Photographing Patchtown Live at Forty Bar & Grille

Every once in a while I get to trade polished office buildings and commercial interiors for something a little louder.

Recently I had the chance to photograph Patchtown, a Pittsburgh cover band that describes their sound as “rock where the groove gets grimy.” The shoot took place during one of their live sets at Forty Bar & Grille, and it was a refreshing change of pace from the typical weekday projects I’m usually working on.

Most of my work during the week involves commercial real estate, architectural photography, and corporate media—clean lines, controlled lighting, and carefully composed spaces. Shooting a live band is the opposite in the best possible way. The lights are changing constantly, the stage energy is unpredictable, and the goal is to capture the personality and movement of the performance.

Before the set kicked off, we grabbed some band photos for promotional use—images the group can use for posters, social media, and marketing upcoming shows. Once the music started, the focus shifted to documenting the live energy of the performance: guitars mid-riff, the crowd reacting, and those moments where the stage lights hit just right.

Live music photography is always about timing and instinct. You’re watching the musicians, anticipating moments, and trying to freeze that split second when everything comes together.

It was a blast stepping outside my normal commercial workflow for a night and capturing something a little more raw and energetic. Huge thanks to the guys in Patchtown for having me out.

If you catch them playing around Pittsburgh, it’s definitely worth checking out.