I love firsts: Saturday night was my first show at the Pearl Street Ballroom in Northampton Mass, and I have to say – it’s cute! The venue is wide, with a short enough stage that gives fans (and photographers) close access to the artists, and monitors don’t obscure band members, as Hartford’s Webster Theater is notorious for doing. In the back of the room is a riser, of sorts, where fans can congregate away from the larger crowd, and made for an excellent spot to score some wide shots (using the 50mm!)

Check out Verbicide for more pictures.

Enough about the venue. The bands were fantastic. A week prior to the show, I began my research on Screaming Females, listening to songs via youtube, and checking out pictures of the band live, as part of my normal research, and started to look forward to the show. This 3-piece punk-ish band is headed by female vocalist Marissa Paternoster who was there to show that boys aren’t the only ones allowed to rip into fierce guitar solos and growl into the mic like a punk rock veteran.

I’d just seen Against Me! at the Bombfest a few weeks prior, which actually worked to my advantage. Seeing the pics I got at Bombfest, I was at least able to figure out what angles I missed, and which band members were dynamic for the camera. Singer Tommy Gabel is the epitome of a punk rock band leader who adores being on stage. Several lucky/crazy fans jumped on stage to sing out a few lyrics, with arm draped over the sweaty, smiling singer, and Gabel didn’t seem to mind. You’d imagine that musicians might get sick of this kind of attention, but Against Me! really loves their fans and love being on stage. Jay Weinberg, the band’s newly indoctrinated drummer (who was born merely 7 years before the band was first formed!) is a photographer’s dream. He loves making faces at the camera, and pounds at the drums with amazing enthusiasm and intensity.

Also, I can never really tell if it’s the VENUE or the BAND that dictates how crazy the crowd will be, so I can’t say for certain why I enjoy some crowds over others. But at this show, the fans overall were nice, not pushy (but definitely moshy, but not in an annoying way) and just seemed to want to have a good time. It wasn’t too crowded, either, and unless you were smack in the middle of the pit, it wasn’t too hot and sweaty, either. It was the most fun I’d had since, well, the last time I saw Against Me! play.

Opening act Lemuria offered a bright indie-pop brand of music, fronted by guitarist/vocalist Sheena Ozzella, who has such a lovely soft voice, warmed the crowd up. They were a pleasure to watch, and shoot. I’ll have to keep a watch out for this band, as I’ve been streaming their music them since the show.