Interstellar Overdrive

Far beyond the outer limits.  A new representation of the normal.

Experiment 15

Memory Band

Secret Path

Tangled

Soundtrack to the abstract provided by the legendary Pink Floyd.

All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight

Riffin

Jam Session

Dead Flowers

The Rich Girls

18th & Vine

Fan Appreciation

Now you’re probably wondering how the hell I got to Hank Williams Jr out of all the music in the world that I could have chosen.

Sometimes my country roots show a little harder than they seem.  Last week’s party for the 2013 Southern Social Concert 2 was a blast (as you can see from the above set).  Check the rest here:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.522169521181616.1073741838.227797643952140&type=1

BBQ, Bourbon, beauties, and a bevy of good causes were the reason for the event.  By the end of the night there was beer and good cheer aplenty to go round.  Dead Flowers and The Rich Girls indeed got rowdy and inspired the crowd to be a little louder than a Thursday night should normally allow, but that’s what a good time demands!

Sing it to em, Hank!

Funky Planet

The Soul of Gavin G

Sunrise in the Gulf

Energy in Synergy

Red Red Groovy

It really is a funky planet on which we live.

The four pics shared illustrate that fact.

Today’s music is freeform and carries a beautiful spoken word feel to it, but the beat is undeniably Disco rooted.  Feel free to funk freely!

Oodles of Os

Transformation from normal into something different than the norm.  The theme of different and never the same continues.

Today’s entry is a quick walk through the process of thought put into one of my current abstractions.  Perspective (and creativity) is everything.

Experiment 17, Step 1

Experiment 17, Step 2

Experiment 17, Step 3

Experiment 17, Step 4

Experiment 17, Step 5

Majestic Span

Working on a series of prints for the number of requests I got from some of my abstract postings on Instagram.  Abstract takes a lil more effort than just taking a normal shot, but obviously it’s worth it.  It’s fun trying to re-imagine how to see something most people see everyday and don’t think about and then spin it.

After spinning, flipping, twisting, and rearranging it, the finished product is it’s own creature.  When you can’t guess what it was to begin with, my work is done (even though I still always want to do more).  The ends justifies the means and sometimes leads to oodles of Os.

Enjoy!

Looking Out and Looking On

A rainy May day while I job hunt for a daytime gig and sift memories slowly.

Thursdays have been unofficially announced on the internet as being “Throwback Thursdays” so from time to time I contribute glimpses into both personal and overall nostalgia.  Sometimes it’s just enough to look up into the sky with the question “Why?” in your mind and know that there is no answer to follow.

Skyward Gazing

It’s been a minute, but I’ll offer the many different ways that you can take in my works across different media.

FaceBook page that I use for my photography, https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ebonsoul-Photos/227797643952140?ref=hl

On Instagram – RufusP

I haven’t done one in a while, but still have some of the intro level videos I was making for dance on Vimeo here – https://vimeo.com/user2343047/videos

Twitter – RufusPFunk

And thank goodness for archived information!  Here is most (not all) of the articles I’ve played the role of photojournalist with while freelancing with Central Track - http://centraltrack.com/Author/61/Brian%20Knowles

The sky has opened up so I figured today was as good a day as any to do the same.  Enjoy!

Nightlife Revisited

Freelancing for Central Track I’ve gotten to be witness to a lot of cool events and local talent.  It just so happened that I got to capture some of my friends from the band ISHI at the Granada Theater this past Friday.  Heard a lot of serious music from them and the homies from Booty Fade after witnessing a burlesque show (the latter is happening more and more these days).

ISHI at Granada 1

ISHI at Granada 2

ISHI at Granada 3

Sober and Picnictyme

Neon Indian

Conversation

Here are links to the rest of the album on my Ebonsoul Photos FB page.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.516698911728677.1073741836.227797643952140&type=3&uploaded=18

Working on a two important items for self this week so this week’s entries will be more picture than story, so please forgive the lack of words this go round.

I’m sure I’ll be forgiven.  

See you on Tuesday with more!  Enjoy!

Of Nature and Technology

The Austin trip has inspired me to look around me within every day life for the quiet meshes between nature and technology here in Dallas.

This city holds them, but I intend to flesh out the best as I can this summer.

The beginning is an excellent place to start.

La Luna Captured

Night Flowers

Trail to the Summit

Interwoven

Dear Purple Deer…

Against

Deep pulsing Techno sounds to emulate the feeling for the unseen must be played (and loudly).

Car wheels screeching to a halt on the irradiated pavement while the summer sun beats down.  The slow cacophony created by a singlet droplet of water upon the underground rail system near Cityplace Station.  Long howls of wind through tree branches growing through broken panes of abandoned warehouses.

The city’s heartbeat is strong, but where does it pound loudest?  That is what I have to find out.

The journey is afoot!

Movement as a Metaphor for Living

April has been both a month of celebration that also saw some parts despair mixed with equal parts of utter joy.  Just like the wheel (be it the wheel of life, wheels on a car, or the wheel of time) all things have come full circle.  I made a trek to Austin to enjoy closing out my birthday month and took in the state capitol as spring turns into summer.

I got to DJ that Wednesday night and Sunday afternoon and filled up my time during the rest of the trip looking for new spots and angles to capture the city with my lens.  The city seemed to enjoy my music and I have to say that I was just as enamored in return with them.  Never heard a cross word or caught a mean eye the entire time I was there.  To top it off, food there is amazingly fresh in its offering (as is the culture and how the city works).

Not saying that I’m packing my bags yet, but I will say that Austin is higher now on my list of possible places to entertain should I do so.

Synergy

Odds N Ends

Night Falls From Above

Requiem

Angled Gangster

From the top of Mt. Bonnell

After catching up with friends and taking in several new haunts and local eateries/dive bars, I made my way home back up I-35.  The path I took home winds right past the town of West, TX (the town affected by the fertilizer plant explosion).  As I often do, I took a small detour to take in some of small town Texas just to see what life is like.  This particular jaunt seemed a little more poignant (in light of the current facts).

These folks still need your help, but greater than that, they just need time to get through it all.  I witnessed firsthand how we Texans take care of our own in the faces and stories I heard this afternoon.  Help from as far away as Houston and even back here locally from Lewisville has been offered.  I even debated taken pictures at all and on two instances purposely turned my camera away to respect these people and the grief that they are going through.  Respect is of the utmost when it comes to these matters.

I was able to console one person and without words and just a hand on the shoulder did all that I could.  That quiet nod of understanding told me that it was appreciated.  I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t get a little misty eyed myself, but got through it all with a stern face as best I could.  I got through near the same emotion a day before remembering my deceased grandmother’s birthday.  I understand how grieving gets easier over time (although it’s never easy).

To bring the entry to an end, life is movement.  We sometimes are at the wheel guiding ourselves and choosing our speed accordingly.  Other times, we are tossed into the sea of life and left to the current’s mercy to control where and how fast we go.  You just can’t ever stop trying, though.  This last picture I took in Austin this weekend sums my new feeling on that topic quite nicely.

The Message

Life changed all the time.  Every minute, every day, every year.  We must ALL keep trying to move ahead in life.

Round and round we go, all.

Round and round we go.

(special shout out to the homie, J.T. Donaldson for this amazing track that I heard on a mix from damn near a decade ago from my friend recovering from his coma, John Walker)

 

Stomp!

Only two more entries before birthday month is up, but I had to give a nod to my friends here in Austin for helping me to enjoy turning 35 this year.

Escaped Dallas before the city went into lockdown with the opening of the Bush Library at SMU and left the chill (mostly) behind as well.  Caught up with some friends at Butterfly Bar and saw the fair East side of the city with some of AirBnB‘s freshest faces.

Only in Austin can you cross paths with a fetish meetup at the self-same venue and have a laugh at the thought of the two crossing ventures, haha.  Talk about keeping Austin weird!

Enjoyed a few spirits and made my way to Zocalo to dine properly and somehow got my order for FREE.  I still am unsure of how that happened, but I thank the young lady for the gracious offer and will have to pay it forward.

The madness of the evening and the ever present weird (but good) vibe lingered on as the night progressed.  When I got to my DJ gig, there were only a few people (and a few faces that I recognized).  Come 1 AM, the floodgates opened and the place packed in pretty nicely.  I thought Dallas partied late!  Obviously Wednesdays after 1 is the prime time here!  Here’s a few pics from the party:

The Boogie

Sexy Dancer

Boogie Bodies

Music Man

Let The Music Play

Austin Boogie Crew

Seated with a Smile

Triple Trouble

Will be playing later this weekend for a surprise second set somewhere here in Austin, but not sure of which location it will be yet.  It was a total last minute thing, but in the spirit of keeping Austin (and this week) weird, I was asked to play Chill Out and Yacht Rock.

The crate packing was fierce, but the Michael McDonald and Chicago were brought along to do the job as well.

If I could just live the Bohemian lifestyle and just take pics and play music wherever I went, I think I’d be the happiest ever.  It wouldn’t net a lot of money, but money doesn’t always equal happiness as I’ve found out over my 35 years here on planet Earth.

Sometimes you have to stomp your way through things instead of around them to really get that point, but it’s life.  The adventure is the payoff, not the end.

At least I believe so.  Today’s tune has been a constant song in my life ever since I was a little boy.  There has to be a reason.  Sometimes you have to do what the song says.

Keep stomping on, folks!

Nightdrive

Dallas is a twisted mess of a city at times, but still a habitat for humanity that offers greater growth (for those willing to work for it).  Taking on the theme of the city with a twist (pun intended), I came up with this:

Technicality

City Swirl 2

I put “City Swirl 2′ on Instagram and on my facebook and got a few requests to turn it into a better quality image and possibly sell it.  Going abstract sometimes is the quickest way to clarity it seems.  If you want to see more of my work on Instagram, look me up under my handle, Rufusp.

Speaking of clarity, I will be playing records down in Austin tomorrow night (and possible over the course of the weekend).  If you are in the Austin area tomorrow night then stop by Plush between 9 P – 2 A to hear me play alongside of the Austin Boogie Crew.  Funk, Disco, and Soul for your mind, your body, and your soul!

Peep the flyer here!

http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/p480x480/155684_10151571159530630_1610687368_n.jpg

My tales as a local event photographer continue as well.  Check out my latest story about Jake Shears’ (of Scissor Sisters fame) DJ set at It’ll Do in Central Track here:

http://centraltrack.com/Nightlife/3649/Shear-Madness/Scenes-From-Scissor-Sistors-Frontman-Jake-Shears-Saturday-Night-Itll-Do-Set

In regards to the mix I keep promising, it will be here, but I’ve dedicated myself to giving you something to bump loud and hard for the summertime days (and nights), so taking my time to make the selections and edits accordingly.  Trust me, it’ll be worth it.

I’d have shared all of this info last week, but with all the sadness in the world it wasn’t as pertinent a need as bringing up hope in a hurting world.

Sometimes a night drive is all that one needs to free the thoughts living inside your head.

Be good and see you on Thursday!