Music Reviews

Josh Turner  Mo Pitney Rialto Square Theatre Joliet, IL  60432 November 20th, 2021 at 7:30 pm Still of Josh Turner and Family at the Rialto Square Theatre on the Today Show with Hoda and Jenna, 2021 On Saturday November 20th, I was given the opportunity to photograph Josh Turner at his Holiday and the Hits tour. I was so excited to photograph him and his band because I have been a huge fan of his music for years. With an almost sold-out show, the fans were very eager for Josh to take the stage. His opener for the evening was Mo Pitney, who has a very unique sound that I feel is needed in country music today. He came out on stage with only his acoustic guitar, no band to perform with him. By Mo not using his band to back him up, the crowd was able to feel the full effects of his voice throughout the arena. Josh Turner at the Rialto Square Theatre, Joliet, IL, 2021 After Mo sang his set, Josh Turner took the stage. He opened the show by singing some of his hits, which included “Why Don’t We Just Dance,” “Your Man,” “Would You Go With Me,” “Long Black Train,” and “Hometown Girl.” Josh had an amazing stage presence and kept the crowd engaged the whole show. In between his songs, he talked about the backstory to some of the songs as well as some cool experiences that he had encountered involving the songs. This was personally one of my favorite parts of concerts because we got to see more into the songs, and it helped draw out a connection to your life and the songs. I felt that it made it more of a relatable experience for the whole audience.  Josh Turner Band at the Rialto Square Theatre, Joliet, IL, 2021 After Josh finished out his first set list with some of his hits, there was a brief intermission so the crew could set up for his Christmas set. A few Christmas trees were added to the stage to bring the Christmas feeling into the theatre. A few songs that were sung throughout his Christmas set were “Joy To The World,” “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas,” “Mele Kalikimaka My Ohana,” “Santa Clause Is Coming To Town,” and my personal favorite “Soldier’s Gift.” What made this set so special was when his 4 sons came out and performed with him. I was so touched that his whole family got to be on stage with him performing Christmas music. Christmas is about doing what you love with your loved ones all around you, and this show brought that feeling out to the whole crowd. About halfway through his second set of the night, his sons all left the stage along with another band member, leaving Josh confused. When they came back onto the stage, Josh finally understood why they left the stage. Saturday was Josh’s birthday, so his sons went backstage to bring a cake out to him. It was a very sweet and touching moment that I was thrilled to be a part of. This concert experience certainly started off my holiday season on a high note and I am so happy that I got the opportunity to capture those moments through my photographs.  Mo Pitney at the Rialto Square Theatre, Joliet, IL, 2021 For additional information on Josh Turner, Mo Pitney, the Rialto Square Theatre, and the Hoda and Jenna Show, please visit:   Josh Turner- https://www.joshturner.com/ Mo Pitney- https://mopitney.com/ Jaclyn’s Today Show Appearance- https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=433232251804316 The Today Show with Hoda and Jenna- https://www.today.com/hoda-and-jenna Rialto Square Theatre- https://rialtosquare.com/ Additional Images: Josh Turner at the Rialto Square Theatre, Joliet, IL, 2021 Still of Josh Turner and Family at the Rialto Square Theatre on the Today Show with Hoda and Jenna, 2021 Photographs and article by Jaclyn Duske 

The “What You See is What You Get” tour Luke Combs Ashley McBryde Ray Fulcher United Center Chicago, IL, 60612 November 4th, 2021 Luke Combs at the United Center, Chicago, IL, 2021 On Thursday November 4th, I got an amazing opportunity to work with Luke Comb’s tour photographer, David Bergman. Before the show, David gave us a rundown on how the show was going to work, as well as giving us numerous tips and tricks on to how to shoot action and concert photography with changing lighting conditions. I have shot one concert prior to this workshop and found out firsthand how tricky concert lighting and performer action can be to photograph. I was very eager to learn from Mr. Bergman. Concert and sports photography are the two career fields I am most interested pursuing in the photography world, so it was very cool to learn from someone who has done both for most of his life. He also discussed the various camera settings, what equipment to use, and how he sets up a venue with various cameras to give him access to multiple angles remotely. Luke Combs at the United Center, Chicago, IL, 2021 After Mr. Bergman gave us the rundown of the show and the general knowledge we would need to know, he showed us where we would be allowed to shoot, as well as where we were not allowed to go so as to not inhibit the concert stage workers from doing their job throughout the show. Luke Combs had his stage set up in the middle of the arena for this tour, so the stage is 360°. We were able to go under the stage and see how all the guitar and microphone changes were to be done, as well as photograph the guitars and soundboards. Then it was time to get our cameras ready for the show.  Ray Fulcher at the United Center, Chicago, IL, 2021 Being able to shoot all the opening artists at this concert was a truly amazing experience. It was a great way for me to get my bearings on locations to get unique photographs before Luke took the stage. It also allowed me to get used to my camera settings and practice on adjusting them with the consistent light changes throughout the concert. I am a huge fan of Luke Combs, so being able to be two feet away from him, taking photographs of him, was amazing. Of course, I stayed professional, but I was definitely fan-girling on the inside.  Christian Sancho at the United Center, Chicago, IL, 2021 Ashley McBryde at the United Center, Chicago, IL, 2021 Overall, this experience was truly a once in a lifetime opportunity. I am extremely thankful that I had the opportunity to work with David Bergman and soak up all the knowledge he so willingly shared with us. Hearing about his life experiences as well as what he has learned by trial and error over his professional career in invaluable knowledge for anyone in the profession, especially an aspiring college student. I learned so much from him and I can’t wait to participate in more workshops with him in the future. I have a deep seeded passion for photography and David fueled it further during this workshop. I was also able to meet some new friends who love photography as much as I do. Being a part of this professional community where ideas are exchanged, work sample willingly posted, critiques on work are given, or where problem solving takes place keeps everyone continuously engaged in learning. This is another invaluable benefit I received from this workshop with David Bergman. I would very much recommend this workshop to anyone interested in pursuing action photography. I can’t wait to take what I learned from David and apply it to my photographs in the future and I hope that I will be able to continue to learn from him. A huge thank you should also be extended to Luke Combs for allowing David to hold these workshops and giving this amazing opportunity so many people striving to perfect their craft. Luke Combs and Dustin Nunley at the United Center, Chicago, IL, 2021 For more information on Luke Combs, Ashley McBryde, Ray Fulcher, and live music at the United Center, please visit:   Luke Combs- https://www.lukecombs.com/ Ashley McBryde- https://www.ashleymcbryde.com/ Ray Fulcher- https://www.rayfulchermusic.com/ United Center- https://www.unitedcenter.com/ Additional Images: Kurt Ozan at the United Center, Chicago, IL, 2021 Crowd Shot at the United Center, Chicago, IL, 2021 Ashley McBryde at the United Center, Chicago, IL, 2021 Under the Stage at the United Center, Chicago, IL, 2021 Luke Combs at the United Center, Chicago, IL, 2021 Photographs and writings by Jaclyn Duske 

Dwight Yoakam Tennessee Jet Rialto Square Theatre Joliet, IL 60432 August 22, 2021 Dwight Yoakam at the Rialto Square Theatre, Joliet, IL, 2021 After 533 days of no live music acts or performances, the Rialto Square Theatre reopened for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic this past Sunday. A highly energized crowd of patient country fans anxiously anticipated Tennessee Jet and Dwight Yoakam to perform. A nearly sold-out performance had theater management and fans excited for the concert season to begin. The venue and those in attendance were welcomed with a remarkable performance. Tennessee Jet at the Rialto Square Theatre, Joliet, IL 2021 This was the first concert that I was given the opportunity to photograph. Concert photography is something that I have been long interested in. I was so happy to finally be given this opportunity. Yes, I was definitely excited and nervous. And, yes, I was anxious at the start of the concert because I have never photographed any events with this type of lighting before. The uncertainty was there, but I focused on making quality images. So, I made over 1,000 photographs, yes, over a thousand! Documenting live performances couples an understanding rhythm with one’s ability to anticipate key moments in the performances. Dwight Yoakam and company provided many opportunities. I feel most fortunate to have had the opportunity to photograph this iconic country music musician. Tennessee Jet at the Rialto Square Theatre, Joliet, IL, 2021 The opening act for Dwight Yoakam was an up-and-coming artist named Tennessee Jet from Oklahoma. Their music has an older country sound with a mix of bluegrass, rock, and blues. T.J. McFarland, the lead, has a voice that I feel is needed more in today’s country music genre to help bring back some of the older style country music. There was a sense of nostalgia in watching these young musicians churn out a healthy energy of tunes that primed the audience for the headliner. Dwight Yoakam at the Rialto Square Theatre, Joliet, IL, 2021 Dwight Yoakam, the headline performer, opened his show singing “Keep on the Sunny Side,” which is a cover from The Carter Family. He had his fans engaged and singing along throughout his performance. He closed out his set with one of his most well-known songs, “Fast as You.” This evening was a first for many, first event for the Rialto since the beginning of the pandemic, and the first concert where I was given a press pass to photograph the performance as a professional, not just a fan using her phone camera. I will forever cherish this experience and I can’t wait to see what other events I will get to cover in the future! Tennessee Jet at the Rialto Square Theatre, Joliet, IL, 2021 Dwight Yoakam at the Rialto Square Theatre, Joliet, IL, 2021 For additional information on Dwight Yoakam, Tennessee Jet, and the Rialto Square Theatre, please visit:   Dwight Yoakam- https://www.dwightyoakam.com/  Tennessee Jet- https://tennesseejet.com/ Rialto Square Theatre- https://rialtosquare.com/ Photographs and writing by Jaclyn Duske