Pearl Jam’s 2024 Concert At Ruoff Music Center Noblesville Indiana
January 17, 2025
Seeing Pearl Jam In Concert
During the summer of 2024, I finally got to see Pearl Jam (my favorite band) in concert for the second time. The Ruoff Music Center (Noblesville, Indiana) concert was a make-up for the postponed 2023 show. The show was sold-out and was outstanding. The only other time I have seen this Seattle grunge bad was 20 years ago in Cincinnati.
Why I Am Glad I Didn’t Photograph The Band
Pearl Jam tops my must-photograph list. For the 2024 concert, I requested a photo pass through my main publication, CityBeat Cincinnati. We submitted our request to LiveNation (Ruoff), but they denied it. Of course, I felt disappointed. However, once the show began, I was glad I wasn’t photographing it. I had a ticket, and the experience was incredible. The first three songs were all back-lit with a giant white backdrop, making photography nearly impossible. After those songs, the lights came up, beautifully illuminating the band. If I had been photographing, I would have spent the first three songs struggling with the intentionally poor lighting.
After I submit my request to CityBeat, I wait until two weeks before the concert. Around that time, the editor submits the photographer’s name to the venue for approval. Between submission and the concert date, the venue coordinates with the publicist, manager, tour manager, or band to approve or deny the request. Occasionally, I receive notice of approval or denial a week in advance. More often, I get confirmation the day before the show. Nearly all concert photographers go through this process. In the end, whether I photographed it or not, the concert was fantastic.
