Columbia, South Carolina

By my rough estimate - come New Year's Eve - I will have seen over 600 bands play this year and that will put me somewhere over 5,000 bands over the last 10 years. I work the bar three nights a week at the New Brookland Tavern (Columbia's oldest continuously operating music venue) and I hang out there most nights I have off. If I'm not at the club, there is a good chance I've ridden my bike across town to some other show in the Soda City. Most of my friends play instruments and I feel I've become a character in the Frank Turner song, "The Ballad of Me and My Friends."

I've edited my year of photographing music in Columbia, South Carolina down to 75 images and this is the first of a three part series spanning January through March of 2012. This is just a miniscule glimpse of how the Soda City rocked in 2012.

Balance and Composure at the New Brookland Tavern - January 3, 2012

Concert Photography - Rise Against at the Township in Columbia SC

Rise Against at the Township Auditorium - January 22, 2012

The Menzingers Concert at The Township Auditorium: Columbia, SC The Menzingers at the Township Auditorium - January 22, 2012

A Day to Remember Columbia SC A Day to Remember at the Township Auditorium - January 22, 2012

Caroline Guitar Company 500 Party by Columbia SC Photojournalist and Concert Photographer Caroline Guitar Company 500 Party by Columbia SC Photojournalist and Concert Photographer Caroline Guitar Company 500 Party by Columbia SC Photojournalist and Concert Photographer Caroline Guitar Company 500 Party by Columbia SC Photojournalist and Concert Photographer Caroline Guitar Company party - February 5, 2012

House show at the Shred Quarters - February 9, 2012

Colour Revolt at New Brookland Tavern: West Columbia, SC Colour Revolt at New Brookland Tavern - February 10, 2012

Lydia Loveless

Lydia Loveless at the New Brookland Tavern - March 11, 2012

Burnt Books concert photography at The Art Bar on March 31, 2012

Burnt Books at Art Bar - March 31, 2012

Falling Off a Building, General Olglethorpe and the Panhandlers and Happiness Bomb at New Brookland Tavern on April 4, 2012. Photography by Sean Rayford

Happiness Bomb at the New Brookland Tavern - April 4, 2012

We Were Promised Jetpacks

We Were Promised Jetpacks at the New Brookland Tavern - April 16, 2012

Price Cannon, drummer for The Whiskey Gentry

The Whiskey Gentry at the New Brookland Tavern - April 13, 2012

Dan "Soupy" Campbell of The Wonder Years

The Wonder Years at the New Brookland Tavern - April 14, 2012

Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit

Jason Isbell at The River Rocks Festival - April 14, 2012

Tim Barry at the New Brookland Tavern - April 19, 2012

Olivia Tremor Control at New Brookland Tavern: 2012

Olivia Tremor Control at The New Brookland Tavern - April 20, 2012

Hanging out with the dudes at New Brookland April 25, 2012

New Brookland Tavern - April 25, 2012

Bonus! Here's the last band I photographed in 2011: Ye Mighty during soundcheck for their performance as Queen on New Year's Eve at New Brookland. Beth cuts my hair and I saw John Vail, who plays in Wretched (right) last night at a Christmas party. I've photographed Isaac (left) more than any other human being. Stay tuned for "How the Soda City Rocked in 2012 - Part 2"