June has been a busy month! On June 9th I had the opportunity to photograph a great friend and talented local act at a historic St. Louis venue. Singer Paul Bonn and other St. Louis musical personalities form Paul Bonn & The Bluesmen. The group consists of Paul on vocals and percussion, Rich McDonough on lead and slide guitar, Slim Louis on bass, Derek Bonn on drums, and Frank Bauer on saxophone. Their material includes traditional blues, soul, R&B and Cajun covers and originals.

Drummer Derek and I attended Webster University together, and we quickly connected via the local St. Louis music scene. It's hard to believe we've been friends for over 14 years! In our college days I met my husband through their mutual metal band Freak Accident. Over the years I've photographed musicians; I was unofficially the Freak Accident "band photographer" and promoter through college and beyond. In those days I used to photograph musicians all the time as a budding photographer.

Even though it used to be commonplace for me to shoot a live show, it was very special to photograph the Bluesmen at the Sheldon Concert Hall. I had not photographed a live performance in quite a while and it was a fun break from the usual portrait work I do. The space is acoustically pleasing and the ambiance of the venue brings an authenticity to the performance and sound. 

Before the band took the stage we took some time to take a few promotional shots. The Sheldon is a beautiful venue, and I tried to capture the historic detail of the building as well as the personality of the band. 

At 7:30pm, the band took the stage for a two hour plus set. Paul Bonn & the Bluesmen have years of experience touring regionally, nationally and worldwide with St. Louis, Missouri as their home base. The band plays on a regular basis at Hammerstone's, located in the historic Soulard district of St. Louis. They play on both sides of the Mississippi at various locations and events throughout Missouri and Illinois. This band is best experienced in a live setting where you can enjoy their energy and show. Their show at the Sheldon was no exception. 

To learn more about Paul Bonn and the Bluesmen, please check out Paul's Facebook page for show updates and event appearances.