Vile Talks #8: Jess of Madbaby Photography

Something a little different on this episode, I think documentation of shows is just as important as the shows themselves, so I met up with my good friend Jess of Madbaby Photography. We talk about how she got started shooting shows and what it means to her to document them.  

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:00

Hey everybody. I'm back with another episode of Vile Talks. And I am here today with Jess of Mad Baby Photography. How are we doing today?

SPEAKER_01 0:10

Not too bad. It's beautiful outside.

SPEAKER_02 0:12

Yes, we had some Taco Bell. It was really good.

SPEAKER_01 0:15

Chili Cheese Burrito.

SPEAKER_02 0:16

Oh, shout out Taco Bell. It was so yummy. Uh first thing I want to ask you is uh where'd your name come from?

unknown 0:23

Oh my god.

SPEAKER_01 0:24

My teenager roasts me non-stop. So I need constant snacks and naps, and I hate pants. Long sleeves, you don't catch me and shit. I need full range of motion, and she makes fun of me that I'm like a mad baby or mad toddler. And uh the name just stuck.

SPEAKER_02 0:45

That's my fault.

SPEAKER_01 0:46

When I get up from a nap, I'm like roaring and ready to go. I always have candy on me, so she like makes fun of me that I'm like a kid or a mad baby and just leaned with it, and then I trolled her and got it fucking tattooed on my knuckles.

SPEAKER_02 0:59

Really?

SPEAKER_01 1:00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:01

Oh my god, I did.

SPEAKER_01 1:02

I have so many tattoos you can't do.

SPEAKER_02 1:03

I didn't know that. Uh that's that's super funny. I didn't, I didn't that's really funny. Yeah, naps, now that I'm older, naps are naps are the way to go.

SPEAKER_01 1:13

I am a big napper.

SPEAKER_02 1:14

Yeah, big napper, big napper, that's hilarious.

SPEAKER_01 1:17

I love it.

SPEAKER_02 1:18

So uh the first question I wanted to ask is uh where did the idea of starting to take photos at shows come from for you?

SPEAKER_01 1:30

So after not like right after the timelines a little if you the pandemic um like show started up, um it was like 2022. Um I just wanted to start taking photos. I was always into street photography, but I wanted to start something different, and um I went and took photos of hate files at um Culture Clash. That was my first time ever being like super proud of the photos that I wanted to post. And uh yeah, I got addicted. I got addicted to taking it's just the energy is just yeah, especially hardcore shows.

SPEAKER_02 2:15

Oh my god.

SPEAKER_01 2:16

Yeah, you can't there's nothing to compare because you can't line up shots, you can't just stand in the middle and just line up and get perfect shots. You get what you get, you get your shit handed to you. Like it's so fun. It's like, oh my god, it's so fun. Yeah, predicting.

SPEAKER_02 2:31

I've seen you take some some hits from some of the own fault, not paying attention and just but like uh I'll uh also some of it is not your fault. Oh no, and there's just nowhere to go.

SPEAKER_01 2:46

I refuse to stand on stage, I refuse to like hide. So like I I get myself in a predicament sometimes.

SPEAKER_02 2:52

And I I that's so funny. I uh I admire that about you. That sometimes sometimes I don't want to be like I I I see you like where you're at. I'm like, why are you you're gonna get hit over there? But I don't know, you're you're looking to uh get a shot, and that's super cool.

SPEAKER_01 3:07

Well, it's like a game, you can't just stand there and be like, oh la la la. Like you have to like be quick or just go for it's fun. I uh I really enjoy it.

SPEAKER_02 3:16

Yeah, and I I love your photography, so it's super cool. And I I I just want to say I'm super appreciative of you letting me use your photos for the uh podcast.

SPEAKER_01 3:27

Oh no, I love it. I love seeing stuff that I took too. Because like I feel like sometimes mine's kind of like mom photography because I really like facial expressions or the stuff that maybe is not as like cool that everyone likes, but like I love fun facial expressions, or just like yeah, that's awesome.

SPEAKER_02 3:44

I love all that stuff. Yeah. Um what was one thing I also like about you is that you paint every venue like on a little thing that you go to. Uh, where did that idea come from?

SPEAKER_01 4:00

That is so fun. So um when I first started off, same thing with merch, I couldn't afford to buy merch, so I would give bands photos, and that's how I felt like I can contribute. And then for myself, I wanted something to see where I've been because again, I didn't have anything like not that you have to have something, but I I'm I'm I'm such a trinket person, like I just love shit, I just love stuff, yeah. So I was like, Well, I'll start painting every venue that I go to, and it started off very small, and they're all different sizes because I've just painted on whatever I happen to have, yeah. And some of them are more detailed, some are not, but it's just it depends what it is, and you know, I have limitations and not like I do very basic again, but my daughter would say mad baby art, so it's like very minimal, very kid-like, very yeah, art. But those are so fun, so fun to do because like each venue, like there's I think there's probably maybe almost like 50, I would say, but then again, I've taken photos many times at each one, so it'd be different if every time I did a new that would be that would be crazy because there'd be a ton of each ones, but like a monumental task, yeah. But for the longest time, I could only go to shows on Saturdays, so I was limited to when, where, who, what you know, like but yeah, that's super I've always find something to do, but yeah.

SPEAKER_02 5:28

I really I like I have you recently gifted me one, which I super appreciate, and uh it's always super cool. Uh was do you remember the first one you painted?

SPEAKER_01 5:39

The very first one was uh culture clash. Uh okay culture clash uh 2022. Uh so like for that one, I just did like the their near their front door, like a sign. Like it just depends. Sometimes I do um like under the surface records, I did their whole storefront just because they had like records and all this stuff. Some people I just do like just the logo, yeah. Like it just depends on what reference photos I have or just what I feel like again, and to see my skill levels, so it just depends, but they're very basic, they're so fun.

SPEAKER_02 6:15

Yeah, I'm I I have zero artistic. I mean, you see my handwriting, yeah. I what'd you call it earlier? Boy handwriting?

SPEAKER_00 6:26

Damn, yeah, I did.

SPEAKER_02 6:27

I know my my dad, uh my dad is semi-artistic. After this, I'll show you uh a little drawing he did, but yeah, he's semi-artistic and not autistic.

SPEAKER_00 6:39

Right.

SPEAKER_02 6:40

Uh artistic, and I I got none of that. And and my sister did, so I must have gotten it from my mom. So shout out my mom, I guess. Um that's super funny. Uh I guess broader picture. What was the first show you attended in your life?

SPEAKER_01 7:00

So I had said earlier, I can't remember if it was third eye blind or 311. That was a blur, so I'm a lot older than everybody. So the late 90s, I was doing a lot of stuff that I shouldn't have been doing. And everybody was, but like, so the timeline, it's one of those two. Um, but I saw each of them multiple times. Yeah. Um, 311 did this. I can't remember exactly what colleges, but they did like eastern, western, like they just did around Michigan or whatever, and that was super fun. I went to multiple of those, but I can't remember exactly which one was like the very yeah well, what most people go with their parents to like early shows, but my that my parents weren't. But no, they um yeah, usually have adults take you to you know stuff when you're younger, kind of like against your will.

SPEAKER_02 7:54

But I yeah, I either one of those, if it was 311 or third eye binds, I can't remember that those are big deal bands for me, so either one of those would would have been cool anyway. That's super cool. Um I guess uh I guess something that we'll probably talk about later as well. Uh since you attend a lot of shows, uh what makes a good venue?

SPEAKER_01 8:23

Ooh. Right off the rip, free water. You have minimum, you have to have like water on the counter, even if you bring your own vessels, definitely water. I love when places have um ear earplugs for sale or for free. We're either one, because I don't like if I forget them or I don't want to walk back out to my car. I love that. Um I love when places have like snacks or food, or like the that War 19 show. They had uh what was the food truck? They had a taco.

SPEAKER_02 8:58

Oh taco food truck.

SPEAKER_01 8:59

Uh that was amazing. That was like the first for me to try it. Oh yeah.

SPEAKER_02 9:03

Oh, I did not.

SPEAKER_01 9:04

Oh yeah. Um yeah, you did. The first yeah, okay.

SPEAKER_02 9:07

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 9:07

Uh but no, that was that was way cool. I love I love food and seating, any any type of seating, just like something to like it. It could be a bench, it could be a wood log. It could be anything, it could be a stool.

SPEAKER_02 9:22

Anything. I it does not matter.

SPEAKER_01 9:24

But the I always keep a folding camping chair in my car. That is a big tip because like sometimes you're just exhausted and you just need to chill.

SPEAKER_02 9:33

Yeah, dude.

SPEAKER_01 9:34

I that thing gets you so much.

SPEAKER_02 9:36

I I actually took that tip from you, I have one in front of it.

SPEAKER_01 9:39

Oh, yeah. It's just good because then like when you're tired, you're just like, I'll just chill up.

SPEAKER_02 9:42

Yeah, because like uh Midwest Spincake Flip Fest last year, it was outside and there was seating, but not like a ton of seating.

SPEAKER_01 9:50

Oh, I brought my yeah, I oh I brought my own.

SPEAKER_02 9:52

You bring it everywhere.

SPEAKER_01 9:54

Well, I was like, What? Oh yeah. I uh this was fun.

SPEAKER_02 9:59

I know that except for the rain. Well, the rain, the rain made it fun. I all I remember is like everybody rushing to get all the gear out of the rain, and we were just like chilling, just like watching the chaos. That's all I remember from that. Oh, yeah, I felt bad about that because I was like I'm just in the way, but like I I don't know what I I felt like I would have just been in the way trying to help.

SPEAKER_01 10:24

Oh no, I'm always in the way. I'm always in the way of life. I'm just a large human.

SPEAKER_02 10:30

Oh, that's yeah.

SPEAKER_01 10:31

Oh, jeez.

SPEAKER_02 10:36

Oh, that's good. Um okay, so I asked you your first show. Do you have a show that you were most scared at?

SPEAKER_01 10:48

Not a specific show. There are a couple bands that I love um going seeing that are just scary. Scary and just it's so fun. Is um lie and wait is super fun. Um, also, side note, I've been to Cleveland three times in my entire life, and all three times were to see Lion Wait.

SPEAKER_02 11:16

Really?

SPEAKER_01 11:16

Yeah, and all three times I went with you.

SPEAKER_02 11:19

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_01 11:20

I've I never nope, never went to Cleveland. Never went to Cleveland before. Okay, well, I got complete can confused with Cleveland and Columbus and other C whatever that other I always fuck it up. But no, the reason is it's because I'm like, I've been with Kyle every time. It's so funny.

SPEAKER_02 11:36

Okay, oh okay, finish all right. Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 11:38

So lie in wait. Yep, world of malice shows are really those are so fucking fun. And also Backbiter.

SPEAKER_02 11:45

Yep.

SPEAKER_01 11:46

All three of those bands. Anytime they're close or I can't or I'm able to, I love going.

SPEAKER_02 11:52

Yes, same.

SPEAKER_01 11:53

Yeah, I just yeah, well, we're the fun.

SPEAKER_02 11:56

Okay, so the Taco Bell show in Cleveland that got moved. That was the first time, right?

SPEAKER_01 12:01

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_02 12:03

Um The Foundry. The Foundry, and then was the third one. Isn't the Foundry?

SPEAKER_01 12:08

There's another, isn't there? Oh no, Brothers Lounge.

SPEAKER_02 12:12

Brothers Lounge.

SPEAKER_01 12:13

So there were so three times, all three times were Lion Wait.

SPEAKER_02 12:16

There shout out Lion Wait.

SPEAKER_01 12:18

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 12:18

Shout out Al one of the scariest, the scariest men alive. Energy is unmasked. I don't I don't like being in the room when he mes. He's scary.

SPEAKER_01 12:28

It's so fun. I love it.

SPEAKER_02 12:29

Well, I've I've learned that if he starts, I okay, I think Zach said it in his episode. If if Al starts moshing and crowd killing, Zach will start. So he just doesn't get hit by Al. So like if Al starts moshing towards me, I'll just start moshing to mosh over. Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 12:46

Well, so you know it's so funny. I caught myself um a couple times at the last Southover show. It's when I see some, because again, I don't hide, so I'm I I'm in the I'm yeah, I'm in arms. But I will catch myself ducking down, like straight down to the floor, like bending to my knees, because at least if I get hit, it's less of me falling from way six foot than this.

SPEAKER_02 13:14

Yeah, right.

SPEAKER_01 13:14

So, and then at least if they're swinging, they're not hitting me. They're good or I the worst I'm gonna get is like kicked in the back because I'm squatting down. Yeah, but I caught myself doing it so many times because I'm like, no, no.

SPEAKER_02 13:26

I uh have you okay, so how what's the what is your technique when it comes to like protecting yourself and getting the shots?

SPEAKER_01 13:37

So I'm right-handed, so I prefer to have the right side of my body up against the wall, so I can at least kind of like hold my arm still while I'm clicking, and then use my left arm to block. But that's that's about all I got. Or like, oh no, no, I'm really good about putting my foot up on accident, so I always have to apologize because I feel like I kicked somebody, but like I'm actually just trying not to get kicked, yeah. Yeah, yeah. But like I'm always like, I'm sorry I kicked you.

SPEAKER_02 14:08

But like you were kicking me, so you know. That's super funny.

SPEAKER_01 14:12

Yeah, uh, Frankie's is perfect for that because I thought but that's and then uh you're trapped, but yeah, it's it's fun.

SPEAKER_02 14:20

But like you're legitimately trapped over there. I I I have been ran into Bailey, has cleared me into that that railing right there hurts.

SPEAKER_01 14:29

Well, because it's right around your rib.

SPEAKER_02 14:30

Yeah, it's I I have walked away from Frankie's shows with Bruce Ribbs. Yeah, yeah, that's that's really funny. Oh, geez. Uh since also, since you attend a lot of shows, um do you have any show pet peeves?

SPEAKER_00 14:49

Show pet peeves?

SPEAKER_01 14:59

Honestly, I can't I can't think of like one because I I feel like a lot of people's pet peeves at shows are probably people being in the way, or if they're shorter, like bigger people being in the way. But I'm a big person, so I always feel like I'm in the way, anyways.

SPEAKER_00 15:14

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 15:15

So like I give a lot of other people grace because I'm in the way, but I honestly not really. Um, I don't like uh push pit. I don't like push, I don't like that. Yeah, fucking. I don't like being pushed because I just I don't like that. Well, again, that's just not me. I'm not talking shit about like it's just that's just not a me thing, but there's not really um I can't think of anything. I love watching other people because everybody's there for a different reason or like in a different mindset, and it's just fun, like just absorbing and watching and seeing facial, like that's just fun for me.

SPEAKER_02 15:50

Yeah, that's it, but not really.

SPEAKER_01 15:52

I mean, like every I usually and if I don't like something, I just walk away. Like, I don't know.

SPEAKER_02 15:57

I think I would agree. I don't for the most part, like yeah, I don't have a lot like that there's stuff that like annoys me, but like it's not like a no, like I think it's how do you think? Yeah, I think it's very situational. Like there might be someone that's annoying me, yeah, or like you know, whatever, but it's like then it's like, oh, I'll just walk away, or I'll stand on the other side of the room, or whatever.

SPEAKER_01 16:16

Well, I feel I feel annoying sometimes because trying to like get through the crowd, and of course no one's gonna purpose like move out of the way for you, but like again, I'm a big person, so like I can't just let me squeeze past you there real quick.

SPEAKER_02 16:30

It's like a yeah, yeah, right. But it's uh it's super cool that like you you go to a lot and like people know people know you, so it's like most of people will let you through and be like, Oh yeah, just have your spot.

SPEAKER_01 16:45

Well, I have said before that like so I appreciate people who look out for me, but then I also appreciate people who don't look out for me because this is your show too, like this is your shit too, like you're there for a different reason. Like, I yeah, I appreciate both. Like, it's just it's a good time, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 17:04

Um, do you have a reason that you started taking so many going to so many shows and taking photos?

SPEAKER_01 17:15

Well, yeah, so I had a camera and I always felt guilty that like I wouldn't even look at merch tables because I was so poor that like I barely got um had the money to get in the door, let alone by merch. And so um I was like, well, I'll give them photos, I'll just give bands photos, well, kind of like whether they like it or not, because they didn't ask, but I was like, dude, I'll pop up and like I have severe ADHD, so like having a camera, I recommend anybody that has a hard time keep standing still, keeping still with their hand, any of that to get a camera, even if you like I just I love it so much, like documentation matters so much.

SPEAKER_02 18:05

It does.

SPEAKER_01 18:06

I personally don't do video, but I I love people that do like um Alec Fry uh Frybot. Yep, I Alec is awesome, he documents so much. Um, yeah, that's yeah, I I feel like so. You're young now, you might not think about it, but you're gonna want to see yourself in those photos, in those videos, like when you get older, or like um if you become disabled or you can't play in a band anymore, or you can't play your instrument, or maybe you had a kid, or you can't do this stuff anymore. It's nice to look back on.

SPEAKER_02 18:45

Um yeah, yeah, I would definitely like I mean I I document I take photos on my phone, but like I don't spend I don't spend shows on my phone, but I make sure to take some photos because then I take those photos, print them out at Walmart, and put them up on frames uh in my home. So I have those memories of been like, oh, I remember when I got hit really hard right before this photo was taken. But yeah, I definitely agree documentation matters because like, yeah, the shows would still be there and like they would still happen, but the memories that we all made in that room would just be bad memories, and it's just super cool to have the physical or like on your phone, or like well, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 19:36

How many times? Because life is so crazy day to day, like you scroll back on your phone and be like, Oh shit, I did that, or oh my god, I forgot about that. I did that today all the time. I go, Oh my god, and you're like, I need to stop for a second and realize that you know, like, because you're just it's cool to look that you have that to look back, so that otherwise you would have forgot about that.

SPEAKER_02 19:55

Yep, yeah, it's super cool to see like where you've been. Oh much, yeah, it's it's like I have I have a memories folder in my phone, and I'm just like multiple times a week, if I'm like feeling down or whatever, I just give it a scroll. I'm like, okay, I've my few years have been pretty good, I guess.

SPEAKER_01 20:13

And you forget, you're like, oh, like just in the fast of it all, because there's so much going on and so much to think about, and like yeah, I yeah, yeah, it's super cool. I love looking back on that stuff. It's crazy because like you could take photos of every show of the same band and they would be different every time, they would be different every time, yep. And not just outfits, like they're they're different shots every time, so it's like you can't like yeah, I just I love it, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 20:40

And I I do too because you you're a homie, it's always nice to see you, and I love your photography.

SPEAKER_01 20:46

I love I I just I love being able to give someone something because bands can't see themselves, no, they can't document themselves, they they can't see what I see, yeah. And so that's cool, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 21:00

Yeah, I appreciate I always appreciate uh again, like you said, uh shout out to Alec. Oh I I I I have watched I'm in so many of his videos.

SPEAKER_00 21:12

Oh my god. I I know I'm always in the way. I feel so bad.

SPEAKER_02 21:17

No, but like I feel like you guys are always not not always, but like on opposite sides of the stage.

SPEAKER_01 21:24

Well, it's so random, like we don't even like message each other and just happen to be at the same shows almost every single time I go to a show. Yeah, like I it's not even just in Ohio, it's like Michigan, like it's just it's so crazy. It's funny.

SPEAKER_02 21:34

Yeah, like I I mean I'm sure with most of us who like attend a lot, like it could change on a dime what show we're going to.

SPEAKER_01 21:44

For sure, and what days you have available because there's stuff that I want to go to all the time, and I can't go because it's on a Thursday, or I can't go because it's on this and it makes me sad because like there are so many people that I want to see, but it they have to line up for my story. Schedule too.

SPEAKER_02 22:01

So I guess uh the uh how do you choose what shows to go to?

SPEAKER_01 22:07

Man, it just totally depends. My schedule first, um, what days I can go to shows that week, and then just look and see what's available. Um sometimes I choose because maybe there's a new band and I want to give them their first set of photos. Sometimes I choose because I know who's gonna be there and I just want to hang out with certain people. Again, like there's certain bands that I will I love to see just because I know it's gonna be crazy and fun.

SPEAKER_02 22:38

Yep.

SPEAKER_01 22:39

Um but yeah, I just go from there. I usually go to stuff that's just you know DIY. I prefer non-bars. Um just because I don't drink, but that doesn't, you know, I don't mind being around drinking. Like I would rather be at a basement show or somewhere outside. I would rather watch a slab in the middle of a of a fucking backyard than be stuck inside. I'm an outside kid.

SPEAKER_02 23:13

So like I uh I asked I asked you your pet peeve of some shows. I have one. Just just like just just just like since since we're just riffing real quick. I recently went to a show where it was in a basement. Uh we've been there multiple times together. Uh it's one of those things where doors at doors at six, music at seven, the show is over by ten. There's no reason that like a bar should be the last band should be going on at 11 o'clock.

SPEAKER_01 23:52

Oh no. See, that's again why I prefer DIY or basement show because they're earlier. I feel like again, no hate, just because I don't drink doesn't mean I hate because I drink, you know, yeah, but most uh bars like shows that are at bars, I feel like doors are like eight-ish, maybe like seven, eight or whatever.

SPEAKER_02 24:12

Doors at seven music at eight.

SPEAKER_01 24:14

And I yeah, and unfortunately, I am so hyped when I know that I have plans that like all day I'm going at like a hundred miles an hour, and I'm so excited that if that shit isn't still seven, eight o'clock, or it doesn't even doors aren't even till that. I'm tired. Yeah, I'm tired by like the second set.

SPEAKER_02 24:33

It's like, really? There's more. There's three bands after this.

SPEAKER_01 24:36

I get so excited when I look at the clock and you're like, it's the last set, and it's like not even 10, or sometimes not even nine.

SPEAKER_00 24:44

Yep.

SPEAKER_01 24:45

Um, anything before 11, you're like, what? And like be home before midnight.

SPEAKER_02 24:50

What is this?

SPEAKER_01 24:51

I oh I love it. Because, like, obviously, I always have fun, but man, once I get like too tired, I'm like, I just want to go nap.

SPEAKER_02 24:58

Yeah, mad baby, nap it out in the car real quick and then drive home. I I thought about like if it's like a longer day or like a fest or whatever. I have taken naps in the car, and then like I don't hesitate at all.

SPEAKER_01 25:11

I'm I'm a huge napper.

SPEAKER_02 25:13

Yes, that's great. Um, yeah, cool. Just got a couple more, and we'll wrap this up real quick. Yeah, uh, do you have any advice for any photographers or young people that are just starting to go to shows?

SPEAKER_01 25:29

Uh yeah, um, I would honestly say just do whatever the fuck you want to do because people are gonna talk regardless, or you're gonna be judged. Like, just have fun.

SPEAKER_02 25:45

Um, yeah, that's good.

SPEAKER_01 25:48

Yeah, be like be creative, don't be scared to try new things just because no one else is doing it. Like, nobody else does those venue paintings, you know what I mean? Like, and I was like, Okay, I like this is fun for me, you know. Like, and then when I first started posting them, people were like, This is so like this is fun to like see where you're going, and that's when I started posting those because those were just initially just for me to be like, oh my gosh, so I've been to all these venues because again, I didn't have any money at the time, so for me just to even go spend 10 bucks at a show, that was that was a big deal for me. So, like to have the painting to go with it and not have to spend money, like that was just cool to see that is where I've been.

SPEAKER_02 26:28

Yeah, it is I like I said earlier, I appreciate those because I've seen I've seen the collection grow and it's super cool to see. Um since the summer's coming up, uh, what shows are you looking forward to?

SPEAKER_01 26:42

Ooh, so I keep forgetting, is it it's May already? Yes, it is so June.

SPEAKER_02 26:51

Um May 16th. I know summer. I don't know what's going on.

SPEAKER_01 26:56

So June, um I think most I'm excited about is um Kyle from Threat Level's birthday show, June 12th.

SPEAKER_02 27:07

Yep.

SPEAKER_01 27:08

Uh that that'll be a was that that's at Frankie's too, right?

SPEAKER_02 27:12

That's at Frankie's, yep.

SPEAKER_01 27:13

Um that's gonna be fun. Um who's on that one again? Kingslayer, uh Trifling, Threat Level Threat Levels, but yeah.

SPEAKER_02 27:24

Um Good for nothing, yeah. Uh aim point, aim point aim point, yeah. There's always one.

SPEAKER_01 27:29

I always think about those last one. Um, yeah, that's gonna be a lot of fun. Um what else? Oh, uh not till August, but I'm real excited about uh Midwest Spin Tick Festival.

SPEAKER_02 27:46

Yeah, that's it's it's indoors this year, which makes me happy. So it's gonna be fun.

SPEAKER_01 27:52

I love when stuff goes on for multiple years just to see the difference because last year, so that was actually really fun how they it had the um little splash pad that you can go. Oh my god, I forgot. And then like a couple sets I got to uh go under that thing, but no, it's at a new place, it's in Lincoln Park. It was in I think Southgate last year, but it's in Lincoln Park this year. Um I love so that's in Michigan, yeah, but I'm excited that there's um multiple Ohio bands on that too, which is really fun. Um, who uh Love Letters, uh Basement Castration, Backfighter, yeah, World of Malice. I think Dylan's the one that puts that on. Um, they're playing. Oh my gosh, yeah, that's gonna be fun.

SPEAKER_02 28:43

That's I know it's gonna be fun. It's gonna be hot.

SPEAKER_01 28:46

Well, you know what? Like, you're gonna be hot regardless.

SPEAKER_02 28:52

True. Yeah, I'll be hot.

SPEAKER_01 28:55

You might as well be hot, like seeing really, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 28:57

Yeah, it's gonna be really fun. I'm excited for that too. I'll be I feel like we attend a lot of the same stuff.

SPEAKER_01 29:02

Yeah, I started carrying little a little rechargeable fan in my bag. Oh, because that's so that's the one thing is I love going to shows, but as soon as I walk inside, I am so hot. It's fucking hot. So I and it's a me thing too, but I'm always so hot. But like I loved um, I love any anything outside. Like, I wish there was more else. I know that it's not feasible all the time, but like I love I'd rather be hot outside than hot inside.

SPEAKER_02 29:34

Yeah, like that uh like the Toledo Harko cookout, what a couple years ago.

SPEAKER_01 29:38

Oh my gosh, that was so fun.

SPEAKER_02 29:41

I know.

SPEAKER_01 29:42

That's actually one of my favorite uh venue paintings um an action like a house instead of just like a logo or a bar name or whatever. So I got to actually like paint a house, and it was actually a super cute house. It was a lot of fun. They grilled out.

SPEAKER_02 30:01

Do you remember when the do you remember when the grill got knocked over?

SPEAKER_01 30:03

Oh, the grill got knocked over, and I was gonna run because I'm I'm such a pansy when it comes to anything with like tanks. I know I should because I don't I'm just I'm ignorant, I don't know how to do it.

SPEAKER_02 30:13

I remember us sitting in the back by the there was the train tracks literally. You could have hopped on the train tracks.

SPEAKER_01 30:20

Oh, yeah, in like the one patch of uh shade that there was.

SPEAKER_02 30:23

Yeah, yeah, there wasn't, but yeah, that was fun.

SPEAKER_01 30:25

It was hot, but the the girl that knocked over was I wish I wish, and I'm I'm saying it right now to everybody that more people would have bands play in the garage while everyone just like stands outside, like it doesn't even have to be like inside your house. People go you we could get a horta pot. We don't even have to go inside the house. I love a house show.

SPEAKER_02 30:46

House shows are fun.

SPEAKER_01 30:47

I love a house show.

SPEAKER_02 30:48

Like the uh oh, the one I booked. Uh oh, did you go to the Fate's Hand?

SPEAKER_01 30:54

I did actually, and it was at was it Diet Smiles?

SPEAKER_02 30:57

Oh, the Diet Smiles house. Uh that was fun.

SPEAKER_01 30:59

That was fun. I loved it because they had their uh central air kicking. So when you went in to go to the bathroom, you were like I forgot about that.

SPEAKER_02 31:08

Yeah, that was awesome. Yeah, that was awesome. I uh I have that photo of you, the the Polaroid that you printed out. I mean yeah, that was fun.

SPEAKER_01 31:19

I love those little in stacks mini.

SPEAKER_02 31:21

Yeah, like I mean photos. Yeah, you spoke of like physical, having something physical. Like I've gotten older, like physical media and physical memories of me going to those shows is important to me.

SPEAKER_01 31:34

But it's more important than just having like, yeah, shirts are cool, but like having something like a photo or like a tape or like a poster, or pins, or pins or stickers, or patches, because patches are cool and you see people have like all their patches because that's like everywhere they've been.

SPEAKER_02 31:51

Even though it's not my style anymore.

SPEAKER_01 31:52

Yeah, no, for sure. Like, I just love I like putting one patch on like a shirt or a crop top, and then like you can always switch it out.

SPEAKER_02 31:59

I used I used to do the the battle vests, you know. I'd not my style anymore, uh, but I it I appreciate a battle vest. Cool. Well, yeah, this was a super fun conversation. Uh what shout-outs do you have, if any?

SPEAKER_01 32:17

Just shout out to anybody that's talk to me, nice to me, kind to me. That like I just I was just saying earlier, like I have a fun time, I don't even have to go up to anybody, I just sit somewhere, and people are like, Who's that?

SPEAKER_02 32:32

Who's that?

SPEAKER_01 32:33

They wanna know, like, whose mom is that? That's so funny.

SPEAKER_02 32:37

That's who's who's the lady who's in the scary pit taking photos.

SPEAKER_01 32:42

I think I'm gonna start carrying um like photos that I've printed out and some magnets. I had started um printing out because I'm like, I have all these photos and um ADHD, so why don't I print them out and either hand stamp them, put sticker, you know, like put like the name or like the bands or whatever. And because they're so cheap to make, and it's so good for me to like keep busy, yeah, and it's so fun. And that's getting my photography out there. People love like most people don't have like a photo of themselves, no, especially like live live, you know, and again having stuff to look back on when you're older, but like I just love printing those photos out, and then I started um doing little magnets because again, not everybody wants a photo or wants to put something on their wall, and I was like, Well, everybody has a bridge, and y'all could always use a magnet, and so I thought they were so cute because they almost look like playing cards to me, yeah. But I have I have four of them that those are fun to do. I just like doing stuff like that. Like, I had the idea to get um for those little instant, most people know them as like Polaroids, but they're in stacks mini, they're just like mini versions. Um, I was like, I want to do my cover photos, like the for the cover the posts of these instant photos, because my dining room table is um sticker bomb. It is, and it always changes. I add more stickers, I always accept new stickers, but I like to um put the Polaroids anywhere on the table and then take a photo of that. So every band that I've taken a photo or a band or photos of since January have a little um Polaroid of themselves, and I'm like, well, what am I gonna do? I'm not gonna like hunt down the bands or try to keep all these, and I'm like, make magnets, put them on your fridge. So on my fridge, I was gonna have they're probably like, why am I in your fridge? So all those little insects are lined up of all of the bands. Um, and I did want to say too that um there's some times where I physically cannot take photos of bands, I have to be outside. Um, I am uh medically and physically disabled.

SPEAKER_00 35:14

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 35:15

And uh sometimes I just have to chill. Like, and I, you know, like I'm old, I'm 44 years old doing it.

SPEAKER_02 35:23

You're older than me.

SPEAKER_01 35:24

And pulling up to these shit and being a hundred degrees, and so I sometimes it's like, girl, come on. So I have to chill. So there's been times where I've wanted to take photos of bands and I was super sad, but I couldn't A, I couldn't get back up to my spot safely, and B, my body was just, you know.

SPEAKER_02 35:44

Did you you weren't in there for terror, were you?

SPEAKER_01 35:47

Oh no, I didn't even attempt to.

SPEAKER_02 35:49

No.

SPEAKER_01 35:49

I didn't attempt because the bottle, like the neck right there, trying to get in, it's just I don't good fucking luck.

SPEAKER_02 35:55

I don't even yeah, I don't even try during uh Parker and Alec Frybot, they were they were right there on that corner where that speaker is the whole time they didn't move.

SPEAKER_01 36:05

Oh no. I know my limitations too is like um with my chronic illness, I just recently started having to carry a cane, yeah, um, to help me, and I was like really sad about it for you know, because like when you're chronically ill, you no one can see it. It's it's invisible, it's an invisible illness. So like you can I'm not saying hide it from people, but people don't, it's not in their face, no, like unless you know, like, yeah. So I was sad for a minute because I'm like, damn man, like that's that's my body's deteriorating, you know. But like I'm gonna cover that bitch in some stickers, and I had to like do a positive spin, and I'm like, girl, you get to legally carry a fucking weapon on you in your hand at all times.

SPEAKER_02 36:55

Yep, just crowd killing with a cane.

SPEAKER_01 36:58

That is so funny to me. Like, and I'm like, it's not a set, like it's hard. I I'm gonna do this until I can't physically even if I have to eventually have like uh a mobility scooter, I'll just find places that they I can accessible accessible fucking venues. I'll look at yeah, um that's so funny to me.

SPEAKER_02 37:23

Yeah, I uh I guess shout shout to you for even going through that you're still willing and will for now able to do that.

SPEAKER_01 37:32

It's so it's so fun. And honestly, I feel like um it's just I just I just enjoy it so much that it doesn't, yeah. So I just don't want to stop doing it until like I know I know my limitations. Like if I get you know too certain things, or like if it starts getting too crazy, you'll see me scoot across. I've seen you, you'll see me on Fry Bots, just like all right, I'm like, oh shit, I'm out. Yeah, because again, I I know that I am a middle-aged mom, and those boys are strong as shit. Yeah, like yeah, I definitely know um my limits, but it's so fun. Um I just love taking photos because you get one you get one chance to take those those photos for that day, and then it won't be the same the next time you see that baby. Well, that that too is sometimes that sometimes you go to a show, there's what like four or five photographers, you never know. Sometimes there's one. I've been to some that I didn't bring my camera, there's none. I'm like, whoa, I always assume there's gonna be a bunch, at least one, right? But sometimes there's not, and I just don't know, you or sometimes, yeah, yeah, you would be the one, but like I just I love giving those because even right now, even if they're like eh, they're gonna look back at some point, or yeah, I just I love photos.

SPEAKER_02 39:00

Yeah, I you are doing you shout out to anyone who documents any sort of show.

SPEAKER_01 39:08

I love other photographers and videographers. I'm such a creep, I'll run up right up on you and be like, Hi, how are you? What's your name?

SPEAKER_02 39:13

Because like oh, what's your setup? What are you doing?

SPEAKER_01 39:15

Oh I'm like, oh my god, do I follow you already?

SPEAKER_02 39:17

Because I I always forget everything. Meeting getting people's Instagram handles.

SPEAKER_01 39:23

I always forget.

SPEAKER_02 39:24

I always forget that I something okay. So at the metal frat the other night, uh obviously you know service, the service, the the self-service sucks there. So like I uh the the dude who films on like the handheld there, he took a photo of someone's Instagram handle since they since they couldn't like search it on Instagram. I'm like, that is such a fucking good idea. I didn't think about doing that, like taking a photo of someone's handle instead of like trying to search it up on Instagram.

SPEAKER_01 39:56

I'm like, oh, like they bring up their screen and you just take a photo of it, worry about it later. That's smart.

SPEAKER_02 40:01

That's really smart, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 40:02

Oh, I screenshot so much stuff and just save it for later.

SPEAKER_02 40:05

I I I save so much shit that I'm like, okay. Especially if I know like I participated in the pit uh or whatever, or if I know I'm gonna if I got a cool micrab, I'll be like, hey, what's your what's your what's your at? I'm I'm trying to get that photo. Um well cool.

SPEAKER_01 40:21

Well my favorite thing is like I why I love other photographers and why I don't feel intimidated or have feel like I have to like um compete or compare anything is because we could be standing there in the same spot with the same camera, yeah, and our photos would not turn out the same.

SPEAKER_02 40:43

Yeah, true.

SPEAKER_01 40:43

We could be wearing the same outfit, yeah, nothing will be the same. Yeah, so I love, and the reason why I ask other photographers what you did, because I love seeing what they saw. Because my stuff is totally different than their stuff, not even you know, and I just love that, yeah. Because it's the same subjects, totally different, same show, same show, same time, same temperature, everything's the same except the person doing it, and I just love looking at other people's stuff.

SPEAKER_02 41:10

Yeah, I love it. I love when my Instagram feed is just show photos and show flyers, yeah. That's the best. Well, cool. I appreciate the uh perspective of a photographer, and I'm really hoping to do more interviews with people who document because I think that's just as important as you know, the people playing the shows is the people documenting them.

SPEAKER_01 41:34

I think I should interview you.

SPEAKER_02 41:35

I think I think we might be able to do that soon.

SPEAKER_01 41:38

Oh no, we'll see.

SPEAKER_02 41:42

Well, cool. Uh is there anything else you want to hit on? I think we're good. Not really. All right, cool.

SPEAKER_01 41:46

This is really fun.

SPEAKER_02 41:47

Yeah, cool. Well, I appreciate you taking the time. Uh, I'll see you at a show soon. Uh follow Mad Baby Photo Studio on Instagram. Uh she's awesome. She has candy all the time. Uh cool. Well, thank you. I'll be back with another episode soon. Bye. Good.