There’s something in the water at The Template on Mondays (and it sounds a lot like GREAT FUCKING LIVE MUSIC)
Richard shares his experience shooting a professional musicians’ jam at The Template in Ocean Beach, CA.
Hello friends,
You might recall that back in March I wrote about a time where I briefly stumbled across an epic jam/drum battle while out on a walk with Erin. As I was writing that blog I made initial contact with @john_mdrums a.k.a. John Martinez drummer extraordinaire on insta who was the reason the jam was put together (1). As things go, I kept up with John because I knew how impactful the 10 minutes I shared with his crew was to me personally and he was my connection to that scene. So I kept my ears to the street for an opportunity to spend more time together and the opportunity soon came.
About a month ago I saw John post about a jam that he was putting together at The Template, this insane art café (2) in OB that I absolutely love. I mentioned that I’d love to come by and shoot photos sometime which John seemed receptive to but this wouldn’t be able to materialize until a month later (3) so I don’t think he put much stock into my threat. As luck would have it, the jams kept on and last Monday (4) I reached out to John to confirm as much.
“Yo man you guys jamming tonight?”
“Yes”
“Template?”
“Yes”
“Rad. I’ll see you there man.”
Now in hindsight I realize that I am a crazy person for thinking John would remember me saying I wanted to come take pictures of his jam a month ago but I showed up with my camera ready to shoot anyway. My month old intel had a 6pm start time and I strolled up at 6:15pm thinking I was late but as it turned out the jam was scheduled to start at 6:30pm and in reality it didn’t really get started until closer to 7pm. This was fine because it gave me time to meet some of the musicians that were hanging out waiting for things to get going.
I awkwardly wedge myself into some conversations and chatted up anyone who would have me which led to some great conversations and some …well pretty uncomfortable “Welp. See you later” moments. Luckily for me I’m able to see the humor in these situations and not take it as a slight against me. And for the record, there were only a couple of these hilariously awkward moments and most everyone I chatted with was super nice and welcoming even though I did show up as a complete outsider —with a camera no less.
After 30 minutes of schmoozing and occasionally flailing socially I sense things are getting close to starting so I start shooting a little. The musicians waste no time. After a collaborative effort to throw a massive rug over a support beam to help with the acoustics from the drum kit, they’re ready too. Their sound checks are not your typical snare hit, snare hit, snare hit, …symbol crash, symbol crash… No these guys just start playing —and fucking well. Really fucking well. I recognize some of them from the jam at the skatepark and I am immediately in that feeling again. The talent oozes from these players. It’s intoxicating. Surreal.
I don’t waste my time either (5). I jump in and start getting a feel for the various players and the space. After 10 minutes or so of this it is fully on!
Throughout the night there were a handful of drummers, a couple percussionists and bass players, a few key players, a flautist, a few horn players (two sax, one trumpet), one beatboxer, one singer who popped up near the end, and naturally a metric shit ton of guitarists. It is a “professional musician’s jam” and as such everyone absolutely rips it.
The house band leads the jam with John popping out from behind his kit to MC between songs. They play for two and a half hours straight taking only short breaks (6) between songs to occasionally shout out the players, and after a few songs to start cycling in other musicians who have been patiently waiting in the audience for their turn to shred. As much as I love music I’ve never been classically trained and therefore I’m not able to speak very intelligently about the genre of music being played, if any (7) but I’d say the music this night lived somewhere in the contemporary upbeat Jazz (8), funk, adult alternative, and rock world with plenty of room for anything and everything. To put it more simply you could classify it as great live music, with real life and soul.
To think that this is a FREE SHOW is almost unfathomable as it was truly one of the best live music experiences of my life, and not to suck my own dick here but I’ve been to a ton of incredible concerts, festivals, and shows but something about this jam... I mean the sheer talent, the improvised nature of it all, and the experimental vibe of The Template itself, it really just makes for something truly special. If you’re in San Diego or close by and you want to see some of the most talented musicians in the city put the plane together midflight as they rocket off the proverbial cliff, come through to The Template on Mondays 6:30pm – 9:30pm, get your face melted, and throw a $20 in the tip jar (9). If you are a LIVE music or jam band fan, this is for you.
(1) It was a birthday shed! (sung in the style of the Monster Mash “it was a graveyard smash” refrain)
(2) Picture Burning Man if it was a coffee shop.
(3) As a parent it’s not always easy for me to get out on a weeknight and last month I was already pretty tapped out attending many events of a multi-week photo festival, and prepping and participating in my favorite art fair of the year —Look I was busy OK?!
(4) March 8, 2023
(5) I came to shoot music, maaaaaan.
(6) We’re talking maybe 30 seconds to a minute max.
(7) DON’T LIKE TRY TO PUT ME IN A BOX, MAAAAN!
(8) I’m just typing words. I have no idea what I’m talking about, but it feels right if that means anything.
(9) Or more!
The Return of the Music Project
While out on a leisurely feral cat/bird watching outing I unexpectedly stumbled upon a birthday jam session that blew me away.
This past Saturday, our foster daughter, Wolfy (1) had a sleepover and so Erin and I had a little more “us time” than usual. As we like to do we went on a nice long walk around our neighborhood in Ocean Beach. We were walking toward the jetty to go visit the feral cat colony and do some light birding (#alwaysbebirding) as per the usual. As we approached the skate park (which is on the way) we could hear some loud music being played (mostly drums). We weren’t sure if it was a drum circle or what but it did sound a little more complex than your run of the mill OB drum circle (no offense), and those usually take place about a mile or so away over by Newport so I was a little confused, but either way the rhythm had me hooked.
As we got to the outside of the skate park we could tell there was what seemed like some kind of a jam going on inside. Erin could tell she’d be a little overwhelmed/uncomfortable if we went in together and offered to chill outside the skate park for a little while I went into the park and checked out the scene and shot a little. (2) So I confirmed she was cool (3), set a timer for 10 minutes, and went inside to check out the scene.
Walking up I saw there were two drummers both rocking full kits, a bass player keeping it funky, and a young dude getting jiggy wit it on the keyboard as another dude tickled the keys a little over his shoulder. There were some balloons and a handmade sign showing that it was someone’s birthday but I didn’t focus on that too much because my time was too tight and the music was too intoxicating. It was a rad scene to pull up into and I wanted to maximize on the experience.
Because I was on a time crunch I didn’t have much time to hesitate so after my quick assessment I started working the scene. I started wide shooting the whole scene and pretty quickly some of the musicians noticed me. I started locking in on them as they played and it became a clear give and take where the musician I was focused on would start what can only be described as: “fuckin’ playin’ that thang.” I shifted my way around the circle going from musician to musician as they took turns ripping it up. I felt like a director as I tried my best to make some quick portraits in my short window. I was using a compact camera which allowed me to really be able to get close and play with my compositions. The musicians “going off” really was an incredible energy exchange and a fun impromptu collaboration that made the photos. I could not have had more fun in that moment.
My time ran up much quicker than I would have liked but I was happy to have had that experience. I left my card [and no money](SORRY!) in a tip jar looking thing in the hopes that someone would reach out and eventually I connected with the birthday boy himself on insta. After connecting with him online I learned this was a jam/drum battle a.k.a. a “drum shed” that was organized for his birthday. After seeing some of the videos on his insta I realized I didn’t get ANY shots of him because he was not playing while I was there shooting (D’oh!). At any rate I had a blast and am just so thankful that all the musicians were so generous with their talent and their space. It also makes me super thankful to live in an area where there is real ass art and creativity all the time. I hope my pictures do “the shed” some justice and please go check the birthday boy (@john_mdrums) out on insta and his band Sweet Myths also on insta. They have an upcoming show on April 27th at The Holding Company in OB so check that if you can and aside from all that ummmm… remember to always keep it funky I guess.
I dunno.
I love you.
Bye.
-Richard :)
(1) Not her real name but also if you want to keep up with me subscribe to my newsletter.
(2) How fucking awesome is she?
(3) She was.
Stuart Todd Whitworth: The Music Project Strikes Back
My extremely talented singer-songwriter friend, Stuart Todd Whitworth and I collaborate on a multimedia project.
I’d written before about my chance encounter with the incomparable Stuart Todd Whitworth briefly as an aside in another story regarding my music photography/project but as a refresher for us all I'll go into more detail (in case anyone is interested).
I’d first run across Stuart while I was filming some person-on-the-street interviews for a yet to be released video project. I had been bouncing all around San Diego County over the summer and fall during 2020 looking for places with people around and on this day I happened to post up in La Jolla. I had gotten some decent b-roll, a handful of participants recorded, and had been about at the end of my day. It was about the end of the day’s day as well as the sun had already set by this time, but something about Stuart’s… I dunno… aura (?) when he approached me made it feel like I NEEDED to shoot this one last interview.
Stuart gave a great interview and afterwards we started talking and he told me he was a musician and blah blah blah. I remember being pretty cooked by this time and therefore I didn’t think too much about Stuart or the fact that he was a musician. We traded information as Stuart had mentioned that he was always looking for someone to help with photo/video stuff but at the time, music work was not really something that I thought about pursuing in any degree.
Fast forward 6 months and I’d been inspired by a local jazz band that had been rehearsing near my girlfriend’s old place. I decided that there’s tons of great local musicians and I’d like to try and collaborate with them, if they’ll have me. So I’m at the Subaru dealership waiting for my car to be serviced when I get a random call from Stuart asking if I’d be interested in filming a show for him the upcoming weekend. I had plans already so it didn’t work out but I mentioned to him that I would be interested in collaborating on a photoshoot or some other project if Stuart would be interested.
He was.
Over the course of a couple months we’d catch up on the phone and meet up in person to brainstorm. Stuart told me all about his impending album release and his unorthodox process of completing the album, we listened to some of his music, and we tossed some pasta at the wall. Eventually we had a project idea that stuck and we both felt it would fit our style and artist voices. We decided on a photoshoot and interview to be smashed into a self-narrated slideshow and that is exactly what we came out with and I’m beyond excited to be able to say that it is available for everyone to watch RIGHT NOW!
I’m very proud of how this video came out so thank you for watching. If you enjoyed the video, you should definitely check out more of Stuart’s music. You can find all of his music videos on his website, or you can follow him on social to keep up with him. You can find all of his socials here. And lastly, but certainly not leastly, if you really want to support my man, Stuart, you can show love by buying his album which not only comes with a disc and download code, but also a really cool book with amazing artwork renditions of the cover art from multiple artists across multiple mediums. Like the man and the music behind it all, the album presentation is unique and beautiful.
Support the artists you love so they can keep making the art you love.
Boostive: a fan experience
If you read my post about the start of my music project, you might remember that for this project specifically I’m just kind of letting The Universe guide the experience and to be quite honest, it’s doing a hell of a job. So as we talked about in the first Boostive post I’d found out about the band a year after seeing some of the band and their friends rocking out at a BLM march. #BlackLivesMatter
Now a year later I’d finally had learned their band name so I’d been binging on their catalog on Napster(1)(2) for the past couple weeks and reached out to them to see if I could shoot their show and thankfully they said “yes.” (3) The show was at the Music Box in San Diego which is a newer venue to me. Since I’d never made it out before I was pretty stoked to check it out. Since I was allowed to bring my camera I decided that I would shoot the show from the perspective of a fan, and so that’s what this post is.
My man Samy Wats rockin the whip with his tunes.
I hoped into an Lyft because I wanted to indulge in the devil’s lettuce (4) and I don’t fuck around and drive. In the Lyft the driver was bumping some tunes, we got to talking, and it turned out he’s a producer/performer named Samy Wats(3). We had a good chat, and he checked out Boostive and vibed out on their sound before dropping us off. If you’re into hip-hop, or supporting San Diego artists, check out my man Samy Wats on Spotify or buy an album or some shit so he can get out of that car sooner than later.
Anyway, showing up pretty early (5) there was a small line out front and we got in after just a couple minutes standing in queue(6). The venue was a modern, three story, industrial design (think fancy rave or like midtier venue on Guitar Hero). The stair access, merch area, and bar are all close by the door when you first walk in and there was a small gathering of people around here. Judging by the ages and outfits of the group (a lot of silver foxes and hippie attire) it seemed that these were some of the parents and music scene vets. I chatted one of them up who was friends with one of the parents of a band member and had back in his day written a song that was bought by none other than Neil Young. How about that?!
Further up in front of the stage it was pretty vacant save for all the cool kids glued to the seating along the wall. This made it super easy to get a decent spot a couple people back from the railing. As more and more of the youngsters started filing in it became like a who’s who of OB (7) people and I could feel the energy building. I mean, how could a reggae show not be full of good ass vibes?! Of course this show was gonna be bangin.
The opener Dread Kennedy kicked off the show with a great set that got the audience moving and by the time they had finished their set the place was stuffed to the gills. All three levels of the club were packed and the place nearly exploded as Boostive took the stage. Unfortunately, since there are like A HUNDRED members in the band (8) it took a little time to get everyone sound checked and I could hear some of the fans around me growing a little restless. Seems standard for a crowd that had already been drinking for over an hour at this point. For the record I was chillin (9). Once the band started playing all was forgiven.
They started with a slower jam and then eventually led into some of their bangers. The dancing in the pit was epic. The crowd was vibin’ HARD. It was as awesome as I’d expected it to be.
—Quick side note: the amount of big hats at this show was unthinkably plentiful. Like leaves in a rainforest plentiful. For which I say: what the fuck??? Also, the amount of tall people who show up just before the headliner and slipped in front of the crowd is certainly a detail about shows that I did not miss from my scenester days a decade prior. I understand every body type is different and they all have their advantages and disadvantages and I’m certainly not trying to body shame anyone. I get it, if you’re tall you have a better chance of dunking or getting a girlfriend in high school but when it comes to concerts you either need to show up early or fuck right off. I mean honestly tall people and big hats. At a concert?! What the hell is wrong with people? Ok rant over.
As the dancing to my left grew stronger and every person 6’3” or above conveniently found their place directly in front of me I went upstairs to catch a reprieve and get some different vantage points with my photos. I quickly found out the second floor was for VIPs only which was weird because they wouldn’t let me in (10).
I headed up to the third floor. Real fans are always reppin in the nosebleeds so it was good to check out the scene. It was an interesting vibe and as with any concert people were very protective of their places along the railing even just squeezing in for a second to take a photo was a big todo. Aside from that and a couple drunk dudes that seemingly came to a concert to converse loudly, there were a lot of good vibes up top and the band was connecting with fans even way up on the third floor. I even got a few pictures of band members looking and gesturing up to the fans which got big responses. “Did you see?! He pointed right at me!” exclaimed the woman next to me.
I stayed on the top deck for a while and then finished up the night by weaseling my way back into the pit during the last few songs. The energy was insane and the music was absolutely killer because well it was Boostive (11). I’m not sure if The Music Box had to file an insurance claim for damages or not but I am one thousand percent sure Boostive blew the roof off that fucker. They wrapped with 3rd Ear (12), took a band selfie with the audience, then proceeded to party with the fans as the venue made the slightest of transitions into a dance club.
It was bangin in there but I was wiped from a long day behind me. My night had run it’s coarse so I headed home just day dreaming about the next time I’ll get to see the band rockin it again.
That said, if you love good ass music and you have the chance to see Boostive, DO IT! Check out their LP if you don’t believe me cus that shit is crazy fucking good and they’re just as good if not better live. So that’s pretty much it. Boostive is fucking rad, go check them out.
Well what are you waiting for?! Go listen to Boostive already!
(1) Don’t judge me.
(2) Napster, formerly known as Rhapsody was the first streaming service and I’d been subscribed since like 2008 so if there are any Spotify loyalists squirming over you can save that noise you’re kickin and kindly Bioya*.
(3) The universe.
(4) Helloooooo it’s a reggae show.
(5) I like to watch the openers is that such a crime?! In reality I’ve found so many of my favorite bands by watching all the openers. If you don’t show up for the openers at concerts you’re doing yourself a disservice.
(6) So what I like to spice things in my writing. I’m not hurting anyone.
(7) OB = Ocean Beach. An area in San Diego famous for its hippie community and strong beach vibes. Lots of crystals, dream catchers, tie dye, street performers, that kinda stuff. You smell me?!
(8) Really I think there were like 9 members.
(9) I smoke weed baby!!!
(10) My mom tells me I’m very important but I guess that’s not the same as buying some sort of ticket or something. Who even knows?
(11) Helloooooooo?!?!
(12) My favorite song of theirs and an absolute BANGER
Boostive: music with meaning
A few months back I went to my first concert since the pandemic had started(1). The band and the show were both excellent and an interesting thing about this concert was that I’d only just learned of the band maybe a couple weeks before the show but it wasn’t the first time I saw them perform. Let me explain.
Last summer (2020) during the height of the Black Lives Matter civil rights movement which had been reignited by the police murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, I was at a large march taking place in downtown San Diego at the Waterfront Park which is kinda like our city hall here …I think. Any way, it was a hot, sunny, mid-day event in June and there was a massive turnout. Over 1,000 people marching. Things seemed like they had cooled out from a week or two earlier when there had been lots of teargas and police violence at other demonstrations throughout the county (and the country). As it turned out this particular march was very peaceful and very moving.
Now for people who don’t know me well (yet) I wear my heart on my sleeve and am very open with my emotions. I cry at movies and have no qualms about it. I mean who didn’t cry during Fast 9 when Vin Diesel gave everyone unlimited soup and bread sticks? #WhenYoureHereYoureFamily #OliveGarden #BadMovies
But in all seriousness I have been moved by the power of protest a few times before in my life but this was beyond anything I’d experienced. What was so different about this march? Was it the massive crowd? The touching speeches? The diversity of the people/groups supporting? No. These were all things I’d experienced before. What set this march apart was the fact that there was a goddamn marching band.
The band was comprised of about 10 young adults with various horns and percussion instruments (including a turtle shell). They were dressed as individuals, but they played like a fucking unit. These were real-ass musicians and they quickly became the sound of the movement (at least for that day). The marchers had a bounce and a groove in their steps and many were inspired to dance. The sound was so infectious even a racist would have to admit it sounded fucking awesome. They were undeniable.
I had been photographing the march so I was in and out of the band’s presence all throughout the day and I remember wanting to try and make contact with some of the band members for a potential interview afterward but I was new to photojournalism/documentary photography and I inadvertently let them slip away. To top it off my only lead (2) ended up ghosting me after I DMed him. A major bummer no doubt.
I knew the story was interesting. I’d seen the way the people (marchers and observers) responded to the band. I felt how much the music amplified the message of the crowd and I wanted to know more. Who were these people? Did play together often? We’re they a band? A meetup group just for the march? What inspired them to come out? I was desperate to know but I was at a dead end.
That was until about a year later.
After being vaxxed and taking a break from covering injustice/activism for mental health reasons I found my way back in a comedy club after being away for over two years. While at the club downtown I’d often take advantage of the location and take street photos in the Gaslamp (bar) District while I would wait for my time slot at the open mics.
One night I was walking down the street to grab a slice of pizza when I saw a guitarist and saxophone player jammin at a sparsely populated bar(3). I was still getting used to seeing maskless people doing things from the before times and the sound was nice so I hung out for a little bit to snap a couple photos. As I was photographing the saxophonist he made eye contact, then motioned for me to come in and join in the fun. It was at this very moment that I realized I’d taken his photo before. He was one of the horn players from the marching band.
I waited for them to finish their song and then pounced.
“Did you play your sax at a protest with a marching band last summer?”
“Yeah. That was with some friends. They’re a legit band called Boostive. I jam with them sometimes.”
We exchanged info. I told him about my ongoing music project that I’m shooting and even got a solid portrait of him (follow @salmakessounds on insta). Solid chance encounter thanks to The Universe and man was that satisfying to finally connect the dots on that marching band. Ahh what an itch to scratch!
Check out my man Sal on insta @salmakessounds or as Sean Lambert on all streaming platforms. His latest single “Violet (Remix)” is streaming now.
Over the next couple of days I’d listen to Boostive’s music and be absolutely blown away. The band is a perfect mix of reggae, funk, psychedelic, rock, and hip-hop with some Latin flavor in the mix and just an overall full sound that hits you right in the jaw if you’re not expecting it. The sound was so rich (my god the horns), the vocals outstanding, and the Emcee featured on about half of the tracks on the groups LP, Creme Supreme, was kickin' some real shit on there. Like the inter connectivity of open mindedness, history, and oppression kind of shit. It made sense that THIS band would be marching in a civil rights movement, they’ve got songs on wax(4) about exactly that.
I saw they had a show playing shortly after I’d officially stumbled across their music thanks to my new friend Sal so I got a ticket and reached out to see if I could bring my camera. They said yes.
So I present to you Boostive: a fan experience.
(1) Don’t sweat me I’m vaxxed.
(2) Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL) member who said he was friends with the band.
(3) The sparseness was due to this being a weeknight in San Diego. We really are a weekend only town as far as partying is concerned.
(4) Or whatever. You know what I mean.
Rumba Ketumba: the Music Project Begins
A post about the beginning of a documentary photography project centered on music —and there’s other cool stuff too! (Not really though).
I was at the Subaru dealership getting my car a long overdue oil change and servicing. Just sitting on the patio furniture, reading my book (Brandon Stanton's "Humans"), and listening to some music when my phone rang from a number that I didn't recognize.
-A little context: I subscribe to the idea that "things happen for a reason" or in a nutshell, the universe will present you with gifts if you're open, willing, and looking for them. This serves me well in my street photography and in life. Ok back to the story-
When I get a call from an unknown number it's usually pretty hit and miss. This day, I answered.
It was a musician (Stuart) that I had met maybe nine months ago when I was out on filming "man on the street" interviews all around town for a documentary project that I am currently working on. He was calling to see if I could film an upcoming show, but it was too short of notice and it didn't work out for that particular gig.
Unbeknownst to him, I had been contemplating "music" as a personal photo project for a couple months and I was feeling like this could be the universe speaking to me, so I asked if he'd want to set up a photo shoot down the line. To both of our excitement he was interested. So I ended the call feeling really connected with the universe and genuinely stoked about finding a natural starting point for my music project.
As I settled back into my surroundings I look past the coffee table, to the chair cater-corner to mine and see a man, maybe sixty, playing what looked like a green, toy, nylon string, guitar. Only he is not just playing it, he is playing the shit out of it! And singing too!
My headphones were still in but since I just got off a call there was nothing coming through. I listened surreptitiously as he shared a beautiful Latin tune. "What a talent" I thought. And what crazy timing after my "music project" just slapped me in the face out of nowhere!
After he finishes his song, I compliment his playing and singing and we get to talking.
He tells me he's rehearsing some songs for a weekend wedding gig he had a couple hours away in Palm Springs.
He told me how he lived in several Latin countries and how he'd been playing guitar for some time. He told me a great anecdote about how he met some of the Gypsy Kings, and an even more surreal story about how he randomly met Tony Bennett.
I told him a little about my past and my complete obsession with photography (The Sickness) and how I always carry a camera with me.
It was a great conversation with such a kind and open soul.
It wasn't too long until my car was ready so we swapped info and he told me he had a gig the following Thursday with a newly formed band.
I looked at his card, John "Juanito" Tidwell, gave the obligatory "nice to meet you" and told him I'd be there.
The gig was at Cafe Sevilla in the Gaslamp Quarter in Downtown San Diego. I'd never been before but the vibe was essentially everything that I imagined it would be. Upscale restaurant with a Latin theme and live Latin music.
I showed up a little too early so I spent a good couple of hours shooting some street photos around the downtown area and wandered back in time to meet Jaunito as he was the first one to arrive and begin setting up.
He tells me that there are three other band members and raves about how great they are. Having spent many days of the last week listening to some of Jaunito's albums from another band he plays with, I was not surprised. The guy is crazy talented and even though he may be one of the nicest people on the planet, I couldn't imagine him playing with bums.
The rest of the band popped in one by one and eventually they get set up and start playing. The first song is a slower one. It sounds great and the crowd seemed to dig it but on the following song they started playing some dance rhythms and you could feel the energy build in the room. It was electric.
Jaunito had told me this was the band's first time playing together and that they hadn't rehearsed at all, but they were clearly all strong enough musicians that it didn't matter at all. Not for a second.
Jaunito's eldest son, a musician himself, even sat in with the band for a song as he belted out the vocals in a very Mars Volta like wail. There's definitely something in the water at Jaunito's house!
All in all it was a great night. From the moment they started playing they were in the groove, having fun, and surfing that wave of energy that filled the room. It was magic.
It was magic, revealed to me by a chance encounter at a car dealership service center.
The universe is speaking to us all, we just have to listen.
If the universe sent YOU here, check out Jaunito's band Rumba Ketumba which are featured in the photos or his other band Malamana who has music on Spotify.
Thanks for reading,
-Richard :)
