Doo Wop under the Moonlight

When I heard that the Doo Wop Project was coming back to the Moonlight Amphitheatre, it was a no-brainer that I would attend. Other than the venue, I had never really explored Vista. My friend Mona picked urbn (yes, that’s who it’s spelled) pizza for dinner (which also has a location near my house). The mashed potato pizza must be tried to be believed. Afters, cooler temperatures be damned as we got desert at Handel’s ice cream.



Yes, in southern California, we bundle up when it dips below 60 degrees.



The Moonlight Amphitheatre was decked out for the holidays, which paired with the cooler (!) temperatures helped make us all feel festive.



Yup, blankets. I’m sure you east coast readers feel sorry for us.



Once those Doo Wop Project harmonies began, everyone warmed up.



The Fab Five:



Charl before:



And after, as the spirit of Rudolph and the other reindeer took over:



It is so much fun to watch the joyous interactions that these guys exude every time they perform together.



Afterwards, I got to visit with them as they had to swat off the other audience members who were clamoring for autographs. I predict amazing things for Dwayne in the New Year!



The post will end with a little clip from one of my favorite numbers, “Shop Around.”



I need to find out where these guys shop! See more Doo Wop Project photos at my main website.

Doo Wop in the Desert

The other night I had the opportunity to see The Doo Wop Project in concert at the McCallum Theatre in Palm Desert. This is the fourth time I’ve seen them; does that make me a groupie?

We took a few shots before the concert. I can’t give enough praise for this talented quintet who are just about the nicest group of guys you could meet. Each one is uniquely gifted and together they create pure magic on stage.

There’s Charl:



Russell:



Dwayne:



and the two Doms:



Two Doms make it right!



The music will put a smile on your face and you’ll be singing it for days afterwards. Probably not as good they do, but you’ll still be singing.



Check out their tour schedule and get your tickets now!

See more McCallum Theatre photos at my main website.

Jersey Girl, Pt. 4

Today’s post is dedicated to just one evening’s activity: driving all the way out to BFE to the Moonlight Theatre in Vista to see The Doo Wop Project. It takes a lot to get me to Vista. Even though the group was minus the two Doms (Dominic Nolfi and Dominic Scaglione), it was a fantastic night of music and fun. How could you not be entertained with Dwayne Cooper’s singing, dancing, and flirting with the audience...



...and Tony Award nominee Charl Brown’s smooth moves and grooves:



Get Dwayne and Charl together and you can’t go wrong:



Nemo’s got nothing on Dwayne:



Five guys singing Doo Wop...it really must be heard (and seen) to be believed; especially when they “Doo-Woop-afy” the modern tunes, like Michael Jackson’s “The Way You Make Me Feel.” One of my favorites of the evening.



A change of costume:





Don’t try this at home, folks. You’ll throw your back out!



After the show we went backstage and got to meet Charl’s family. Just as nice as could be.



With Dwayne and Charl:



Melissa shows off yet another cute outfit:



This little video clip I shot on my crappy cellphone doesn’t begin to capture the evening, but I’m including it anyway. Charl making “Tears of a Clown” his very own:



Check out the Doo Wop Project’s tour schedule and make sure you catch them when they come to your area!

ONE more installment! Stay tuned!

See more Daveland photos at my main website.

Doo Wop, Fireworks, and an Earthquake, Pt. 2

When last we left The Doo Wop Project guys, they were posing at the Marina for the fans. Today’s post picks up right before the concert as Charl & Dom adjust their ties for showtime.



Dwayne is ready to wow them. And he does. Every time.



It’s pretty cool when the talent points right at you during the show. Thanks Dom!



Charl sings “The Tracks of My Tears” and makes it his own:





I love watching these guys dance. You can tell they are having fun and the make their moves look so effortless:



Dwayne is the ham of the group:



He is always busting a move:



He set off security when he leapt off the stage into the audience to dance; of course the audience loved it.



Oh that twirl:



Dom was the first Doo Wop member I got to know when we did a shoot in NYC a year ago:



But there are TWO Doms. This one does a rendition of “I Only Have Eyes For You” that gets me every time:



Russell’s falsetto is magical:



And what a wow of a finish. Fireworks! SOOOOOO much better than the aftershock quake we felt that caused the monitors on stage to sway.





Check out their tour dates. You should definitely catch these guys if they come to your city!

See San Diego more photos at my main website.

Doo Wop, Fireworks, and an Earthquake, Pt. 1

Over the 4th of July holiday weekend I had the incredible opportunity to shoot The Doo Wop Project during their performance with the San Diego Symphony. The outdoor venue is on the Marina and provides incredible views of downtown San Diego. Being able to also shoot the sound check was amazing; I was able to be on the stage and get every angle imaginable while they rehearsed with the Symphony.



On top of that, I got to hear them singing and watch their dance moves up close and personal. I couldn’t have asked for anything better!



Dominic Scaglione was the first member of the group that I met when I did a shoot with him in NYC at James Dean’s former apartment. The nicest guy you could imagine and talented beyond belief. Singer, writer, actor...one of those people that you know is on the verge of big things.



When Charl Brown sings “The Tracks of my Tears” you forget about Smokey Robinson. It’s that good.



This time around I got to know Dwayne Cooper, the personality of the group and dancer extraordinare. When he leaped off stage to dance with the audience, Security went crazy. It was a huge treat to watch him move on stage and sing those bass notes like nobody’s business.



The best part of the sound check was watching the camaraderie between the guys. Through their touring, rehearsing, and performing they have truly become a family.





Right before the show, we did a quick shoot of the guys in their tuxes with the Marina behind them right during the golden hour. Standing center are the other two huge talents of the group: Santino Paladino (the genius musical supervisor of the gang and the guy at the piano) and Russell Fischer (his beautiful tenor voice and falsetto high notes will blow you away!).



More to come…

See more San Diego photos at my main website.