Chattanooga has a groove all its own. With multiple summer concert series, music venues and notable events like Riverbend, the beat goes on. Putting camera in focus and pen to paper, native Chattanoogans are making noise in the national music media.
Most recently, Allie Clarke, a local concert photographer for Track 29, had pictures she took at the Avett Brothers sold-out December show published on RollingStone.com. Clarke said she has been photographing bands for the past two years, but it wasn’t until Track 29 hired her in August that her subjects helped elevate her career.
“I really wanted a job to get my name out there at a local venue that would host national talent,” Clarke said.
Another Chattanoogan who now lives in New York City helped make that happen. Julie Holder, the online photo editor for RollingStone.com, said that as she built the gallery, she looked back to her hometown for inspiring images. To Clarke’s delight, Holder found her photographs. Good news for Clarke, as Holder plans to revisit Track 29 for future projects.
“In Chattanooga, everyone who goes to shows is passionate about [the music], so it’s really neat to capture the crowd’s responses and visa versa,” said Clarke. She said that the energy felt here isn’t always present at shows in larger cities, where there is more steady entertainment to be found.
Rachael Maddux also celebrates the local music scene, even though she has left our Scenic City behind. As an associate editor at Paste Magazine, Maddux hasn’t forgotten her hometown, penning a glowing review for Moonlight Bride’s last album, “Myths,” and referencing Chattanooga in her weekly “Listen Up” column. Check it out Mondays on pastemagazine.com.