California Dreaming

When you walk along Santa Monica Beach, the last thing you expect to see is a young boy playing his heart out on a set of drums — on a sand dune.  This scene caught my attention, and I had to go and investigate.

(I didn’t see any roadies, so I can only imagine what a pain it was to get that drum kit across the beach and up that dune!)

Father and son were having fun.  The son had his headphones on and was playing along to the beat, while his dad videotaped him for a demo reel.  It’s California, and everyone has a dream.

This boy created the soundtrack to another California afternoon, while tourists and locals wandered along the shoreline oblivious to the hopes and dreams of this rising star.The sun shone on this performer like a spotlight, and the level of concentration intensified. 

The drumming stopped and restarted, as the father called “action” for take after take.

As the sun slipped down, the iconic image of the Lifeguard station created a silhouette against sky. The performer drummed his heart out, hoping to be an iconic image himself one day. 

(This is my entry for Photo Roulette #50, being hosted by GQ Trippin)

And because this is Tinsel Town, there’s always an alternative behind-the-scenes shot to shatter the mood. The romance of the beach setting offset by nearby development.I left father and son to finish their shoot, and took a parting shot of the big wheel and roller coaster ride at Santa Monica pier.
A moment in time, captured for posterity.  When this chap reaches notoriety, at his pinnacle of fame – I’ll let him use these photo’s for his album cover.