It Ain't The Meat (It's The Motion) (Southside Johnny)

Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes. I loved to listen to them and I loved to photograph their shows. Good-time bar-band style rock and roll. Whoo hoo! Those horns'll get you moving every time! And Southside (John Lyon) was always a pleasure to shoot. (Believe me, there were plenty who weren't. Same boring pose throughout, phoning it in - not Southside). Saw him perform every year back in the day, most of the shows outdoors on a hot summer night in Central Park - the best. He came out of the same Jersey music scene as Springsteen, and I always thought he should be more famous than he is. 

Southside Johnny, Dr. Pepper Music Festival, 1978

So now it's all these years later (2008 to be exact). I'm not shooting rock any more, and I'm not going to shows much either. But Southside Johnny and the Jukes are playing B.B. King's in New York, so I got tickets with some friends. One of those bands I just wanted to see again. Got there early and we got a good table in the center, raised up in the back. I brought my camera, because hey, I could. No camera policy I could find online, and no one told me not to. So I sat there and took pictures. But I wasn't happy because I was sitting at a table, far from the stage.  So yes. I picked myself up and walked myself down there. No one said anything, no one stopped me. And before I knew it, I was at the stage, climbing on things, crouching down, shooting between the guitarist's legs, doing whatever I needed to do to get the shot. I could not help myself. I couldn't not do it. And oh, it was fun. 

Southside at B.B. King, 2008

Yeah, he looks a little older now. Aren't we all? But you can see from this picture he's not holding back at all. Still gives a helluva show. So I'm checking out Southside's website today while I'm writing this. Guess who's performing next Saturday at B.B. King? Boy that is so tempting.