Top 10 Photo Galleries of 2011

TOP10

As with any great Top 10 List popping up in December 2011 / January 2012, I Shoot Reno’s Top 10 Photo Galleries of 2011 will count down, from 10 to 1, our most highly revered photo galleries published throughout the year.

“There have been a lot of great times I’ve shared with the city of Reno and its fine people since relocating here in 2010, and I feel that the experiences I’ve been lucky enough to capture and share with the world are well represented here in terms of good times and once-in-a-lifetime moments shared by those brave enough to leave the comfort of home and experience the world’s biggest little city for all it has to offer.” -Brian Ball ~ Founder, I Shoot Reno

Mayday @ Knitting Factory Concert House, Reno, NV 2011-06-26
Gianni Cash (L) and Bernz (R) of ¡Mayday! rockin' out in Reno...

#10: Mayday @ Knitting Factory Concert House

As the first group to open for Tech N9ne on the All 6’s and 7’s tour, Mayday performed well beyond any and all expectations.  Definitely a group worth checking out!


Trashion Show @ The Alley, Sparks, NV 2011
Veronica Coleman showcasing her (paper) threads during Trashion Show: Everyday to Obscure

#9: Trashion Show: Everyday to Obscure @ The Alley, Sparks, NV

One of the first galleries published on IShootReno.com, Trashion Show: Everyday to Obscure at The Alley in Sparks was a super-fun shoot comprised of scantily clad women adorned with the finest of recycled items, strutting their stuff and generating donations for several worthy causes.


Praying for Greater Portland @ Tonic Lounge, Reno, NV 2011
Clint Sleeper of Praying for Greater Portland with cell phone modulators in-hand

#8: Praying for Greater Portland + Spacehunter @ Tonic Lounge

Praying for Greater Portland aka Clint Sleeper was the first shoot for IShootReno.com, and actually took place before the site was erected in April.  Clint wields a cellphone modulator like no other and deserves your attention for his experimental prowess alone.


Beats Antique @ Grand Sierra Resort 2011-05-13
Zoe Jakes and guest Kami Liddle in tandem, on-stage at Grand Sierra Resort...

#7: Beats Antique @ Grand Sierra Resort

What’s better than modern day America’s finest live electro / world / dubstep group fronted by an obscenely gorgeous belly dancer?  When her friend joins in the fun and the stage is bombarded by costumed characters who enact a full on murder montage and finish, exhausted, in a lifeless bloody massacre … in celebration of Friday the 13th.


Neko Case @ Knitting Factory Concert House, Reno, NV 2011-07-05
Neko Case showing off her acclaimed singer-songwriter prowess...

#6: Neko Case @ Knitting Factory Concert House

Two words: Neko F—ing Case.  She’s in-replicable; made of one part hellfire and another holy water.  An always-evolving, red headed musical tornado that is having her way with rural and suburban communities alike, all across the world.


Toots and The Maytals @ Knitting Factory, Reno, NV 2011
Toots caught in the lens flare...

#5: Toots & The Maytals @ Knitting Factory Concert House

There are men and there are legends.  Toots is, I can proudly say, both.  With a decorated career in reggae music which spans 50 (or more?) years, this is one artist I deeply appreciate coming through Reno for a performance at The Knit.


Y La Bamba @ Knitting Factory Concert House, Reno, NV 2011-07-05
Luz Elena Mendoza of Y La Bamba caught in an energized guitar + vocal delivery...

#4: Y La Bamba @ Knitting Factory Concert House

I’ll be the first to admit that 2011 was a year of amazing headlining acts coming through Reno, but what many might not know is that the opening acts put on just as good, if not better, performances at times.  Y La Bamba might not have shown up Neko Case in an on-stage battle, but they did garner more page views on IShootReno.com.  Great music too, Y La Bamba.  Keep it up!


Reverend Horton Heat @ The Alley, Reno, NV 2011-07-10
The Rev laying down a smoking hot set at The Alley...

#3: Reverend Horton Heat @ The Alley

The Rev.  Eat steak, eat steak, eat a big ‘ol steer, eat steak eat steak do we have one here?  Rockabilly never sounded so good and this blazing summertime performance is one for the record books.


Tech N9ne @ Knitting Factory Concert House, Reno, NV 2011-06-26
Tech N9ne striking a pose for the camera at Knitting Factory Concert House...

#2: Tech N9ne @ Knitting Factory Concert House

What a crazy show Tech N9ne puts on!  I can safely say that I will be among those attending another Tech N9ne show here in Reno (hopefully in 2012) and this indie rap / hip-hop artist is showing mainstream music a thing or two about die hard fandom.  Take notes world, this is how you do it.


Swingin Utters @ The Alley, Sparks, NV, 2011-07-10
Johnny Peebucks of Swingin' Utters delivering an explosive performance...

#1: Swingin’ Utters @ The Alley

Who took #1?  Swingin’ Utters, that’s who!  There was more blood, spit and sweat on the floor of this show than I’d care to mention, and what we didn’t take with us in our heads (or hearts), we took with us on the bottom of our boots on the way through The Alley and out into Victorian Square.  What a great band, what a great venue.  What a great city, Sparks!


Well there it is.  Our first and finest Top 10 list to grace the bytes of the internet.  Here’s looking forward to the many more memories to be made in 2012!


Go On, Treat Yourself to Something Nice!

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Photos: Reverend Horton Heat @ The Alley

Reverend Horton Heat @ The Alley, Reno, NV 2011-07-10
The Rev laying down a smoking hot set at The Alley...

Rockabilly, Psychobilly, Country, Surf, Rock n Roll; call it what you will, it is the facilitation of the exact moment when one is able to forget everything else and truly leave their body on an unparalleled musical high.  Reverend Horton Heat made this dream a reality for a packed venue at The Alley earlier this July.  Swingin’ Utters put on a floor-spitting, microphone stand smashing-ly uproarious opening set and the sardine-like crowd wanted their fix … and boy did they get it!  From the opening moments of “Marijuana“, The Rev, along with band mates Jimbo Wallace (bass) and Paul Simmons (drums), unleashed their unique collaborative musings and the sweat started to pool along eyebrows and foreheads all throughout the jam-packed club.

While I did have to battle the 7 year old pictured below for positioning (this is not even a joke in the slightest sense of the word), I was able to maneuver my way around microphone stands and bouncing bodies well enough to capture some close-ups of The Rev and company with my trusty 50mm f/1.8D lens attached to this up-and-coming DX shooter’s favorite, the Nikon D7000.  During some initial testing, I somehow came up with an aperture of 2.5.  In retrospect, this could have been fully opened to 1.8.  Shutter speed stayed put at 1/250th of a second and ISO was static at 1250.  Looking back, I’d say the ISO could have been bumped up to 1600 at least.  All the more reason to make an attempt with an auto ISO ranging from 800-3200.  Fingers have been crossed.

VIEW THE FULL REV. HORTON HEAT GALLERY HERE

Reverend Horton Heat @ The Alley, Reno, NV 2011-07-10
The Rev crackin' a smile for the camera...
Reverend Horton Heat @ The Alley, Reno, NV 2011-07-10
Jimbo Wallace filling the low end of the aural spectrum with a resonating bass line...
Reverend Horton Heat @ The Alley, Reno, NV 2011-07-10
Paul Simmons keeping the set right on time with drumsticks in hand...
Reverend Horton Heat @ The Alley, Reno, NV 2011-07-10
It's her birthday! (the one on the right)
Reverend Horton Heat @ The Alley, Reno, NV 2011-07-10
Despite it's simplicity, this backdrop still remains strong in my memory...

Camera(s) Used:

Nikon D7000

Lens(es) Used:

Nikon 50mm f/1.8D


Go On, Treat Yourself to Something Nice!

Do you buy stuff online? Do you buy camera stuff online? If this post or anything else on ishootreno.com was helpful to you, please consider supporting this site and making your next photo gear, music or general purchase through one of our affiliate links:

Every time our readers buy new gear through our affiliate links, it helps us bring to the table more of that which brought you here in the first place — the ‘money’ shots!

The best part?!  It doesn’t cost our readers anything extra to show their support!

If our readers do pick up some new gear, please drop us a line … we always love to hear about your new additions!

Comments, Praise, Feedback?  We’re all ears!

Please let us know what you thought of this post on ishootreno.com!

Super-Happy Fun Bonus Pic!!!

Reverend Horton Heat @ The Alley, Reno, NV 2011-07-10
A young concertgoer shoving up against the stage for Reverend Horton Heat at The Alley...