This was a "bucket list" concert for me. Joe sold out three nights at the incredible Ryman. This is one of the best music venue's in Music City. Personally, it is my favorite and I rarely pass up an opportunity to see a concert there.

My good friend Steve Lowry is the house photographer there and we were given a choice of balcony left or right. We decided the right side would be best since that's the direction he would be looking. 

This was a good decision and allowed us to capture some nice moments during the concert. 

When an artist "buys the room" his people totally control what you can do. How long you can shoot and where you can take them from. It may sound unfair, but it really isn't. In fact, it's like most photography assignments, the client dictates what they want and you have to deliver no matter what. It was a good exercise in making the most of what you have to work with. The bad part is you know you have limited time, so you tend to overshoot. Good news is, you know you will get something cool...Joe Bonamasa is an incredible musician with a band that is super talented and tight as they come.

Geek notes: Panasonic G9 camera, ISO 1600. Olympus 75mm f1.7 lens that equals a 150mm field of view! Steve introduced me to this lens and once I shot it, I had to own it. My friend Mike Amico is the Olympus rep and helped me find it. It's small, light and super sharp. It also focuses really well even in low light.