Beyond the Spotlight – Episode 3: Dan Kesterke

Dan Kesterke is Director of Bands at Siena Heights University in Adrian, Michigan. He’s also a very busy freelance clinician, drummer, and percussionist, who plays in several cover bands of various genres, a jazz quartet, and he performs in numerous symphonic and pit orchestra settings throughout southeast Michigan. On a cold, windy Monday morning at the tail end of 2019,

Beyond the Spotlight - Episode 2 artwork

Beyond the Spotlight – Episode 2: Chris Diener

Episode 2 is up! Chris Diener is a Nashville-based sound engineer and production manager, who’s been touring the last 12 years across the U.S. as well as Canada, Europe, Australia, and the Middle East. He has worked as monitor engineer, FOH engineer, and/or production manager with artists like Brooks and Dunn, Chris Cagle, Joe Nichols, Little Big Town, Sheryl Crow,

"Beyond the Spotlight" Artwork

“Beyond the Spotlight” Podcast Launch

Hey kids, I’m about to launch a fun new venture – “Beyond the Spotlight”! It’s a podcast where I pull back the curtain and interview folks working in the trenches of the music and theatre worlds, who never really get their chance to shine. We all know about the ‘stars’ who get the attention and accolades. But what about those

Pit Happens!

Over the last few years, I’ve been focusing more on pit orchestra gigs (musical theater productions) for a multitude of reasons: 40 years of playing in the cover band scene has burned me out It’s a great way to keep up on my reading chops I really enjoy being a member of a larger team working toward a common goal,

I’m back!

So, if you’ve been following this blog for awhile, you know I haven’t posted any new content in over 3 years. There were numerous reasons for that: My concert photography was virtually non-existent Social media began playing a larger role in my communications I honestly felt like I had little to say (that anyone would care about) Over the last

Charlie Worsham – Auburn Hills, MI – 9.18.13

  For the last few months, I’ve been seeing the name ‘Charlie Worsham’ pop up in music circles and social media. So, I decided to see what all the fuss was about and checked out his August, 2013 release Rubberband on Warner Bros. Records. Not only did I immediately hear/see what all the fuss was about, but I instantly felt

Little Big Town – Huntington Center – 10.04.12

A selection of my favorite images from the October 4, 2012 show at Huntington Center in Toledo, OH. As with the Eden’s Edge photos from the previous post, this Little Big Town set was part of the Rascal Flatts “Changed” Tour of 2012.            The full gallery of images can be viewed here. All images ©2012 Jon

Little Big Town – DTE Energy Music Theater

After a few months of distractions in other areas of life, I realized I haven’t posted anything about the last couple shows I’ve shot. So, here’s the first installment of Operation Catch-Up 2012. You may have read an earlier post of mine, 10 Years and 180 Degrees Later, about returning to DTE Energy Music Theater to witness my son work his