lot of the alternative rock bands that are popular these days. I’m thinking that this venue is a little small for these guys and I could envision them on one of the main stages at next years Warped tour. I’m not sure if it was the technical issues but it seemed to take 2-3 songs for the boys to warm up. So a few songs in the band seemed to hit their sweet spot and the songs flowed. I can see why this band is climbing up the alt and college charts. These guys write good songs. I snapped my pictures, enjoyed the set and had another beer.
Sitting back down with my wife we looked through the pictures on the camera to make sure there were a few good ones. It appears that there are but there is no gurantee until I get them home and on the computer.
The headline act this night is Trapt. I have heard and like the one song they had on the radio a while back so I figure it will be good. I head up front to snap a few pictures and the security person says, “no pictures.” There are two other photographer in front of the stage so I’m like, “what?” He said the I was there to cover Framing Hanley so no pictures. WOW! I’ve never had this happen. I go back and tell me wife. We are amazed. I’ve taken pictures at all kinds of venues and some of the biggest in the country and here is a little rinky dink bar in Flint, MI telling me I can’t take pictures! That’s ok we agree. I’m not going back to the Machine Shop. So we call it an early night and head back home. This wasn’t such a bad thing anyway seeing as I had to be in Detroit at Harpo’s the following night.
1 Comment
March 20, 2008 at 5:57 pm
Just stumbled across your blog for reviewing the Framing Hanley show. You appear to be upset with the Machine Shop due to the fact that Trapt made security not allow anyone except approved photographers take photos. It was certainly not the “rinky dink club” that was responsible for that. We allow everyone to take pics UNLESS the headlining band tells us differently and then we are expected to enforce it. I am sure you understand our dilema. The Machine Shop had nothing to do with it except enforce what was contracted. We don’t understand it when they do that, but we have to roll with it. I am sorry that you won’t be back due to something that was out of our control.