Jason Wilder dot org

This guy noticed me. In fact most people notice me when I am out taking pictures on lunch breaks. Getting noticed is something that goes against the core of my introverted personality. Photography seems to push me in directions I would never have gone because of shying away. Street photography allows me to around people I can relate to. How can I relate to old men with missing teeth and city dwellers when I myself am still a youngish 33 year old 9 to 5’r with all of my teeth who lives in suburbia?

I guess the simple answer is that we are all people. For moments, I like being around people who different than me. People who are different than me have interesting views on life and sometimes getting a smile from a stranger makes it all worth it. I work alone all day in a cube, separated by a few hundred miles from my “team mates”. I am finding that I need this interaction in the middle of the day.

As you can see, I have a light leak to fix and need to be I my toes with exposure and shutter speed when I move from one lighted area to another differently lighted area. I’ve been finding that I love to shoot with film and a 35mm or 50mm lens. The light leak is in my Minolta XG-1. Apparently some foam from a craft store can fix. Until then, I can use the same lenses on a cheapie Kalimar I have.

Below are some more photographs from the XG-1.

Rainy day bands/albums on my ipod (because I like rainy days):

Sigur Ros, Nick Drake, A Northern Chorus & Sianspheric – any album
Darklands – Jesus and Mary Chain
Suede – Singles/Greatest Hits
School of Seven Bells – Alpinisms
Aqua Nebula Oscillator – s/t
Interpol – Turn On The Bright Lights
Slowdive – Souvlaki
Auburn Lull – Begin Civil Twilight
The Cure – Disintegration
Joy Division – Substance
The Most Serene Republic – Underwater Cinematographer

Below is Marcus. I met Marcus because he needed something to eat. I didn’t have anything so we talked about how he wanted to write a Western novel, that has a good young sheriff coming to town and lots of gun fights.

Full set here.

Cavalcade

Grant Hart

Blue Spark and Flame

Monstrous

I am not sure if Grant Hart was a last minute add or something I just glossed over but when I noticed Hart was listed the night before the show, I knew I had to go.

First up were Cavalcade, a likable trio, who sounded good. The band sounded like they were still trying to nail down their sound and live presence. I would certainly check them out again in a different venue to see if I like them better. The Bug Jar’s acoustics can be unforgiving to a younger band. There was also the aspect of being the first band when people were still trickling in to the bar. I know that can be disappointing to an opening act. There’s great potential there. I am rooting for them as they seem happy to be performing and willing to be an active part of the Rochester indie scene.

Grant Hart was on second, as I suppose he had to jet out of there to his next gig. I really wish I was able to talk to him. He played some new songs as well as some Husker Du classics. He mentioned he will be back in a few months. Hart came across exactly how I would expect him to come off …. friendly, sounding good and slightly bigger than life. The man is a legend but doesn’t come off as one. His songwriting is still top notch.

Blue Spark and Flame followed. This is a band I wish played out and about more often. Consisting of only a drummer and a guitarist, both shared vocals and their influences seemed to stretch to 7 Year Bitch and the Gits. They were loud and in your face but without substituting style for substance. If I owned a venue, they would be on my shortlist of local opening acts.

I’ve heard of Monstrous before, three brothers having been hyped up by the Dandy Warhols a bit then seemingly dropped off of my radar. I didn’t know until I was at the Bug Jar that they were on the bill. Starting with a Flaming Lips cover as a sound check, you could hear their early Lips, Sonic Youth, and Brian Jonestown Massacre influences. For a band that has seemingly worked so hard to get where they are, I was greatly disappointed when the guitarist smashed his guitar after breaking a string. First, I didn’t catch it on camera and secondly, I was really digging them. Except for the drummer, they came across as spoiled frustrated artists. If the cover was more and there were less top notch artists, I would have been pissed to witness this. After there shortened set, I went up to the bassist to give some positive feedback only to be ignored. As much as I love their sound, I hope the Bug Jar do not book them again.