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Bob Boilen's Favorite Concert Photos Of 2014

Ty Segall on stage at the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C.
Bob Boilen
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NPR
Ty Segall on stage at the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C.

I go to so many shows, and for years I've been taking photos with my phone and posting them on my Instagram account @tinydesk. But a few months into 2014 I bought one of those tiny little mirrorless cameras by Sony. Then I caught the photo bug pretty bad (or good). I bought a few lenses, one for those nights when the club has one red LED on the performer and then another lens for when I can't get close enough. I could capture moments of action, moments that told a story and a lot of flying hair. There's something about having been to so many shows, hearing so much music, that I feel able to anticipate some of the action. The camera also has wireless in it, so I can send it to my phone and post it online before I even leave the club. I love it. Below are some of my favorites. Enjoy.


Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds at Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C.

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Lorde at Echostage in Washington, D.C.

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St. Vincent at the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C.

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Haim at the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C.

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Boris at the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C.

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Courtney Barnett at the Black Cat in Washington, D.C.

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Potty Mouth at the Rock & Roll Hotel in Washington, D.C.

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Jack White at Merriweather Post Pavillon in Columbia, Md.

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Benjamin Booker at The World Cafe/WXPN in Philadelphia, Pa.

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Colin Stetson at the Kennedy Center's Millennium Stage in Washington, D.C.

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Pokey LaFarge at The Birchmere in Alexandria, Va.

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Moon Hooch at Gypsy Sally's in Washington, D.C.

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Highasakite at the Black Cat in Washington, D.C.

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Sylvan Esso at the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C.

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Lucius at the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C.

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Kraftwerk at the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C.

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The Flamingos at the Bethesda Blues & Jazz Supper Club in Bethesda, Md.

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Seun Kuti at the Howard Theatre in Washington, D.C.

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George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic at the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C.

George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic 9:30 Club Washington, D.C. Photo by Bob Boilen for NPR Music
Bob Boilen / NPR
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NPR
George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic 9:30 Club Washington, D.C. Photo by Bob Boilen for NPR Music


Willie Nelson at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Md.

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Valerie June at the Newport Folk Festival in Newport, R.I.

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Rodrigo Amarante at the Sixth & I Synagogue in Washington, D.C.

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Watkins Family Hour with John C. Reilly and Tom Brousseau at the Jane Pickens Theater in Newport, R.I.

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Perfect Pussy at the Rock & Roll Hotel in Washington, D.C.

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Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue at the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C.

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Ex Hex at the Black Cat in Washington, D.C.

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Mavis Staples at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.

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The Orwells at the Black Cat in Washington, D.C.

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Bo Ningen at Pianos, New York, NY

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Sunflower Bean at Pianosin in New York, NY

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The Shackeltons at Muchmores in Brooklyn, NY

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Son Lux at the Gamla Bio in Reykjavik, Iceland

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James Blake at the Lincoln Theatre in Washington, D.C.

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Trey Anastasio at the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C.

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Cymbals Eat Guitars at DC9 in Washington, D.C.

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Gogol Bordello at the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C.

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Gogol Bordello at the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C.

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Bob Boilen / NPR
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In 1988, a determined Bob Boilen started showing up on NPR's doorstep every day, looking for a way to contribute his skills in music and broadcasting to the network. His persistence paid off, and within a few weeks he was hired, on a temporary basis, to work for All Things Considered. Less than a year later, Boilen was directing the show and continued to do so for the next 18 years.