Eightymillion

A DIY craft and photography blog. Dogs included.

Motley Crue The End – My Final Show (Concert Photography)

Tomorrow is Motley Crue’s cinema debut of their final show!  I’m traveling, with my boyfriend and a group of friends, to Rockford, IL to see the film. SO EXCITED!  Click here to see if there’s a theater near you.

It still feels a bit surreal that they’re done performing as a band.  But it’s okay they left us with a library of music to last a lifetime.

I was lucky enough to see them from the front row of their final tour.  My girlfriend is a master at scoring the best seats in the house!  It was there that I experienced my last Motley Crue show…ever.  And if you know me I was fully prepared to capture every single moment of it.

After sorting through somewhere around 400+ images (I kid you not) here’s 20 of my favorite.  All captured with my cellphone.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Until the next photo…

Motley Crue’s Final Tour

By now all you Motley Crue fans have heard the news.  Like the band said,  “All bad things must come to an end.”  If you missed the press conference click here.  Be sure to access their website for all of the press coverage.  I can recall attending several shows in Cedar Rapids, Iowa back in the late 80s.  About a year and a half ago a group of friends and myself saw them in Alpine Valley when they were on tour with KISS.  Excellent show!
Well, I’m happy to report that we’re going to see them on their final tour!  I’m beyond excited!  A friend of mine scored the best seats today.  I’m forever grateful for all the hard work she has put into this.  Notice the image above?  This was her text when the tickets were in her hand.  Are you with me?  We’ll be four rows from the stage!  {excited}  Alice Cooper will be the opening act.  Public ticket sales started today.  Hurry!  And if your are going, leave me a note in the comment section below as to what town you’ll be seeing them in.
So, after all the excitement we had today, I thought to myself…hmm…I never did share those photos from the show in Alpine Valley. I dug deep into my files, did a little editing, and poof!
Enjoy the pics and videos.  Warning:  The videos playback is VERY loud, so you may want to turn your monitor/phone volume down. A friend of mine captured an awesome shot of Nikki Sixx and his flame throwing bass.  With her permission I shared it below. 
P.S.  My friend’s husband is a blogger as well.  He documents the concerts that he’s attended over the years. If your a music junkie like me, check out his blog here.  He posted a review of Motley Crue’s show from an earlier date at the same venue we’ll be seeing them in this coming November.  I’ve never been to the iWireless Center, but it sounds like a great place.
Pre-Show:
You can’t go to a concert without a cool shirt!  Full tutorial here.
Listen to Sixx Sense.
It was a long drive to the venue, so I wanted everyone we passed on the road to know exactly where we were going!
Notice all the storm clouds.  Did I mention that it poured rain half way through the show?  No worries, it was still worth it.  Note to self:  pack a raincoat for next outdoor event.
My “Crue”
Showtime!
One very lucky girl from the crowd got to ride on the roller coaster drum set with Tommy Lee.
No show is complete until the confetti flies in the crowd!
Until the next Motley Crue show…
~Jennifer

DIY Inspiration: Make Your Own Band T-Shirt (For Concerts)

I’ve taken my creative ideas to a whole new level.  A handmade t-shirt designed by me!  And yes, I did wear this to the show last September.  Which reminds me, I never shared my pics, did I?  I promise a post this week.
Back to the shirt!  I went to see Motley Crue and KISS at Alpine Valley with a group of friends.  Knowing I was going to purchase a band shirt from the merchandise booth didn’t help me decide on what to wear to the show.  I really wished I had all of those in which I purchased from previous shows that I attended back in the 90’s.  I had looked around locally for one with no luck.  Online venue were selling out.  What’s a girl to do?
Make my own t-shirt!

Here’s what you need:
*Black t-shirt (I got mine at Michaels craft store for $2.00-it was on sale)
*White fabric spray paint (Michaels again.  Used a coupon so it cost me $6.)
*Stencils (I already had these on hand, but check your local Dollar Stores)
*Masking tape
**You may use any color you wish.  I’m just sharing what I used for this project.
The How To:
First wash the t-shirt.  This was my first time using fabric spray paint, so I followed the directions as stated. 
Using the ironing board I spread the t-shirt out flat.  Any flat surface will work.  I have a couple of t-shirts that have the stripes on the sleeves, so I thought I would create my own with this one.  I used six pieces of masking tape on each sleeve.  Three on the front and three on the back.  I simply eyeballed it when it comes to lining the tape up.  I don’t worry about perfection with stuff like this.  So, you may use a ruler if you want to make sure the stripes are evenly spaced.
I picked out the stencils that I needed to spell out the band name.  Using the masking tape I placed them on the front of the shirt where I thought they looked okay.  Repeat, I’m not picky with accurate placing.    

I applied the fabric paint to give it a blotchy look.  Make sure to shake the bottle well before using.  I let it dry overnight and then removed the masking tape. 
Both Motley Crue and KISS were using the hashtag #TheTour on Twitter, so I thought it was only proper to promote that on the back of the shirt.  I used a fabric pen for the wording. 
That’s it!  A simple project that cost me $6.  I was surprised at the quality of the t-shirt given the fact that I only paid $2. for it.  It’s still in great condition and I wear it a lot.
When you wash the t-shirt I recommend that you turn it inside out first.  And I only dry it for a couple of minutes in the dryer.  Enough to pull the wrinkles out.  
I have more shows planned this year.  Might just have to make another one.
Until the next word…
~Jennifer  

My Trip To Alpine Valley Music Theatre: Part One

Yesterday’s road trip was a BLAST!  A group of us went to go see The Treatment, Motley Crue, and KISS {“aka” The Tour 2012} perform live in Wisconsin at the Alpine Valley Music Theatre.  This was my first visit to this venue.  It was kinda scary because of it’s size, but it was fun!  I’m in need of sleep, so today’s post is very brief.  I just wanted to share a couple of pics that I took before the show.  Nature photography is oh so inspiring.
It was very hard for me yesterday to not pull my car off the road to take pictures.  The clouds were amazing and the trees had a wicked look to them.
When we reached our final destination I was happy to stand on the hood of my car to take photos.
See that large dark cloud in the middle.  He paid us a visit later on in the evening.  I’ll share more later.
Until the next word…{girl needs sleep}
~Jennifer