Mon 11/23-Sun 11/29
For the past three years each fall, Cleveland-based music photographers Joe Kleon and Anastasia Pantsios have mounted a large gallery show of some of their best work. These events have not only been an opportunity for area music fans to buy prints of their favorite artists and stock up on holiday gifts for family and friends, but also big events and reunions for old friends from back in the day (whatever your day was). Last year’s event at 78th Street Studio’s Survival Kit Gallery even featured an oral history taping with Michael Stanley.
You know where this is going, don’t you? That’s right — online. Joe and Anastasia are doing it again, only this year’s exhibit, dubbed Sonic & Iconic, will be all virtual. So there won’t be those unexpected meet-and-greets. But in rethinking how to present the photos it was clear that posting online galleries gave them the opportunity to delve deeper into their archives and bring out photos they wouldn’t have had room to show before on the gallery walls. The previous shows have displayed about 400 photos; the virtual galleries will have more than 1,000. So if you were looking for that obscure group that they didn’t show because you’re the only person who still remembers them, you might find them this year.
A gallery will be presented each night of Thanksgiving week, starting Monday November 23, with a short introduction and video by the photographers, with a link to the gallery where photos can be purchased. The galleries are hosted by Cleveland-based NEO Pro Imaging who will handle reproduction and shipping of all photos. This will allow buyers to choose the size of the reproduction they want.
The eight galleries include classic rock, legendary superstars, country, pop, metal, alternative, Michael Stanley and Cleveland music. They’ll feature artists such as the Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, Tina Turner, Van Halen, Joan Jett, Billy Joel, Tina Turner, Justin Bieber, Leif Garrett, Taylor Swift, Cheap Trick, Stevie Nicks, Rod Stewart, Madonna, Metallica, Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Jason Aldean, Ozzy Osbourne, Alice Cooper, U2, David Bowie, Stevie Ray Vaughan, The Who, Rush, the Ramones, the Dead Boys, Pere Ubu, The Pretenders, Queen, Pearl Jam, Coldplay, 2020 Rock Hall inductees T. Rex, Nine Inch Nails, Depeche Mode and Whitney Houston, and many more.
The intros will include interviews with Gabe Pollack of the BOP STOP and Cindy Barber of the Beachland, talking about the challenges and opportunities facing live music venues. It was also include streaming of both parts of the oral history with Michael Stanley, the first time they’ve been accessible to anyone who didn’t come to the taping.
The galleries will go live on Monday November 23. They can be accessed through joekleon.com or on Facebook at Sonic and Iconic — A Virtual Art Gallery.