Music in Frames, a Concert Photography Exhibition, Opens in Deep Ellum

With all the flak Deep Ellum gets about gentrification, violence and the revolving door of new businesses constantly opening and closing, it’s hard to argue that the historic neighborhood doesn’t always provide fertile ground for Dallas art.

For instance, Kettle Art Gallery, known as an epicenter for Deep Ellum creatives, has been successfully trucking along now for almost 20 years, helping just about every artist in the 75226 ZIP Code get their work from the sketchbook into local collectors' hands. Just down the road, Deep Ellum Art Company, at 3200 Commerce St., also hosts DIY art shows in conjunction with its busy live music schedule.

On Jan. 9, a photography exhibition titled Music in Frames: A Thousand Words of Sound will open at the venue, Curated by photographer and Dallas Famous Podcast host Andrew Sherman, the exhibition presents an ensemble of canonized North Texas music photographers including Mike Brooks, Vera 'Velma" Hernandez, our own staff writer Carly May Gravley, Madison Raney and Sherman. The show displays more than 40 framed photographs sharing the common theme of live music. Viewers can view and purchase framed pictures of music greats such as Mick Jagger and Lil Wayne, and locals such as The Old 97’s.

The show is the brainchild of Sherman, who had curated another art show for the venue several years ago. This time around, he wanted to focus exclusively on shots created by the live photography community around him. After having his work published online by Rolling Stone and Alternative Press within the past year, subsequently shooting Morgan Wade at Longhorn Ballroom and Jane’s Addiction at American Airlines, Sherman was approached again by Deep Ellum Art Company co-owner Kari La Rue about creating a new photography exhibition.

“This is my second show to curate, but my first-ever concert photography show,” Sherman says. “It was important to me to feature people who have never shown photos in a gallery before because for a lot of concert photographers, it never occurs to them to sell their work like this.”

For Sherman, doing creative work with Deep Ellum Art Company has been a major part of his success in Dallas. He started shooting live bands and showing his work there when the venue opened. It was during a hospital stay for an appendectomy that he sold his first piece at the venue, receiving the good news while laid up in a hospital.

“I feel like Art Co. gave me my first big break and I really cut my teeth there,” Sherman says. “In 2018 I was in the hospital with appendicitis, and I got a call that they had sold a piece of mine. It meant the world to me. I was in the hospital depressed, but I was in a good mood after that.”

Sherman moved to Dallas after spending a significant amount of time in Los Angeles as a professional musician with comedian Andy Dick’s band. As a former guitarist who played Woodstock '99, Sherman knows both sides of the lens when it comes to concert photography. The musician had always wondered what it would be like to be a concert photographer. He couldn’t be happier about leaving his music in LA and pursing concert photography as an art.
“I remember I’d go to concerts and see photographers working and just never thought I’d get to do that,” Sherman says. “It’s a challenge to sell anything artistic and especially concert photos. To buy one, you must first love the band and then like the photo, because you’re going to look at it all the time. I do have one of the coolest jobs in the world, though.”

Sherman’s other project, which he started in December 2022, came with the launch, production and publication of Dallas Famous. The podcast presents guests who embody the often cheeky phrase “Dallas famous,” recognizing this as a term of endearment and taking it in stride. Notable guests have included Tim DeLaughter of Tripping Daisy and Polyphonic Spree, Jaret Reddick of Bowling for Soup and actress Tina Parker of Breaking Bad. Last year, Sherman produced more than 30 episodes for the first season. Between snapping artists on stage and interviewing them for his show, Sherman tries to get the full picture of Dallas music. Giving back to this scene is part of his ethos as he credits his fellow photographers and musicians for inspiring him. Sherman is showing 16 photos in the exhibition and is donating some of the proceeds to the local nonprofit Foundation 45.

“I have two sets of Texas bands I’m showing. If they sell, all the proceeds for those sets will go directly to Foundation 45,” Sherman says. “Right now, the quality of photographers shooting live concerts in DFW is unrivaled. This show is a way to showcase in living, breathing print some fantastic art that is happening.”

As Sherman makes his way down to Deep Ellum Art Company on a rainy night in Dallas to put the final touches on hanging and curating the show, he ponders the future of the neighborhood that’s given him so much. For him, the music scene and people who have made Deep Ellum famous over the past 150 years mean something truly special, a rare story of independent art, change and survival.

“As long as there is a scene, there will be concert photography,” Sherman says. “The scene must survive for it to happen, though. I don’t know where we are at now, but the pure artisan vibe may be losing the battle. However, there’s a lot of artists that want to exist in a non-homogenized way and ultimately will survive.”

Music in Frames runs through March 9. Patrons can view and purchase works online through the Deep Ellum Art Company website. After the exhibition closes, Sherman plans to return to concert photography and his podcast while waiting for his next call.

"Where do you go from here? I guess I’m waiting for Rolling Stone to call,” Sherman says with a laugh. “My favorite quote [to say] about my work is, 'You will always sound great in my photos.'”

Music in Frames: A Thousand Words of Sound will have an opening reception from 7 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 9, at Deep Ellum Art. Company, 3200 Commerce St.