Graham Colton at YAC Fest

Graham Colton
Originally uploaded by rachelparker

So last Saturday I spent my day out in Plano at YAC Fest. I was there to shoot Graham Colton who I guess you could say is up and coming, but in reality he's been around for a while and has opened for some huge artist. Previously to just being Graham Colton, he was Graham Colton Band, and I think before Graham Colton Band he was just Graham Colton.

You may have heard his song "Best Days" all over the tv. It was the goodbye song they were using on Idol this season until they replaced it with Rubens crap of a song that makes no sense. It's also been used on a bunch of tv show promo's. You may have also seen him on one of several talk shows as well because he's been making the rounds. If you dont have his album "Here Right Now" go pick it up. It's pretty cheap at places like Target. And little photographer nerd tidbit, the album art was shot by Jeremy Cowart, who is amazing.

So on to the show!

So I hadn't met Graham before, but I had seen him before several time's when he opened for Kelly Clarkson. But I have to say Graham was incredibly nice as were the people with and associated with him.

He got there 2 hours before he was supposed to go on and was setting up his own merchandise actually. It was funny because he was like "I like it.. its old school!." He was also pretty excited because he got to drive down in his own car since Oklahoma is so close. I told him Plano was about an hour from me cause I lived in Arlington. He said he had some gigs there back in the day when he was going to SMU. I asked if it was at "dreamworld" cause honestly that's the only venue in Arlington I can think of really. And he thought that sounded right. I told him it was the cool place to go when I was in high school.

Later in the evening when this other not so great band was on, they go this is our last song. Apparently last song means were liars and we have 2 more songs after that to do. One of those 2 songs was I want to say Criss Cross' "Jump Jump"and Graham leaned over and goes "This is the stuff you remember" Cause I'm pretty sure everyone was standing there thinking what the heck?

So after the horrible band we all went down by the stage and Graham got set up and sound checked, and then he had one of the girls working the show gave him a Stadium style introduction. Onstage Graham was surprisingly chatty. But hey that's ok stories are always fun. I especially enjoyed the hockey game one with the kid that would skate across the ice and slam into the speakers and stage. That and the "letter" jacket song he made up on the spot. Cause in high school boyfriends give their girlfriends their football letter jackets and stuff. And he said his girlfriend wouldn't have worn his. Also pretty funny when he forgot the words to his own song that he wrote "If love was enough." I also just want to say it was cool getting to hear acoustic versions of the Graham Colton Band songs like "Cigarette" and "First Week"

Here was the set list:
Telescope
Don't Give Up On Me
First Week
Forget About You
Jessica
I Wont Back Down
On and On
If Love Was Enough
Cigarette
Matthew
Cellophane Girl
Best Days


After the show he asked if I got some good shots and I told him I'd have to see on the computer. He then apologized for chomping on his gum the whole time. But honestly it didn't seem to affect the photos. There's a couple where you see him chomping but not many.

I wish the show had been more publicized cause a bigger crowd would have been awesome and I know he's got a following here in the DFW area.

But here are some of the shots.





Okay so Colbie Caillat shots from Kidd Kraddick coming soon! Secondhand Serenade is in studio tomorrow and next week is Simple Plan, Ferras, and Jordin Sparks.

So much to come!

Also I'm going to be out at Taste of Addison tomorrow. I'm shooting Freddy (see kiddlive.com) on the small stage. Gavin Degraw is playing at 10:30 I dont know that I'll get anything descent from how far back I know I'll end up, because Freddy is on a different stage. So I may or may not have shots of Gavin.