Who Shot Rock and Roll: The Exhibit

Music is one of the few things in this world that can be claimed as universal. Regardless of a person's native language, the language of notes on paper can be read anywhere in the world. Among the most exciting and influential of music is that of Rock and Roll, a catch-all term used to cover a very broad spectrum of music dating back from the 50's. While most professors and teachers will claim that Rock music encompasses a specific type of music with specific emphasized beats, history itself shows that rock is more than just the notes on the paper; Rock and Roll is and has always been a lifestyle. For myself, Rock music has been a guiding factor in my personality, and I know many others can claim the same.

There should be no surprise, then, that the new exhibit from The Annenberg Space for Photography has been one of the most anticipated so far. Entitled "Who Shot Rock and Roll," the theme carries visitors from the earliest beginnings of the genre, with photographs of superstars before they had made their breakthroughs, to its current status as a major international medium. The gallery is broken down into eight sections, each with a specific theme or goal in mind.

Perhaps the biggest change from the past few showcases is that this current display sticks mostly to the photography itself rather than adding in a ton of interactive elements. There are a few headsets available to viewers to listen in on artists at a few key places in the gallery, but gone are the 3D slideshows or retouching booths from past exhibits. The gallery itself has also undergone some minor changes, with fresh red walls and prints covering the outside windows to hold the mystery until visitors actually step inside the front doors. On this opening weekend, this was also one fo the few times I have seen stanchions outside for lines of crowds, though thankfully it was simply "steady" instead of all-out crowded and everyone was able to walk right in.

I found the themes to flow nicely, with some fantastic prints of both never-been-seen and wildly popular photos mixing in. Right off the bat is the "before they were stars" section with some great candids of Elvis Presley and Madonna, among many others. Displayed were everything from top-of-the-line prints to polaroids shot at randoms parties with the musicians. I felt the themes this time around flowed very well, with specific purposes that were well chosen. I did not noticed too many photos that seemed "off-theme," as has been a bit of an issue the past few shows.

I did have to say that for a gallery of Rock and Roll stars, there was the issue of having too many photos that focused on people that really should not have been part of the genre. While I do enjoy Tupac and B.I.G., they really aren't "Rock," and certainly should not have been in the exhibit that already had a distinct lack of Sabbath, Dio, CCR, Metallica, and many others. It certainly showed a bit of discord that the music industry has with its fans in trying to lump all artists of pop culture into one genre (though I did get some amusement from mothers trying to hide their small children from a giant print of Eminem's firecracker penis made famous by Dave LaChapelle).

I also felt as though the one overall idea the exhibit insisted on was not met. Several times, visitors are presented with the notion that while the musicians or photos may be famous, the photographers themselves are not. The exhibit claims itself to give tribute to the unknown artists that captured these iconic images. If that is the case, then why in the world are there giant prints from David LaChapelle, Annie Liebowitz and Rolling Stone photographers in this gallery? It seems contradictory, and I feel the exhibit would have been better presented as simply a wonderful look at the genre through the its evolution rather than trying to hype unknown photographers.

Those issues I had with the gallery were small nitpicks, however. Overall, I did really enjoy the display, and it's great to see some great icons being shown in the gallery. The documentary video itself was great and insightful as always, and I have to give credit to the makers for actually getting Noel Gallagher to do interviews for it! There were some fantastic shots among the walls, a favorite of mine being a shot of one lone eye looking in a rear-view mirror, unmistakably owned by Paul McCartney. Such images show just how much of a force some of these icons have begun, and how recognizable they have made themselves to even the novice music listener. While there were some omissions I felt hurt were inexcusable (not one shot of Dio throwing up the horns, the biggest symbol of the genre today), the exhibit is still a must-see for anyone that has grown up with these artists in their lives.

The Annenberg Space will carry the show through October, so there will be plenty of time to see it this summer. Just make sure to crank up some Steppenwolf on the way to get in the mood for the showcase!