At the Barricade by James Morehead

Experience the thrill of live music in this limited edition book (50 signed & numbered copies) featuring the photography and poetry of James Morehead (Poet Laureate – Dublin, CA).

“At the Barricade”, which first appeared on SF Chronicle’s TotalSF, features vibrant color photographs of thirty-nine artists performing at nineteen concert venues across the San Francisco Bay Area, plus poems by the author.

At the barricade

Packed in the Fillmore, hordes of t-shirts, no
signs of color just shades of ebony. 
Crushed bodies at the barricade below, 
my refuge above in the balcony

where I wait for blackout and tell-tale beams 
guiding shadows to the stage. Guitars are
slung on shoulders, a pair of drumsticks seem
to float on fog from hidden reservoirs. 

The crowd erupts, flash pots trigger war cries
and from the first, deep, subwoofer rumble
we are one. Speaker towers amplify
each beat, chord, strum, and lead singer mumble.

I lose myself in the torrent of sound, 
flashing color, seething masses—spellbound.

(premiered on the SF Chronicle TotalSF podcast)

James Morehead is Poet Laureate of Dublin, California. James has published two collections of poetry: “canvas” and “portraits of red and gray“. James’ poem “tethered” was transformed into an award-winning hand drawn animated short film, “dissolving in the gallery” was set to music for baritone and piano, and his poems have appeared on NPR, SF Chronicle’s Total SF, Ignatian Literary Magazine, Cathexis Northwest Press, Beyond Words Magazine, The Citron Review, Prometheus Dreaming, and others. He also hosts the Viewless Wings Poetry Podcast which features interviews with poets and artists. “James Morehead’s imagery is vivid, spare and elemental, and it is consistently chosen and arranged to achieve intensely poetic effects. The rhythmic control is impeccable.” – Carmine Di Biase, Distinguished Professor of English, Emeritus – Jacksonville State University