Vertical Horizon

My first Vertical Horizon show was on Freemont Street in Vegas. Whoa. That place is wild. I naively had no idea. I had no business walking that area with my teenager at the time (IYKYK) but the free show they offered was spectacular and the best part? I could bring in my big camera and lenses and the shots I got at this first show are some of my absolute favorites – in particular those of Ron Lavella (the drummer) because when a venue uses decent lighting it makes for MAGIC. Drummers aren’t usually lit so well. They’re stuck in the back. But at this show, Ron just stood out and I couldn’t keep the lens off of him. It was awesome!

The next time I got to see the band was when my HOA (yep, the neighborhood N*zi organization) brought them in for their summer concert series in 2023. I complain about our HOA a bit but this was probably the coolest thing they have ever done. Another free show. Another opportunity to break out the big camera and do my thing. I am humbled by the praise I recently received from their guitarist, John Wesley. He heaped it on regarding the shots I got of him that night and I was just so thankful that I could do it. His presence on stage is so subtle. But his talent is just so LARGE. I found photographing him so interesting.

As for lead singer, Matt Scannell? The camera loves him. LOVES him. Even with my little Sony RX100 (which can take really great photos if the conditions are just right – see the Rick Springfield gallery) and subpar venue lighting like what we had at The Union in Salt Lake City in August 2025, the lens zeroed in on him as if it had seen an old friend.

I can’t say enough good things about this band. They are so thankful for their fans. They spend so much time getting to know them when they visit during sound checks. I feel very lucky to have been able to do this with them three times. Hopefully I will get more opportunities in the future to photograph them.