A little something of an update!

Hey everyone! It's been awhile since we've updated on here, things have been mad crazy in only the best ways! We've had 4 weddings since August and had an amazing few concerts to cover in there as well! Now that things have gotten back to a good pace, we'll be updating on here more often. Including things that inspire us, music we love, sessions we photograph, people that give us stories, everything STILLCODA!

The biggest news we have for all of you: NEW WEBSITE LOOK!!! We spent a few months working on this and finally came up with a look we absolutely fell in love with! We've been sporting it everywhere and making sure people get a new look at our sessions, printing options, cds and everything in between. We're very proud of where we've been able to get to and it's all because of you! We can't thank you enough for all the comments, support, love and sessions! You've truly made STILLCODA a better company but you've given us the inspiration for amazing photos.

I'll be updating the blog more regularly and posting some things from the weddings we've been working on along with a few shows we've covered. Make sure to share us with your friends and lets get 2012 to be the best year yet!!!

-Chelsey

Concert Review: Jonny Lang

CONCERT REVIEW: JONNY LANG

There are always those artists that grow with you over the years. Not only do their crafts grow into something unforeseen, but remind you over and over again why you keep hitting repeat in your car. Only a small handful of artists can give you "the shiver" when they play. Very few can both sing and play guitar like they were touched by a gods hand alone. When soulful meets original, an icon of a genre is born. Jonny Lang is all of that and more, a master of skill since his younger self at 14.

Back in his home state of Minnesota, Jonny Lang and band are back and ready to remind us what it means to be alive. It's a full house at the Mystic Lake and Casino's auditorium and everyone doesn't wish to be anywhere but here. A full 2 hours of jaw dropping, soul gripping, and emotional ride is what we got. The skill at which Jonny still excels at, is mesmerizing. Like the legends of Rhythm and Blues, Jonny brings back old school and mixes it with his own flair. What impresses us the most, is the emotional ride you feel when he sings. There's a fluidness that few musicians are able to possess even with years of practice. One moment you are moving to the beat and the next tears are welling up in your eyes from the perfect pitch of his higher register. The many different generations in this auditorium are on the same page tonight. The demure personality of Jonny is instantly forgotten once the next song starts playing. Chills spread and everyone are on their feet, supporting this amazing artist and his band.

A standing ovation and encore is nothing less than what he deserves and what we get. Playing various songs from all of his albums and then some, everyone has been gifted a sight of this great performer. This is one artist that has to be on everyone's "Concert Bucketlist." It's everything a performance should be and everything a memory craves. Go see Jonny Lang on his tour runs and remember that this is true creation.

Make sure to check out:

Website: http://www.jonnylang.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JonnyLang

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/jonnylangband

A STILLCODA First: Wedding!

The very first wedding to be done by STILLCODA! Even though we specialize in music and portrait photography along with our band interviews, we couldn't help but say yes to this amazing couple! Danielle and Colton had everything planned and detailed down to the dot. With influences from Wizard of Oz, who wouldn't want to shoot this wedding?

The couple held the wedding in a small town in Wisconsin at a place called The Orchard. It's rows of apple trees, pond, willow tree and historic background, it turned out to be the perfect place for this couple. Everything from the yellow flower petals, dog down the aisle, movie theme song to a stunning bride and groom, this couldn't have been a better first STILLCODA wedding.

Here are some shots from the beautiful day!

Oh No Fiasco Interview

INTERVIEW: Oh No Fiasco

Members: Lindsey, Colin, Seth, Thomas, Kamryn

This Knoxville Tennessee female led group blends pop/rock/alternative/ and dance seamlessly to come with a sound that’s all theirs. Not only does it show the group’s ability to delve into many genres of music, it shows great talent and knowledge to bring all these sounds together onto one album.

We had a chance to talk with the band during their tour stop in Minneapolis, MN on probably one of the hottest days of the year.

STILLCODA: You guys were previously known as “The Few,” tell us a little about the transition to Oh No Fiasco?

L- It’s the same members as before. We could not be found online, which is the biggest thing now. When you’re in a band, to be able to Google your name and have your pages come up, we were always mistaken for someone else. The Marines had a lot on The Few, so we decided last year that we had to make a change, if we were actually to have a chance to do this and be known. People would say, “we heard you were playing, but we can’t find you at all.” So we changed the name, January this year. Honestly, it fits better with how we perform on stage. We like to be random in photo-shoots…video shoots. We wear costumes. We like to make this chaotic thing and it works for us.

STILLCODA: This is your first stop in Minneapolis and you are touring with RED, what’s it like being on tour and what experiences do you hope to take away with you?

L- People are so nice here. We we’re not expecting it to be this hot!

We definitely get the extremes.

L-This is day two, so we’re still getting to know them, but so far its been terrific.

C- Everyone has been really nice too. Usually it’s kinda like separations between the bands, but this is a good tour. Everyone is super friendly, humble and nice, it’s been a great experience.

L- We kinda wish RED was in our name. (laughs) So we are wearing red pants (tonight).

STILLCODA: You guys are gaining momentum obviously, and fans. What has been the response from people so far?

T- It’s been fantastic and ever growing. Every time we play we get more and more support and more and more people following us. It couldn’t be better.

C- That would be an audible thumbs up (laughs)

STILLCODA: Being a female front lead singer, what are your feelings and responses. Are you finding a comparison with other female lead singers?

L- There are just, not that many (female singers) and actually there are a lot more now, then ten years ago. But definitely, the big named bands that people go to will compare me to them, which just happens. It is very fun being the female singer in a band, because you don’t have to lift anything heavy… (laughs) I think the thing that annoys me most being a female singer in an upcoming band is, I always get mistaken for someone else, like “are you running merch, tonight?” Or they say “are you with the band or are you just the girlfriend.” And I’m like, “no I’m going to sing! I’m the singer.”

STILLCODA: What’s one thing you look forward too after touring?

T- More touring!

L- Maybe a few nights in my own bed.

C - Our dogs!

S - I’m actually looking forward to our video release, which should be coming out about the time we get off the road or close thereby.

L- Also after we get off the road this summer, we are going to start writing again, which we all love. With the release of this album, it only has seven songs on it… we definitely NEED to start writing to get more out there. So that’s really exciting.

Can you say more about that... What was the experience like writing the first album and why did you choose only seven songs?

T- We wanted to keep it short and sweet. Pick the best songs possible and I think the songs we picked are a culmination of our favorite material that we wrote over the past year and a half since we’ve been together.

L- We wrote over twenty songs but wanting to stick with the genre and where we are headed and without sounding the same, it worked best for us.

STILLCODA: How did you develop your sound? There is a little bit of dance/rock/pop

T- It’s everyone’s influences rolled into one nice fun collection of songs.

STILLCODA: What’ one thing that helps bring the creative energy to the group both on stage or off, such as in the studio?

T- Each other really. We love each other.

L - We actually are one of those bands that really get along. I know for writing, changing our atmosphere really helps and gets the brain going to be more creative. Before going on stage, we usually get together, do a little power talk, power hug.

S - Awww. You know we talk a little trash about each other. Get the vibe right (laughs)

C- Stretching is a good thing. Getting a good stretch in definitely helps.

STILLCODA: What’s one thing you hope people take away from your show?

L- I want people to have fun. I want them to walk away saying they were not expecting to see anything like that when they came to the show tonight. We just have so much fun on stage, you can tell we get along really well and we do enjoy this very much.

C- I’ll second that. I think it’s the goal of the whole band, not to sum it up for everyone. We have a lot of fun with what we do. It’s why we do it, is to have fun and grow as a band.

To see more about Oh No Fiasco,

go online to: www.ohnofiasco.com

or facebook page at www.facebook.com/ohnofiascomusic

and follow them on twitter!

-Interview by Morris Goodwin-

Concert Review: Hollywood Undead

If there’s one thing Minneapolis knows, it’s music. We know there are some hardcore music fans out there, so we cater to their needs with some pretty awesome shows. This weekend, it’s 93x Fest and there’s a whole lot of great bands in town. The one that sticks out the most, is Hollywood Undead. Talk about excitement. You can feel it vibrate through the crowd even though its cold and rainy. What’s a little water to cool down the rampant temperature rising that’s caused by some badass music?

I know there’s a lot of talk about bands that wear masks and that it confuses people. We get it. But do you? If you were to listen to the heavy beats, tempting rifts and swift vocals, you’d never know these boys “hide” their faces behind masks that identify each as an individual. The moment Hollywood Undead step out onto the stage, you instantly know why they have a hardcore group of fans/followers. They grab your attention and shake it up. The energy in which these guys perform at is phenomenal. You don’t need to see expressions to know that they’re making a statement in every song played. You feel it. They interact with the crowd that isn’t always seen. It’s almost as if they dared every single person not to feel the music and not get into it. Let’s just say that everyone didn’t bother taking up the dare, they were singing and jumping without realizing it. The multiple fist pumps and screaming choruses heard from the crowd, is just one more reminder that HU is indeed that damn good.

Aside from the crowd, this band knows how to make it and how to guarantee a future in this industry. They value their fans and create a bond with them that few bands do. Their ability to perform live is always a treat and one no one forgets about. You’ll be surfing the net as soon as you get home to see when they’re in town next, what new gear they have, when they’re in town next and most importantly, listening to their music on repeat for the next few months. All in all, Hollywood Undead is one of the best bands to see live, hands down.

Escape the Fate Interview

(photo credit: P.R. Brown)

ESCAPE THE FATE

(Band Members: Craig-Vocals, Bryan-Guitars, Max-Bass, Robert-Drums)

There are only a few bands that can say they’ve toured with some of todays biggest names in rock music and Escape the Fate has that honor. We got a chance to talk with Robert about those experiences and what he’s learned from them.

STILLCODA: YOU GUYS JUST GOT DONE WITH ROCK ON THE RANGE AND VARIOUS OTHER BIG FESTIVALS/SHOWS, HOW’S IT GOING SO FAR?

ROBERT: Other than some technical difficulties on some shows and some random things, everything’s going fucking great! We’re playing with amazing bands and personally Avenged Sevenfold has been my favorite band since high school, so getting to play with them is has been a dream come true. It’s been something on my bucket list, ya know? They’re reminder, a motivation for why you do what you do and what you do it for. I saw them play at small places when they first started then got to watch them get larger and larger, so it’s a surreal type of thing. We’ve been able to play with Three Days Grace and now Motley Crue, it’s definitely an incredible experience. Every festival is a different type of crowd, so it’s awesome for us to be able to branch out whereas we’re used to Warped Tour type crowds. It’s incredible watching all these different crowds watching us and seeing what they like and by the end of the set, it’s just madness.

STILLCODA: WHEN YOU’RE WATCHING THESE BANDS PLAY, WHAT ARE SOME THINGS THAT CATCH YOUR EYE, THAT MAKE YOU WANT TO INCORPORATE THEM INTO YOUR SET?

ROBERT: I guess for an example, I was personally never a fan of Korn but once we played with them (as well), it was one of the most intense show exchanges of your life. You see what they’re doing that works really well for them musically, stage wise, what people like and what their favorite parts of each of the songs are. So seeing that, makes me want to write a song like that. Watching Avenged Sevenfold, they’re all about flames, pyros, everything intense. Your first reaction is “Holy fuck!” It’s all about grabbing your attention and it works! They don’t fuck around when it comes to production, pyro and making it a spectacle. It’s all about bringing the song out and making it as big as you can. Then there are those bands that strip it down and have just the band. Their songs are gnarly enough that that’s all they need.

STILLCODA: WHAT ARE SOME THINGS THAT INSPIRE YOU FROM THE FANS?

ROBERT: It’s more about the show ya know? Just seeing the fans dancing around in the pit, singing a song, just knowing that they’re having a great time is worth it. You’re making them happy basically and that’s enough for me really. When someone tells you that you’ve helped them get through something, it means something. I understand it as music has done that for me too so it’s incredible to be on the other side. It’s makes you feel like you have a responsibility. I don’t have a real job, I play music so that’s my responsibility. You don’t need it to physically survive, you need it to spiritually survive.

STILLCOA: WHAT’S ONE OF THE SONGS OFF OF THE NEWEST RECORD ESCAPE THE FATE THAT TENDS TO “HIT” YOU MORE THAN THE REST?

ROBERT: I really enjoy all of our songs as it’s my band that’s doing it, you take pride in knowing you did it. There are songs for different reasons, like Massacre. It’s basically about a lot of addictions and it’s an aspect about the band that we’ve all had to deal with at one point. Personally, I’m not a drug addict, but I have to deal with it. It’s a song about how it affects everyone. Lyrically, it’s meaningful, it’s pissed off, you don’t feel light dealing with those emotions with your addictions. The Aftermath is a song that is a musically mastered song when we play it. Each band member can do their own part and do their best and it shows. The whole album is basically a story of our lives.

STILLCODA: WHAT SYMBOLIZES ESCAPE THE FATE:

ROBERT: Ah man, the name in itself symbolizes us. We always seem to shoot ourselves in the foot (laughs). For example, our headlining tour back in February, we were in New York, it was sold out and it was a huge show. There were celebrities there and it was just an incredible set. We felt like, yes we’re finally making it! This is our climax, we’re finally here! Then when we’re back on the bus, our guitar player is about to go home, our bass player is strung out, everyone is stressed. On the outside, everything’s working for us but it’s not always the case. It’s like how can we get to the next level and fuck ourselves? (laughs) I don’t know, but we’re not the only ones that go through it, other bands do to so I guess that helps. It’s definitely not an easy journey dealing with the stress, but defiantly one we’d take again.

STILLCODA: YOU’RE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AND THERE’S MORE COMING IN THE FUTURE FOR THIS BAND!

ROBERT: Oh yeah dude! We can’t wait, no matter what, we love this!

STILLCODA: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TALKING WITH US TODAY, ANYTHING YOU’D LIKE TO SAY TO THE FANS?

ROBERT: Yeah, we love you! (laughs!)

Make sure to check out Escape the Fates sites for their latest news, tours and more!

Website: www.escapethefate.com/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/escapethefate

Twitter: twitter.com/escapethefate

Myspace: www.myspace.com/escapethefate

CD Review: Madam Adam

MADAM ADAM

(The band - vocalist/guitarist Scott Gould, bassist Kenny Varner, guitarist Drew Reindollar and drummer Matthew Reindollar)

New off of Roadrunner’s Records label, MADAM ADAM self-titled debut album definitely has the potential to be at the forefront of the modern rock music world. It’s great to hear all these new bands with solid albums placing them as contenders to their contemporaries.

Hailing from Charleston, South Carolina this four-man band rocks hard. Lead singer Scott Gould has a great voice. It is scratchy yet powerful, lending their songs rough eloquence and edginess so wanted in the rock genre. They will appeal to all ages, from those who grew up to the classic rock of yesterday to the modern rock of today.

Falling from Grace – reminds me of some great anthems from Breaking Benjamin. The melodies and harmonies - so classic of Break Ben - mingle in this song. Being just the second song on the album, it certainly caught my attention with a desire to continue on the next track.

The lyrics are not complicated lines of prose, but catchy enough to get into, with some deep messages. Forgotten comes to mind with words such as “traumatic wounds, ugly abuse didn’t know the heart was made for that, is love in bloom or dead in the womb, paint my picture black….”

Still with such images coming to mind, their songs are an instant head bobber, even in their more ballad-like tunes. If you are familiar with mix master producer Skidd Mills, then you are probably fans of Saving Abel, Saliva, Skillet (whom we got to see one of their debut concerts and knew they would go places) and Sick Puppies.

In their entirety, MADAM ADAM is solid in both lyrics and instrumentals. What I had hoped for was a few more risks in their music that truly stamps them as brand new sound in the rock world. Just from listening, I know they are capable of achieving some awesome sounds and their love of music will push them to go even further in their future endeavors. I am eager to hear what will come from them next. Fans will definitively gravitate to their sound and hard-hitting tunes and from what I hear, but yet to experience, excellent performances.

Keep up with all that MADAM ADAM is currently doing on their website at

www.madamadam.com

and check them out on facebook,

www.facebook.com/pages/Madam-Adam

and request them on your local rock station!

You can also catch them on tour now!

Review by Morris Goodwin of STILLCODA