“Rainbow Connection”

(click to enlarge)

Around 2005, there came a slow but steady decline in the indie-band world. Everything changed. Bands stopped playing the Philadelphia area as much. Some bands imploded. I held on as long as I could but eventually, I left the promotional website behind. For me, life was happening and I couldn't get out to shows that much any more. I saw a few shows since I was married in 2008 but they were few and far between. The last time I saw a John Eddie show was in 2016 at Parx Casino and even then it seemed that The Faithful had dwindled down.

Fast forward. The date is September 9, 2024. By this time, I left the business of promoting bands way behind me. Now, I am a Writer/Photographer. I had gotten wind that one of the bands my Uncle Roy is in, The Peace Creeps with Richard Bush, was going to open a park concert for John Eddie. I took the essential steps in securing permissions to shoot the entire show (thank you Kenny! I owe you one), and I went to cover the show. It was like stepping back in time. The Faithful are still there, but most of them are newer faces that I don't know. It's inspiring to see a younger generation pick up on indie-music. It was so great to meet new friends and catch up with old ones. The Faithful from the old days allowed me to slip right back in and made me feel like time had never passed. We all just re-connected.

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Photographer's Guide (EXIF):
Camera: Canon Rebel T-6
Aperture: F8
Shutter Speed: 1/500
ISO: 400
Exposure Bias: 0
Focal Length: 100mm
Mode: Manual
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In 1991, I finally turned 21!! That was the year that would start an addiction that I still have to this day. Whoah! Hang On! Not THAT kind of addiction! Being that I was 21, I could finally get into the bars to see local and independent bands play. I am still addicted to seeing live music. It sparked me to start a website to promote indie-bands. I saw so many shows and met so many people over the years.

One of those bands was John Eddie. I used to go see him everywhere he played in the Philadelphia area. It started at Harbor of Lights which used to bee in the shopping center where Chickie's N' Pete's on Roosevelt Boulevard is now. I've seen him and his Dirty Ol' Band play The General Wayne Inn, The Rusty Nail, Abilene's on South Street, Havanna's in New Hope, but my favorite place to see him was at Katmandu Trenton. That was where I became part of his loyal fan base known as The Faithful. Although I never hung out with The Faithful anywhere else, when we were there, we were family.