Of all the things I’ve never really done with concert photography, hanging out with the band all day is, well, was, certainly one. Recently I got to fix that travesty when Rachel Stacy asked me to come shoot her at a private event at Tannahills. Cowboys Helping Cowboys was hosting their 2025 charity event with Ms Stacy and the band closing out the night.

So, last Friday (2/14) I hauled my happy self to the Stockyards in Ft Worth to take pics and be there for the entire day. Now, I’m not overly familiar with the stockyards, but with Tannahills becoming the go to concert venue these days, I guess it’s time we met. Ya know, get that out of the way.

Now, getting to do it spending the day with Rachel Stacy? Yea, I was looking forward to this.

Check in time around 3pm and slowly the band comes in and gathers up on the stage, load after load slowly filling up the area. I gear up and walk around shooting various corners and looking at my screen as if all that means something.

Sound check eventually rolls around and I get to do more homework before the nights actual show. Rachel and the band come out running through a few songs. Even in sound check, Ms Stacy can’t help but be animated and into it.

There’s just something special about the artists who are always on. And to be sure, Rachel Stacy is always “on”, and it’s an amazing thing to watch.

Sound check done and we all migrate to the green room and wait MANY hours til showtime. Here is where you really get a chance to know the band. What they do, when they did it, how many times can’t stop doing it…

And it just goes on and on, but I loved it. It was band small talk, but you get to get a lot of history if you just sit and listen, asking a few well-placed questions from time to time.

You see the range Adam Schwem’s guitar playing has because you start tossing strange songs at him to practice while backstage.

FYI – he got ’em all.

You get to play “is that cauliflower or chicken?” with Rachel.

Sometimes, I still don’t know.

You take some pics backstage in the hallway thinking “what in the HELL am I going to do with these”?

Hey, before it was all said and done, it worked. Damn well.

As the night progressed, dignitaries and guests would come and go through the greenroom, and I’d just sit and watch as if I had reason to be there. To be honest, I was mostly concerned that next bite would be cauliflower and that would be more than I could handle at the time.

With Rachel back in the dressing room getting ready, it was time to gear up and prepare for the show and as many live shots as I could get. New venues are always a challenge, and you seldom get them figured out first run through.

And I didn’t.

I can usually do good enough, but there’s always a part of me saying “do it better, next time”.

Showtime now with Rachel and the band hitting the stage. With Ms Stacy, its instant energy and attitude as she goes into her role on stage to entertain the audience. The energy is obvious. The attitude well, it’s more confidence as she leaves it all on the stage by the time the night is done.

Songs from the night included

Damn You Look Good
Til You Have To
Vegas
Simple Man
Lotta Loving Left to Do
Hot Mess
Always Something
Moon Turns In
Devil Went Down to Georgia

Joining Rachel on stage was Dave Samsel, founder / tournament director at Cowboys Helping Cowboys singing a stellar rendition of Shallow.

The night came to a close and I packed up gear and got my round of goodnight hugs in. In my mind, the day was a total success, and I got to learn so much more at Rachel Stacy and the band.

Now, while it was a blast to hang out with the band for the day and I got to pick up some interesting facts, I am certainly looking forward a far more in depth interview than chicken and cauliflower exchanges.

How about it, Ms. Stacy – up for “an evening with iceberg” type of an interview? 🙂 You see, as far as interviews go, I wanna “do better” next time!

photos by me.