By photojournalist Allison Davis
There was a real sense of relief and appreciation in the courtyard at Jannus Live on Wednesday night. Buckcherry’s tour bus had been caught up in a serious multi-vehicle accident on Interstate 26 in South Carolina just days earlier, but thankfully the band and crew were completely OK. True to their grit, they knew the show had to go on and chose to keep moving forward without missing a beat, bringing that resilience right to the stage.
As a photojournalist, stepping into the media pit brought its own small, unexpected observation: despite knowing several other photographers had put in for credentials, I ended up being the only shooter in the pit that night. Having that extra room to move made tracking angles seamless, but the real focus belonged entirely to the music unfolding on stage.
Beyond the pit, the crowd itself felt like home. While we didn’t see our beloved local staple, Medicine Man, holding down his usual spot that night (though, as a quick side note, I shot Devo the very next night and he was right there front and center where he belongs!), I 100% saw a room packed with familiar faces. The more shows you get under your belt, the more you realize just how real your rock show family actually is. When you stay within the same genre most of the time, the venues start feeling less like random concert halls and more like family reunions where the soundtrack just happens to be loud guitars.
Opening the night was Tyler Bryant. I’ve been following him on social media for quite some time, so this was the first time I was actually able to see live what he brought to the table. His raw blues-rock style and blistering slide work immediately proved that his online reputation is well-earned, setting an authentic, high-energy foundation for the rest of the evening.
While waiting for Black Stone Cherry to come on stage, I felt a quick tap on my shoulder. I turned around to find a 13-year-old boy whose absolute passion in life was to become a photographer. He told me he got his very first camera at eight years old, shoots his school’s sports events, and loves shooting car shows. I’m a total sucker for people following their dreams, so getting to talk shop with a young shooter about his passion was a blast. It was such an enjoyable conversation, and definitely one of those spontaneous pit moments I’ll always remember from that night.
When Black Stone Cherry hit the stage, I managed to catch a quick sneak peek of their setlist propped up, so I knew we were in for a serious ride. Talk about mid-show energy! They may have been the middle child of the night, but they were buzzing like nobody’s business! From a photographer’s standpoint, it always makes it more exciting in the end result for photos when a band has so much movement and personality on stage. Their kinetic energy made the job a blast as they pounded through a crowd-pleasing set that packed in heavy-hitters:
“Me and Mary Jane”
“White Trash Millionaire”
“Blame It on the Boom Boom”
“Lonely Train”
By the time Buckcherry took over, the party was in full swing. Launching directly into their set, they opened up with “Lit Up,” immediately setting off the crowd. Josh Todd’s restless stage presence proved the band was pouring everything they had into the performance, delivering a hard-hitting set featuring “Roar Like Thunder” and the power ballad “Sorry,” before bringing the night home by closing out with “Crazy Bitch.”
Bands that have been touring as long as Buckcherry often shift over the years. Lineups evolve, key members change, and plenty of legacy acts eventually reach a point where they simply can’t capture or keep up with the sound they once had. Buckcherry is definitely not one of those bands. Decades in, their edge is sharp, their output is raw, and their live set hits just as hard as it ever did. It was a fantastic night of heavy rock, familiar faces, and a loud reminder that real rock ‘n’ roll doesn’t slow down.
