Category Archives: Photography

Photos: Thee Sacred Souls Bring Their Lowrider Soul To Phoenix

October 6, 2022 Justin Yee

San Diego’s sweet soul pioneers, Thee Sacred Souls, played to an intimate sold out crowd at Valley Bar in Phoenix, AZ on October 4th, 2022. The trio featuring vocalist Josh Lane, drummer Alex Garcia, and bassist Sal Samano blend the easygoing grace of sweet ’60s soul with the grit and groove of early ’70s R&B. Their self-titled debut album released back in August was produced by Bosco Mann (aka Daptone Records co-founder Gabriel Roth) on Penrose Records, a new Daptone imprint.

At one point during the set, Lane came down into the crowd to sing ‘It’s Our Love’ as the crowd circled around him with their phones. There was no opener for this one, but during the set, backing vocalist Jensine Benitez took the lead on two songs to sing her recently released first single “Ilusíon De Amor” and a smooth cover of East of Underground’s ‘I Love You’.

When the band came back out for an encore they said this was surprisingly their first time doing one. That made this a special one and was pretty wild that they hadn’t taken the leap in another of the sold out shows on this, their first U.S. headlining tour.

Click into the gallery below. All photos by Justin Yee (@yeesus)

Live Music, Photography

Photos: Caribou Breathes Life Back Into The World

February 20, 2022 Adrian Spinelli

Got a pretty special crop of photos to share here. The great Justin Yee (@yeesus) had the chance to capture Caribou’s set at The Van Buren in Phoenix, while I relished in the experience myself at the Fox Theater in Oakland two nights later.

Led by Dan Snaith, Caribou oughta be considered nothing short of one of the best live bands on the planet. Last week’s shows were another fine installment in their touring history with the crowd bursting with life. Caribou’s music is a perfect soundtrack to whatever this incredibly inspirational feeling of being back at live shows again is called. A damn near 20 minute version of “Sun” was icing on the cake of a can’t miss live show. Check out the photos below from the Phoenix show and click into any of them to expand the gallery!

AS & JY

Bay Area, EE Presents, Live Music, Photography

VISION: Meernaa + Brijean + Waterstrider at Amnesia (Photos)

December 12, 2019 Adrian Spinelli

On Thursday, December 5th, we hosted three of our favorite Bay Area indie bands in an intimate evening at Amnesia. Better yet, it was a phone-free affair courtesy of our friends at Yondr and everyone felt well…present.

The music was beautiful and our pal Ginger Fierstein was there with her Holga camera to capture some of the show and crowd. I’ve always loved Ginger’s photography because she uniquely captures the magic of a moment. Peep the photos below, some words from Ginger and follow Everything Ecstatic on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on what’s next!

“I try to anticipate feeling and emotional moments when I’m shooting. I only have 12 shots on a roll, so I have to be careful not to waste them. The goal is to make each frame a worthwhile memory for whoever’s in the frame. I think I do a lot of double exposures to extend the life of the roll, but to also try and capture something a little less literal than a straight photograph could.” — (All photos by Ginger Fierstein)

Bay Area, Live Music, Photography

The Faces of Phono Del Sol

June 19, 2017 Adrian Spinelli

Phono Del Sol 2017 was a vibrant celebration of the Bay Area music scene. The Bay Bridged and Tiny Telephone put together a lineup of artists that truly reflected the pulse of local Bay Area music and the people in attendance were just as much a part of the festivities. For all of the energy that artists like Rayana Jay, Duckwrth, Bells Atlas, Oh Sees, Jay Som and others put forth, there was an equal amount of passion radiating right back from the crowd.

This was a true display of community positivity and well-being and I couldn’t help but feel compelled to capture the smiles, the vibes, the looks and the feel of a day that was totally enjoyed by all. Check out the portrait collection below of friends, acquaintances, artists, a dog, a burrito and a beautiful day. Cheers.

All photos by Adrian Spinelli (except #10 by Sabrina Mai)

Photography, Travel

My São Paulo – A Photographic Essay

February 3, 2016 Adrian Spinelli

I’ve been going back to my birthplace of São Paulo, Brazil every year since I first left Brazil in 1989. And the place where I was born, is unlike anywhere I’ve ever been in the world.

When I come back home to the US following a visit, everyone always asks “How was Brazil?” And there’s only so much I can convey with words. I feel like everyone’s idea of Brazil is forged on images of Rio De Janeiro, yet São Paulo is a much different place. I sought to provide a glimpse into My Brazil and My São Paulo.

With these photographs, I looked to juxtapose the old and new parts of the city of São Paulo with the beach getaways of mid-to-upper class families from the city. The city and the beach are very different places and holiday weeks at the beach are comfortable refuges for city-dwellers like my family. Where daily life is filled with the grandeur of skyscrapers and the urban sprawl & accompanying poverty of the city, weekend homes on the coast of the state of Sao Paulo seem a world away. With these 3 galleries, this is My São Paulo.

(Click anywhere on the tiled mosaics below to open the full gallery)

Old São Paulo

These photos were all taken in the Republíca area of São Paulo. It’s the historic central part of the city and just feels like a mish-mash of every aspect of São Paulo in one place. This is where poverty is the most prevalent and homeless kids riddled the streets amongst open shops, buildings, restaurants, the Municipal Theater and a major artery into the city’s core.

The Beach

I looked to highlight themes of the typical Brazilian family and male/female roles within the household. Hopefully, you can feel the difference between one house and the other and the moments of relaxation versus potential conflict. Technology as a theme is reflected on the outer edges of the frames, reminding us that no matter how far outside of the city the family may be, technology remains ever-present.

New São Paulo

Avenida Paulista is the most important thoroughfare in São Paulo. The wide 6-laned avenue houses major financial institutions, museums, parks, shopping malls and is towered over by giant radio antennae on the top of it’s many tall buildings. New and polished public transportation is peppered throughout it’s nearly 2 mile stretch and it’s been developed into a modern hub to showcase the cosmopolitan city.

Parque Ibirapuera is the city’s largest urban park. It’s the Brazilian equivalent to Central Park, showcasing the country’s rich history, smack in the middle of a metropolis.