Massari, Caedmon’s Call, Third Day

After shooting photos of Jerry Marotta at the Commodore, we needed more photos for our second auction. Again, we had no idea who, or how, to even find someone. I’m always under the impression that things will come when they’re supposed to, and sure enough: I was watching T.V. one night and Entertainment Canada had a blurb about this Hip-Hop artist named Massari, who spoke about supporting World Vision. I was mesmerized – and right away Googled him. I found his website and instead of writing a letter, sent an email to his manager. I received a reply within days – yes, Massari would love to pose with a doll when he visited Vancouver for his current tour! We were ecstatic. It was so easy it seemed, and approaching the management and setting up appointments (rather than standing outside the stage door) seemed a much better idea 🙂

Massari

September 4th arrived, and off I went with no idea what to expect. I’m not much for hip-hop music, and I had visions of gangsta rap etc, but I was in good hands. The one thing I didn’t know about the music industry at the time, which I do now, is that its very much a ‘hurry up and wait’ thing. Things are never done on time, there are always minor problems to sort out with sound and such, and that’s just the nature of the business. This night was no different, but Massari’s manager offered me a soda and the best seat in the house and I got to watch Massari do a few songs as if he were doing a private concert for just me. It was pretty cool actually.

Once he was done, we were introduced, and just as with Jerry Marotta in the photo session before this one, he allowed me as much time as I required to make sure I got a decent shot with adequate lighting etc. (Still shooting on ‘auto’ of course, and film)

I was quite struck by this young man – every inch the showman on stage; he ‘owned’ the stage at the tender age of only 23 or 24 – but once off the stage very polite, quite soft spoken, and an air of respect for people in general that was very apparent. I very much enjoyed working with him for the time I was there.

Caedmon’s Call and Third Day both came about through my Myspace foray. I have always liked both band’s music; Mac Powell has an incredible voice and ‘Mountain of God’ is one of my all time favorite Third Day songs. I contacted both bands through Myspace with the intention of sending Caedmon’s Call a doll and card in the mail with the intention of them mailing it back to us.

Caedmon’s Call

Caedmon’s Call said yes, so off the doll went in the mail, and shortly thereafter, I got the photo via email. They also mailed the autographed card back, as well as two 8×10 glossy autographed promo pictures of the band, for inclusion in the auction. Very cool 🙂

I found out Third Day were going to play in Calgary, and as we were set to take our summer holidays traveling to Southern Alberta, I figured it would be perfect. Things never turn out the way you think though 🙂 The band said yes, they’d be very happy to help out, but our plans changed and it was suddenly impossible for me to do the photo myself. However, my friend Rene was going to see Third Day in her home town of Salt Lake City, Utah, so we set it up for her to do the photo there.

All things considered, Renee did a great job. Because the show was at an open air festival, there really was no ‘green room’ for her to meet the band in to do the photo, and so she met them in what basically was a hall closet 🙂 not even large enough to stand the entire band side by side – but it all worked out in the end, and we had two more great bands and an awesome musician help our project.