Facing East: 48 Hours in the life of East Austin Summer 2009

I'll be a juror on this year's Facing East 48 hour Photography / Film event.



more information at the diverse arts website

PJ Harvey - SXSWorld

The PJ Harvey photos I took on Saturday night 21 March at Stubb’s in a lot of ways were the pay off for week of chaos that was SXSW this year. Typically after a week of sleep deprivation, substance depletion/abuse and strained tolerance for hipsters, I usually have a sort of out-of-body, fire walking experience as the last few hours roll in, this year was no different. I think I counted over 50 photographers lined up to get into the pit for this show (half of them bloggers with point and shoot cameras), so the whole situation felt like trying to see the Karmapa in India. Like his Holiness, Polly Jean was a radiant being on the stage, and she really made the whole musical pilgrimage worth it. Having one of these photos that I really like as a cover shot (and on the Rolling Stone site) gave me a sense of oneness with the SXSW machine and the universe.

Chhom Nimol & Dengue Fever

Chhom Nimol is the singer of my Favorite Cambodian Psychedelic Surf Rock band, Dengue Fever. With influences such as The Ventures, Charles Mingus, Blondie, and Os Mutantes they have a retro sound that's also really fresh and fun. check out some of their music at their site.

I shot a photo of Nimol and her stage dresses for two.one.five magazine's series of artists and their collections, which is going to press next week.



Here are some photos from the show at the Mohawk in Austin.









see the entire flickr set

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Brian Birzer is a freelance music photographer who has never been to Cambodia, but has plans to visit Vietnam soon.

rock prints

I have a few 16x20 mounted prints left over from a couple shows earlier this year.
Let me know if you are interested in purchasing one, operators are standing by.


Wayne Coyne


Jonathan Richman


Austin TV


Jack White


Jad Fair and Nao

My Bloody Valentine Austin

My Bloody Valentine played Tuesday night at Austin Music Hall which was one of five U.S. dates this year, earplugs were handed out at the door. Kevin Shields, singer/guitarist Bilinda Butcher, bassist Debbie Googe and drummer Colm Ó Cíosóig, offered the following set up to a very vibey crowd of aging indie rockers such as myself.

I Only Said
When You Sleep
You Never Should
(When You Wake) You’re Still In A Dream
Cigarette in Your Bed
Come In Alone
Only Shallow
Thorn
Nothing Much To Lose
To Here Knows When
Blown A Wish (not 100% sure, honestly. Between the volume and the strobes,this is about where things got a bit blurry; did I just imagine this song?)
Slow
Soon
Feed Me With Your Kiss
You Made Me Realise

here are some of the photos I took:













see the entire flickr set here

Brian Birzer is a freelance photographer who loves his earplugs.

nobel dog

Last month I shot some promo photos for the Preston Wimberly's band Nobel Dog.

He and Taylor Burns put out some great southern style blues rock. The beta of their new site is up. so check them out.

Brian Birzer is an Austin TX based freelance photographer

Range Life

I spend the weekend at the family Ranch in Utopia Texas. There was a full moon and it gave me a opportunity to shoot some of the cousins in the old cattle bins.


Full moon on the porch




in the cattle bin