Dallas - Over the Edge, and a Return to Rock N Roll

It just clicked into my head right now that I am apparently horrible at marketing and publicity sometimes. Why? Because I've totally slacked on promoting the band Dallas.

Dallas, the brainchild of San Francisco Bay Area Bryan Dallas, has been a best-kept secret for years until last month. The EP Over the Edge hit iTunes for public ears.

Keep in mind, this is for fans of straight up rock n' roll. Wailing vocals, soaring guitars, and larger-than-life songs. The way it used to be done, and the future release of this indie rut we've been stuck in for way too long.

Since I started my new life as a self-employed creator, I've been so fortunate to meet no one but talented, inspiring, and kind people. One of them happened to be Bryan Dallas.

I had heard pieces of what was to become Dallas through the grapevine, and this guy agreed to meet with me about media. We met up at a bar, which turned into drinks and talking until 5am back at the studio. For the next year, we bounced ideas back and forth and created numerous drafts of various things.

This spring it was apparent that the EP release was imminent. With some deadlines set by his management, we jumped into a 10-12 hour-per-day routine at Dallas Ranch... which involved basically notepads, cameras, laptops, and booze. And the occasional bonfire with other photographers and musicians.

There's a lot coming your way, and I'm proud to be a part of it. Keep an eye out, because Europe has already acknowledged what we're about to show you. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Here's one of the tracks with a simple lyric video that we put together:

Enjoy, and you'll be hearing from Dallas very soon.

Thrice - Farewell Tour 2012 - San Francisco

After 13 years as a band, Thrice are in the midst of their final few shows before taking an indefinite hiatus. They were gracious enough to stop and spend some time with us at theFIVE10.com before their sold out show last night at the Regency Ballroom in San Francisco. 

Here are a few photos!

Thrice performs one of their last shows in San Francisco. Photo by Clay Lancaster

JC talks with Ed and Teppei of Thrice on theFIVE10.com

Thrice's Teppei Teranishi performs one of their last shows in San Francisco. Photo by Clay Lancaster

Thrice performs one of their last shows in San Francisco. Photo by Clay Lancaster

Thrice's Ed Breckenridge performs one of their last shows in San Francisco. Photo by Clay Lancaster

Solar Eclipse 2012

Photo of the solar eclipse of 2012, as viewed from the San Francisco Bay Area. Photo by Clay Lancaster.

Mare Island Wedding - Andrew & Emily

I'm just going to pretend that you asked about it...

In the days of Yore (before I was a photographer for a living), I used to be a manager for a very large and well-known retail chain.

The company had created a new position, and I was assigned to get it off the ground... and I needed a team to help me do it. So thrown into the mix was this guy Andrew, whom with I had semi been acquainted as he already worked in a different area of our store. We quickly hit it off with similar interests (went to the same University even), and Andrew quickly became one of my best friends as well as one of my best employees. When I got more serious about photography Andrew's band was one of the local groups that would help me hone my craft, and he was always supportive of me hopefully taking photos for a living.

Andrew & me in a previous life.

As Andrew was still working on finishing his Bachelor's degree, he needed to take a leave of absence from my team at work when classes started up again. In his place, I took this girl named Emily that Andrew had recently begun dating.

Over the years, Andrew and Emily continued to date (eventually moving in together, and after that moved to Las Vegas). I eventually left my job to do photography full-time, and we've maintained contact ever since. I even went to Las Vegas and spent some time with them there.

Last Saturday (May 12th) Andrew and Emily got married at Mare Island in Vallejo, CA. They are also expecting a baby boy. Not only did I have the privilege of being one of Andrew's groomsmen, but I was also the photographer.

Yes, it can be done.

Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Smith. Congratulations on the new family. And congratulations on being the only Indian guy I know named Smith.

Here are some photos.

lacing shoes is hard for Andrew

Groomsmen. That's me, 2nd from left.

...and here I am sitting on a rocket. Yes, that's a rocket.

Andrew & Clay, present day

baby Silus is in there somewhere!

being supportive

Photo Shoot with The Memorials

I got a call a month or two ago from Thomas Pridgen (world-renowned drummer and formerly of the Mars Volta) that started off with him saying “I need you.” Not a bad gesture. His current band,The Memorials, needed some promo photos done for their new record Delirium (June 5th on iTunes).

After discussing some crazy ideas, we settled on a nighttime shoot in Berkeley, CA where we actually set up his drum kit outside on a dock in the marina. I brought my fellow photog Jen Cash with me to assist with lighting, and it was surely an interesting experience for us: setting up photo equipment in the cold, in the dark, on a dock, while the drummer of Mars Volta wails away on his kit for an audience of 6 or 7 onlookers who happened to be passing by.

Was a ton of fun, regardless. Thanks to everyone involved for putting up with the complications and making it happen!

Viveca Hawkins, Clay Lancaster, and Thomas Pridgen

The Memorials 2012. Photo by Clay Lancaster

Lancaster Media Promo

Well, with the multi-media direction I've been taking lately (as opposed to just still photos), it only seemed fitting to finally revamp the image of Lancaster Media.

In case you weren't aware, my brother and I formed Lancaster Media in 2007 with the idea of being sort of a tag team. In the years following, I focused mostly on wedding and promotional work while he (Keith) began his career as a cinematographer/editor in Los Angeles.

Fast forward a few years, and all of a sudden our interests and fields are starting to overlap again: I've been doing more and more video work, and Keith is headed to Paris this summer to learn some still photography).

Don't worry, I'm still very much for hire if you're getting married! In fact, my schedule is busier than it has ever been.

But to commemorate the resurgence of the Lancaster Media name, here is our new intro/promo:

Enjoy!

Clay & Keith Lancaster

Weddings, Foxy Shazam, and Rock N Roll

Hi folks,

It's been a little bit since my last post. What I thought was going to be a low-key first quarter of 2012 has quickly become a busy few months.

Weddings


A few weddings have come and gone, which spanned everything from fancy hotels to city hall, to a rainy spot on the California coast. Here are a few of my favorites:

Kids are funny at Weddings. Photo by Clay Lancaster

Stinson Beach, CA Wedding. Photo by Clay Lancaster

Stinson Beach, CA Wedding. Photo by Clay Lancaster

Foxy Shazam

I got to chat with Foxy in San Francisco for theFIVE10.com before their show at the Fillmore in support of The Darkness. Was a super interesting interview, enhanced by some crazy guy interrupting us in the park and calling me a liar for saying I was Armenian. Which I never claimed to be. Yeah.

Clay Lancaster and Foxy Shazam's Sky White

Rock n' Roll

I was also recruited to do some media work for a band called Dallas, which resulted in 10-12 hour days at Dallas Ranch here in the San Francisco bay area. Not all of that time was spent "working", but it's been a blast and hopefully there are some cool things coming down the pipeline.