Life is a Cabaret Old Chum…

I had the fortune of helping one of my favorite charities last Friday. The Mt. Airy Art Garage was putting on a fund raiser to try and raise money to build out the studios they have planned for local artists to grow, learn and share their art (Feel free to donate to the cause!). The fund raiser was a cabaret and the singer was excellent! Michael Richard Kelly has a beautiful voice and he sang some of my favorite old tunes: “Where or When”, “Moonlight in Vermont”, and The Very Thought of You” to name but a few.

It is a rare event where the singer really grabs my attention in such a way that I almost have to concentrate on my job as a photographer. Mr. Kelly nailed it in such a way that I found myself wanting to put down my camera and just listen. My wife thinks my camera is permanently attached; he’s that good.

Added to the wonderful music was the atmosphere of an old building only half renovated into an art space, tables with candles, a great crowd, and a wonderful spring evening… heaven. Now of course I was there to photograph the event and the entertainment and I try to never miss a shot, but I have to say that this event was one of my favorite events to shoot, and to listen to, in a very long time.

From every benefit comes, well, a benefit! I don’t do work for the art garage to get my name up in lights, I do it because I believe in their goals. However, as a result of me shooting that evening I was contacted by couple of people to shoot other events. This is just another way that the Art Garage is giving back to the community, by helping others succeed with their art.

Life is a Caberet

Art, in all its forms, has always been a large part of Philadelphia. This event made me understand why the arts are so important to us all.  Mt. Airy as a community, the Mt. Airy Art Garage and the wonderful crooning of Michael Kelly touched me in a wonderful way that night and for that I thank you all.