Fri 11/10 @ 5-9PM
Sat 11/11 @ 2-8PM
Sun 11/12 @ noon-5PM
When it comes to rock photography in the Rock Hall City over the last five decades, photographers Anastasia Pantsios and Joe Kleon have shot most of the memorable concerts and events.
From Led Zeppelin and Nine Inch Nails to Paul McCartney and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremonies, these two photographers were capturing the iconic moments.
Now Pantsios and Kleon are joining together to show off their work with the Rock/Roll Perspectives exhibit, which appears one weekend only, November 10-12 at the AsiaTown’s Loftworks Gallery. The display kicks off with a reception Fri 11/1o.
CoolCleveland talked to Kleon, who also shoots weddings, senior graduation and family photos, about rock photography, Marilyn Manson’s spit and Trent Reznor’s cavities.
CoolCleveland: Tell us about the impetus behind Rock/Roll Perspectives.
Joe Kleon: It’s a three-day exhibit and art sale. We’re doing it to showcase basically 50 years of Cleveland concert photography. Anastasia worked during the ’70s, ’80s and’‘90s mostly, and I’ve shot for the last 15 years. So we’re kind of combining the large amount of time we both have of documenting concerts and putting it together to show the perspective of then and now. There will be a nice section where we have photos of the same artist. You can see them performing in the mid-’80s and see them at the Q five years ago.
CC: When it comes to your rock photography, what are some of the comments you hear from people?
JK: The one thing that people say to me that resonates the most — the biggest compliment — is that when they see my work of a particular show, if they were at the show it takes them back to that moment and helps them relive the fun. If they weren’t at the show, they said they’re still able to feel the excitement of the performance and the energy of the concert vibe by looking at my work. That’s really the whole goal. When I photograph anything, I’m trying to capture the vibe of the moment. And to know that that’s resonating with people is the greatest compliment I think I can receive for the work that I do.
CC: What are the trials of being a modern-day concert photographer?
JK: It’s changed a bit for me, but not as much as it has for Anastasia because back in the ’70s, there weren’t a whole lot of restrictions. When you shot a band like Led Zeppelin, you shot the whole three-hour show. Now it’s almost always restricted to the first three songs, probably 98 percent of the time. There are all kinds of challenges with that, with people standing up in front of you and putting their phones in the air. A lot of times they put us in very terrible places to shoot from where you can’t get good angles of the stage. But after doing it for 15 years and shooting 1,000 shows, it doesn’t bother me anymore. I guess I’m used to it, and most of the time I can get what I need in three songs and beat the traffic home.
CC: It seems illogical that bands would go out of their way to make your job more difficult.
JK: Once I had Marilyn Manson try to spit on me when I was photographing. I’ve seen different members of different bands try to kick certain photographers. And it doesn’t make sense. If someone is there to give your band publicity, why do you want to be mean to them? But out of 1,000 shows, that’s happened maybe four times to me. So if I meet 1,000 people, I’m sure there will be more than four who will be assholes.
CC: When you’re shooting a show, what are you looking for?
JK: I’m looking for the moments where the performer is basically in a zone, where they are kind of in their own little world, mesmerized by performance. To capture the best visuals and most exciting and interesting visuals I can capture of the band members while they’re performing.
CC: How did you become involved with rock photography?
JK: I really had no desire to get into photography. I never took any pictures when I was younger. I was a radio guy, a full-time rock radio DJ for 25 years. I got into photography when I bought a camera I couldn’t afford for my honeymoon to go to Mexico and take pictures of the Mayan ruins. I got great pictures. A week after I got back I’m listening to the Art Bell Radio Show. They announced the following night they were going to do a show on the Mayans. I emailed them saying I’ve got these great pictures. They ended up putting one of my pictures on their front page of their website. They linked to my website, and I sold several hundred dollars of pictures. Now I’m thinking, Wow, I can actually make enough money to pay the camera off. I was working at WNCX at the time and was friends with Michael Stanley. He let me come out and start shooting his shows. I was also a crew member and really good friends with Wish You Were Here, the Pink Floyd tribute band. So I started shooting those shows. Then I had other local bands hire me to shoot their shows. It just kind of spiraled from there. I would have never imagined I’d be shooting the caliber of artist that I am now.
CC: Are there moments your mind is blown photographing big bands?
JK: Shooting any legend like Mick Jagger or Paul McCartney or Paul Simon, even if I’m not personally a fan of the artist, just being able to have access to photographs of someone of that caliber, anybody like that, it’s always just a thrill for me. I love shooting those types of shows.
CC: It appears as though you’re some sort of investigative rock photographer. There’s a photo of yours from a few years back of Trent Reznor that shows the “Head Like a Hole” singer has had quite a bit of dental work.
JK: (laughs) I don’t do a lot of touchup as far as that goes. I do it with some of my senior portraits, and I can de-zit a girl pretty well, but I’m not taking time to fix Trent’s cavities.
Cleveland, OH 44103