Train Concert Photos Revisited – and the Photo Not Revealed
The Bay Area band Train is touring California again for their new album Bulletproof Picasso. I photographed two shows during their previous Mermaids of Alcatraz Tour for the California 37 album. The Script and Gavin DeGraw played both shows. Ashley Monroe joined Train during their set in August of 2013.
Can’t believe how time flies by.
I wrote a really good review for me … I mean, I wrote the review so that I would enjoy reading it. I don’t know if anyone else would find the review useful, but I thought I was quite clever. I liked my pictures too. I photographed the bands and the audience, and while some of the pictures were decent, I never posted my single most amazing concert photo. Perhaps I will share it with the lead singer some day.
A couple years ago, I was developing a project about artists who donate time and money to charitable causes. Some famous people probably contribute because their publicity agents direct them to do so, but many stars contribute because they care. Train and their lead singer Pat Monahan fit into the second category. For many reasons, these contributions are not often photographed well. Perhaps it takes a unique talent for a photographer to deal with fame and tragedy.
On Train’s new album, the song (and video) “Give It All” promotes suicide prevention. Just as many other music fans, I have my own personal story with suicide so I appreciate the message. The video includes a link to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Train also supports other charities. Pat Monahan performed at the Acoustic-4-A-Cure concert to benefit the Pediatric Cancer Program at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital. Many artists also visit patients and families to raise spirits.
In 2009 I passed an opportunity to photograph a life changing event. (I made the right decision.) Something similar happened during Train’s 2013 Sacramento area concert when an enthusiastic fan showed Pat her support. I had quickly turned to photograph the crowd and snapped a few photo. I don’t use flash. It was dark and yet somehow the photo is composed perfectly without any edits. (The RAW file is saved on my Photoshelter site.) I know Pat saw the woman too, because he paused while singing. Nobody needs to know who it was, because that is not really the story.
But it is a good story.