Hudson, Wisconsin is this small midwestern town that reminds me of Stillwater, Minnesota. This tiny bustling city extends destination nightlife where people come to hang out and enjoy the small bars the town has to offer. I got to Ziggy’s Live Music, Bar & Restaurant to photograph the local band Capital Sons for the evening and was shocked at the crowd of folks that were inside the venue chattering. In the middle of the downstairs bar is a baby grand piano with a filled tip jar sitting on top. I looked over and saw a tiny stage that could not have been any bigger than a set of whirlpool washers and dryers. I thought to myself, this can’t be the stage, dear lord please don’t be. But I have seen worse venue stages. Karl, the lead vocalist of Capital Sons met me downstairs and when I asked about the stage, he laughed and said thank God no, there is an entire section upstairs. I breathed a sigh of relief for sure. I am not that magical as a photographer, and I don’t have enough Photoshop power and skills to make that either go away or get bigger. As we walked up the stairs to the top floor, the wall adorning the landing between the 2nd and 1st floor was lined perfectly with framed black and white photo albums. Madonna, Quiet Riot, Foreigner, ACDC, The Motels, and many more. It was the perfect décor for a music venue. The bar was an upscale facility but still had that wood-on-wood Midwestern theme. If you are asking what that is, everything in the Midwest, homes, businesses have a massive overkill amount of wood inside. The upstairs bar and concert venue was not particularly small but not too big. Intimate enough to feel like there were plenty of people, but not overcrowding. Lights adorned the walls and ceiling surrounding the stage. It was a small stage but nothing like the midget stage downstairs.
The band did a short soundcheck. A few patrons were piling in to watch them in addition to a birthday party group setting up in a private room next door. These guys are some of my favorite locals because, not only the chemistry between them, where they get along and joke with each other, but they truly support photographers like me and vice versa. Before the show, they gifted me a printed album made by them of their new Tempest EP album which they had all signed.
The guys had an impressive 26 song setlist that night. They played their entire new EP Album Tempest, which I interviewed them on recently. They also included other covers including Minnesota native Prince’s “Raspberry Beret”, The Rolling Stones “Start Me Up” and others. It was a very diverse range and they hit every song with perfect precision. The crowd continued to grow throughout the evening and patrons were even dancing. It was great to see such a wonderful reaction to the band and everyone enjoying themselves. As I continued photographing, I made my way up on the stage to get better shots of the drummer Mike Juenenman. I always say the drummer is the hardest to capture in any instance. This time Mike was surrounded by stage smoke making it hard to see him. Luckily the guys welcomed me up on stage and even introduced me to the crowd. So, what does a photographer do when they don’t really know what to do as they are introduced? They curtsy. Yep, I curtsied. Dear God, if I could have fallen in a hole at that moment, I would have welcomed it. At least I did not trip over something on stage. That would have been the kicker for the entire night.
I finally was able to get some photos of Mike. He is a smooth light player, not the normal basher like most. He keeps up with most other drummers and has a large repertoire under his belt with songs he knows. I can say the same for the other guys, including bassist Keith Raney and guitarist Rick Paukert. Keith has a gentle but consistent tone to his playing. His backing vocals give the songs the vocal harmony it needs and is essentially the cherry on top as the finishing touch. Rick has the playful personality most like all guitarists. Throughout the night he filled the songs with a charming array of instrumental passages and was the backbone of the music. All of this would not be complete without lead vocalist Karl Obermeyer. The chops on this singer are quite impressive. I honestly do not think there is a song he can’t sing. Hi is a creative vocal stylist and a master lyricist. This and has an impressive local following within our community and I don’t see them stopping anytime soon. The night wound down with them finishing out the evening with “Fortunate Son”. The crowd was delighted with the evening and gave a huge round of applause to show their appreciation.
I’m glad I took the time to come out to support this local band and get an opportunity to catch their entire set. I am big on local music support. I because we all start from somewhere and in this day in age, we need all the support we can get to keep going. I’m looking forward to seeing more out of Capital Sons and what they have to offer. Catch a glimpse of my interview with them on their latest EP Album Tempest and what is in store in the future for these guys.
Capital Sons:
Karl Obermeyer – lead Vocals, guitar
Keith Raney – bass
Rick Paukert – guitar
Mike Juenenman – drums
Set List:
1.) Fugitive
2.) Born Into Chaos
3.) Start Me Up
4.) Street Fighting
5.) Man
6.) Pretty Noose
7.) Miss Understood
8.) Crushed
9.) Revolution Road
10.) Moderation
11.) Rains Came
12.) Lil Devil
13.) Pollyanna
14.) High-Heeled
15.) Boots
16.) I’m Sick
17.) Mexico
18.) Rescue These Days
19.) Days
20.) Amsterdam
21.) Oh Darlin’
22.) Anchor
23.) Raspberry Beret
24.) Dear Alicia
25.) Waiting For You
26.) Fortunate Son
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As a Minneapolis-based professional freelance photographer and photojournalist, I feel I have a passion for sharing new perspectives of the world. Since picking up my first DSLR camera, I have been hooked ever since. Striving to capture the rawest forms of emotion through my photos, I am determined to make the viewer feel as if they were there too. Whether I am photographing landscapes, families, children, events, or concerts, I feel I have a way of capturing the true essence of the moment and finding the extraordinary in an ordinary place.
I am always looking for a creative outlet through my art, I find myself drawn to concerts as a rock music lover. You will find me right up front in the pit with everyone else. I have documented tours with some of the biggest artists in rock history including George Lynch, Judas Priest, Billy Idol, Slaughter, Vince Neil, Rick Springfield, and many more. I continue to push boundaries with my work and strive to capture some of the most iconic moments that represent the vibe of the artists and crowd as well as the atmosphere of the overall event. I am a contributor for All Music Magazine and a published photographer including features in Guitar Magazine and a feature cover photo on George Lynch’s 2021 solo album. Some of my clients include Morley Pedals, Rat Pak Records, Two Notes Audio, and many more.
“I capture emotions, not images.”
