I have been given the green light to start posting some wedding photos from the 21st. So prepare yourself… they will fill any day that I dont have a current shot for like the next year!

Thanks again to Jen and David Waltermyer for giving me the oppurtunity to push the limits of my comfort and photographic zones. The photos turned out really great and I hope they are as happy with them as I am.

Here is your Chattanooga Nightfall 2005 Concert Series Schedule:
May 27 - Buckwheat ZydecoOpening Act: Dr. Vibe

Buckwheat Zydeco rocks the stage with all-out Creole dance party music straight out of Louisiana’s bayou country. Buckwheat has opened for Eric Clapton, U2, Robert Cray and Los Lobos, performed with the Boston Pops, and played the closing ceremony for the 2000 Olympics as well as both of Clinton’s presidential inaugurations. www.buckwheatzydeco.com

June 3 - deSol
Opening Act: Jose Angel Chairez & His Band

deSol (of the sun in Spanish) is a Latin rock band based out of New York who incorporates a bilingual approach in their music, resulting in a salsa, rock, soul, funk sound. Their multi-rhythmic spicy blend has been praised by The New York Times, Boston Globe and the New York Post. www.desolmusic.com

June 24 - The Waybacks
Opening Act: Footloose

The Waybacks unpredictable music ranges from newgrass and western swing to jug band and jazz, from folk and fiddle music to improvisational excursions. Whether they are mesmerizing audiences at intimate venues or major festivals, The Waybacks have captured enthusiastic fans far and wide as they defy genre altogether. www.waybacks.com

July 1 - Mary Gauthier (Go-shay)
Opening Act: Davey Smith & Michael Walker

A Baton Rouge native, Gauthier sings alternative country, honky-tonk, soulful music to the tune of heart ache and heartbreak, with lyrics that reflect the honest emotions of a woman who has “been there, survived that.” Compared often to Hank Williams and Lucinda Williams, Gauthier has earned a Boston Music Award nomination for “best new contemporary folk artist” and won the “country artist of the year” award from GLAMA. www.marygauthier.com

July 8 - Marcia Ball
Opening Act: Lumbar Five

Louisianan Marcia Ball really knows how to raise the roof in her all-out keyboard and vocal performance combining rock, blues, R&B, soul and ballads. She has received the W.C. Handy Blues Award for Contemporary Female Vocalist of the Year and Blues Album of the Year for her release Presumed Innocent.www.rosebudus.com/ball

July 15 - Eric Johnson
Opening Act: Noaxident

Grammy winning artist Eric Johnson has been named “Best Overall�? guitarist from Guitar Player for four consecutive years, and has also been inducted into their “Gallery of Greats.�? An emotionally intense performer, Johnson has been listed in Musician Magazine as one of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of the 20th Century. www.ericjohnson.com

July 22 - Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Opening Act: Milele Roots

For more than 30 years, Ladysmith Black Mambazo has married the intricate rhythms and harmonies of their native South African musical traditions to the sounds of Christian gospel music. The group has recorded over 40 albums, sold over 6 million records, and is currently the number one selling group in South Africa. Mambazo has worked with artists including Paul Simon, Dolly Parton, and Ben Harper and performed for the Queen of England and the Pope. www.mambazo.com

July 29 - Reckless Kelly
Opening Act: Matt Carbone

Named after an Australian bank robber who was shot 28 times and lived, this Austin-based band is more ragged than reckless as they fuse the sounds of rock, country and blues. This hard-playing group combines acoustic and electric guitars with tight vocal harmonies to become one of the most relentless and dynamic playing bands around. www.recklesskelly.com

August 5 - Marshall Crenshaw Power Trio
Opening Act: Wilder Embry

Detroit native Crenshaw and his trio have a fun style of music all their own, but with distinct retro influences from Buddy Holly and John Lennon (with a hint of college rock and a dash of adult alternative pop). Their music has been featured in several hit movies, and Crenshaw himself has portrayed John Lennon in the road show “Beatlemania.”

August 12 - Guy Davis
Opening Act: Dana Jones

Guy Davis is a musician, composer, actor, director, and a writer, but most importantly, he is a Bluesman. Among his many accomplishments are winning Blues Album of the Year for his album “You Don’t Know My Mind�? and arranging performing, and co-writing the music for the Emmy Award winning film To Be a Man. www.guydavis.com

August 19 - Lucy Kaplansky
Opening Act: Jennifer Daniels

Singing about life transforming events, Lucy Kaplansky captures the essence of human emotion with her folksy, pop, country songs. Her albums have been awarded Best Pop Album of 2002 by the Association for Independent Music, and she has appeared on several television and radio shows, and film soundtracks such as The Firm. www.lucykaplansky.com

August 26 - Wolfstone
Opening Act: Olta

Since their wildly popular appearance at Nightfall over a decade ago, Wolfstone has heralded a new and explosive “Celtic world music�? phase throughout the world. Combining a unique blend of guitar, fiddle, bagpipes and percussion, they have entertained audiences from the village halls of Scotland to major festivals in Europe, Canada, and America. www.wolfstone.co.uk/

September 2 - The Black Keys
Opening Act: Pale Blue Dot

Comprised of a two-man duo with singer/guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney who play “close to the bone, raw blues-rock, “The Black Keys have a truly “lived-in” blues sound for a duo so young. Guest appearances at Carnegie Hall, on David Letterman and Late Night with Conan O’Brien represent just a few of the recent highlights in this band’s sizzling career. www.theblackkeys.com

September 9 - Joey Defrancesco Trio
Opening Act: Mesa Rio

Joey Defrancesco, a Hammond B-3 phenom, almost single-handedly jumpstarted the revival of the jazz organ in the 1990s with music that is loose and relaxed, sizzling and funky, but most of all passionate. By age 21, he had toured with Miles Davis and released four albums under Columbia. His new album, Legacy, is known as one of the best B-3 albums recorded in years and was remained in Billboard’s Top 20 for weeks. www.joeydefrancesco.com

September 16 - The Be Good Tanyas
Opening Act: John Lathim & Company

The Be Good Tanyas’ music has been described as beguiling, haunting, rustic, ambient, hobo-erotica, and goth-folk. With their sweet harmonies and traditional finger-picking, the Vancouver trio has graced stages all over the world and received comparisons to artists Gillian Welch and Iris Dement. www.begoodtanyas.com

September 23 - Adrian Belew
Opening Act: Up With The Joneses

Touring with the likes of David Bowie, Talking Heads, and Frank Zappa, Adrian Belew is recognized as a multi-instrumentalist and amazing vocalist. Over the past three decades, this former member of the bands King Crimson and The Bears made several successful solo albums and collaborated on recordings for numerous other artists ranging from Paul Simon to Tori Amos. www.adrianbelew.net

September 30 - King Wilkie
Opening Act: The Lovell Sisters Band

With roots deep in bluegrass, King Wilkie is quickly becoming a major force in the Americana music sweepstakes with their exuberance of youth and the style of musicians twice their age. Razor-sharp musicianship, passionate harmonies, and a wide variety of musical influences give this band a dynamic sound that all ages can enjoy. www.kingwilkie.com

Opening Acts: 7 PM
Headline Acts: 8 PM

I got this photo from my Erin’s mom yesterday. It is President Bush speaking at Calvin College’s Commencement.

So some of you may know that Calvin College has got quite the Commencement speaker lined up for Saturday’s big event. Yes, and for those of you who are unaware, President George W. Bush will deliver the commencement speech Saturday. I think this is incredible.

A little private college in Grand Rapids, MI has the leader of the free world to send the 2005 graduates into the working world. Not only is it monumental and historic, but I believe it says something great about Calvin. The Administration had to know that bringing in a big name “right” politician would bring along some controversy(here’s an article). But they did it anyway because they truly believe in expanding the minds of their students and exposing them to as much as possible to help them develop their world view.

So good job Calvin…

I know I don’t update this very often but I have run across someone really cool. Her name is Rachel McCartney. She is a folk artist.

A long time ago I found her somehow and got an mp3 of hers. Then just now it came on in my iTunes shuffle and I had forgotten all about it. Anyway here is a link to her site where you can download free sample MP3s from her albums and you can buy them there too if you are so inclined! Man why are all my favorite artists in MA? Wish I was there for the music alone!