Photo collection chronicles the music scene

METRO DETROIT — In one photo, Elton John — at the piano in his signature glitter ’70s glasses — serenades the audience.

In another picture, a leather-clad, spiky-haired Billy Idol rebel yells before the crowd.

The images are among the 70 black-and-white pictures, from noted music photographer Larry Hulst, currently on display at the Lorenzo Cultural Center. Music fans can check out the exhibit “Front Row Center: Icons of Rock, Blues and Soul” from now until Sept. 27. Hulst’s collection includes the Grateful Dead, Chuck Berry, Eric Clapton, B.B. King and many more.

“The hallmark of his work is his ability to evoke the raw energy and emotion of the concert experience,” a Lorenzo Cultural Center press release stated.

The Lorenzo Cultural Center is located on the campus of the Macomb Community College Center Campus, 44575 Garfield Road. “Front Row Center” is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, and on select Saturdays: Sept. 9, Sept. 16 and Sept. 23. There is no cost to attend.

“The photo exhibit brings the world of rock, blues and soul to our door and takes our patrons to the lights and excitement of the live music scene from 1970 through 1999,” William Wood, director, MCC Cultural Affairs and Community Engagement, said in a prepared statement. “The stunning photography by Larry Hulst captures the high energy and enthusiasm of some of our greatest performers from Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix to David Bowie and Lauryn Hill.”

Since the 1960s, Hulst has photographed famous rock bands, blues legends and soul artists as they performed live on stage. Over the years, his work has been so well received that magazines and record companies have tapped into his talents.

One photo of blues great Muddy Waters taken in March 1973 was featured in a Rolling Stone magazine issue that year celebrating Waters’ birthday. Another shot of Hendrix performing at the Golden Raceway in Sacramento, California, in 1970 was used on Hendrix’s compilation album “South Saturn Delta,” released in 1997, many years after the guitar legend died.

Hulst began taking photos of his favorite bands after serving in the U.S. Navy as a corpsman during the Vietnam era. In the early days of capturing live music, Hulst didn’t bother to obtain press credentials. He would just hang with the other fans and take snapshots.

“I didn’t know anything about access. I would just buy a ticket. The shows were very cheap. You could see three bands for $6,” he said. “I was a fan first and then I had a camera with me. I started out only shooting for myself.”

Hulst’s photography career began before the digital age, and a roll of film would last a long time.

“During the first 10 years, a lot of times, I’d have a roll of film or two with three or four bands on it,” said Hulst, of Colorado Springs.

And he always preferred black-and-white photography as opposed to color. One reason: It was less expensive. Hulst also appreciates the simplicity of black-and-white photos.

“Color photographs are busy,” he said. “Black, white and gray makes it simple.”

In 1973, Hulst began selling his photographs to the public. He set up shop in front of a Tower Records store in Sacramento, California. He made $3 each for every photo he sold.

“I put a blanket out. I’d have 100 pictures by artists on the ground,” the photographer said. “The artist that made me money was always Led Zeppelin.”

Hulst hopes the Lorenzo exhibit will give people a chance to reminisce about the concerts they’ve attended themselves. Rolling Stones fanatics, for example, will appreciate an image of guitarist Keith Richards jamming at University Stadium in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in 1997. At another time, Hulst caught Pete Townsend’s jump moves on stage at the Who’s March 27, 1976, show at Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco.

“It’s always memories (of fans) who say, ‘I was at that venue,’ or ‘I was at that show,’” Hulst said. “I caught history, basically. (Artists) come and go. They’re only here for a certain period of time.”

Sadly, some artists Hulst captured on stage are no longer with us. There’s a close-up shot of INXS singer Michael Hutchence at Arnold Hall, U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs in 1997, taken just four months before he died. It will be 1975 all over again for Lynyrd Skynyrd fans with a photo of singer Ronnie Van Zant — at the microphone in a cowboy hat — performing at Winterland Ballroom.

Decades after he began taking pictures, Hulst’s work is still in demand.

“I just had a phone call from Rhino Records about an unreleased Doors album,” he said. “I shot them in San Diego. I got a phone call that they’re using (the photo.) I didn’t think this is something I’d be doing at 76 years old.”