Frank Mesina Photography

Frank Mesina Photography Shoots shows in Chicago. Concert photography.

Hi everyone,I’m helping my dad sell his car. If you’re interested, feel free to DM me on Messenger or text me.If you kno...
08/11/2025

Hi everyone,
I’m helping my dad sell his car. If you’re interested, feel free to DM me on Messenger or text me.
If you know someone who might be interested, please send them my way.

I’m currently out of state on vacation, but I can still accept deposits to hold the car. I’m also open to weekly or monthly payment plans.

Asking Price: $3000
Deposit:$800
Vehicle Details:
• 2016 Honda Civic EX-L 4-door Sedan (CVT)
• 145,971 miles
• Clean title
• No mechanical issues
• Automatic transmission
• 4-cylinder engine
• AC and Bluetooth fully functional

First come, first served.
Please only reach out if you’re ready to make a deposit

Victoria has been an incredible creative collaborator throughout multiple Knee-Hi’s shows, especially on their recent gi...
08/10/2025

Victoria has been an incredible creative collaborator throughout multiple Knee-Hi’s shows, especially on their recent gig, where she took on the ambitious role of designing the entire stage aesthetic alongside her talented crew. The energy she brought, as always, was infectious, transforming the space with towering cardboard typography, bubbly champagne, the sweetest of cake frosting, and my personal favorite touch, a flurry of bubbles that set the perfect tone for an evening of DIY whimsy.

Was it a marathon of prep work before and cleanup after? Absolutely. During the show? That too. Victoria somehow also found time to capture photographs purely out of generosity while cheering on her pals on stage. Talented and armed with a sharp and creative eye, Victoria’s the kind of vibrant creative that any group of like minds would love to have on their side.

Images 3-12 showcase her incredible work (seriously, look at #3!), while my images (1, 2, 13) are examples of catching her at work while having a great time doing it ALL.

Thanks as always, Victoria 🙌🏼

What began as a brief set at The Burlington became the defining highlight of my Sunday evening. Mr. Softheart delivered ...
07/29/2025

What began as a brief set at The Burlington became the defining highlight of my Sunday evening. Mr. Softheart delivered a short performance, but every minute resonated with the kind of experience that immediately brought me back to the new wave, post punk sounds that first captured my imagination years ago and is so unique these days.

The band’s sound felt both nostalgic and incredibly present, with Nick Fisher’s distinctive vocals cutting through the atmospheric haze with haunting clarity, while Halen Becker’s crisp backing vocals and acoustic guitar work provided the perfect counterpoint, adding organic warmth to the electronic foundation, (I can’t say I’ve seen synths play so nicely with an acoustic) which she also threw down with when needed. John Fisher’s synths provided slightly industrial undertones that weaved through 80s cinema-worthy synthesizer work that could have scored a many a movie back then, while Charlie Patterson’s guitars added another layer of texture, completing their immersive sonic effort.

The artists maintains an enigmatic presence that I can’t explain. Despite being neighbors from Iowa (next door in Midwest terms), they maintain an air of mystery that rivals any band I’ve photographed. Maybe because of the inherent moodiness of their music, or their relative newcomer status to Chicago’s music scene, or even their somewhat understated social media presence that keeps them just out of reach, always leaving you wanting to know more. Hoping I caught a tiny bit of their intangibility Sunday night.

That mystique is precisely what will draw me back to their next show. In a world where artists often overshare and demystify themselves, Mr. Softheart understands the power of remaining just slightly out of focus, present enough to captivate, distant enough to intrigue. Their brief set didn’t just set the tone for my Sunday, but left me looking out for their early return.

Full gallery link in bio ⚡️

When I photograph a band for the first time, I’m either excited or nervous. If im lucky im both. Excited to see how much...
07/27/2025

When I photograph a band for the first time, I’m either excited or nervous. If im lucky im both. Excited to see how much im able to capture their energy, both over the top and nuance. Nervous that I wouldn’t, or worse I can’t. Photographing Alvilda was pure joy from start to finish. Fresh from France on their first American tour, this band brought such infectious energy that my usual pre-shoot nerves melted away completely. Their relaxed, fun-loving vibe had me shooting with more confidence and clarity than I’ve felt in ages.

Their sound is a delightful throwback: pop-influenced rock with twee undertones, all wrapped up in jangly guitars and dancing bass lines. The music has this heavenly (actually a bit like the artists Heavenly) quality that’s become increasingly rare. Even with my terrible high school level French, I could feel the happiness radiating from their lyrics, themes of innocence and joy that felt genuinely refreshing in the current state of this world.

There’s something magical about capturing a band that’s genuinely having fun on stage, and Alvilda was overflowing with that spirit. Unspoiled and far from cynical. They reminded me why I fell in love with concert photography in the first place: those moments of hope, aspiration, and genuine passion.

Full gallery link in bio ⚡️

Someone once told me that there’s a lot of music out there, much of it bad. That’s precisely why the Knee-Hi’s were form...
07/16/2025

Someone once told me that there’s a lot of music out there, much of it bad. That’s precisely why the Knee-Hi’s were formed they said: to bring balance to the often harsh reality of today’s music scene. Interestingly, I was the one who said that to my own agreeable self.

I also like to think that concert photos are really just opportunities to capture portraits of people doing what they love. These candid shots function like portraits, and I’ve started trying to do this at every show for better or worse by isolating individuals and zooming in tightly. My aim to capture images that would look great in a bygone yearbook, on LinkedIn (I mean there should be more originality on LinkedIn) or granny’s kitchen.

All of that aside, the Knee-Hi’s have always been top portrait models (albeit maybe unintentionally so), and no one can deny their wide-eyed, wide-angled need to freeze images of the most fun and creative chaos I’ve seen on stage. To capture the environment, the fans, and the important people in their lives. This set truly was a friendly, celebratory affair.

So, with lesser ado than my normal intro, here are the Knee-Hi’s in all their frosted, bubbly, and gloriously grimy selves celebrating the release of their new 2nd album, “Razzle Dazzle”, cementing 5 new favorited tracks and counting, at the Empty Bottle.

Note: From spritely Victoria’s serious stage design direction to ever-ethereal Ashley, a Knee-Hi alum, their presence made the night even more stunning and nostalgic in the best of all ways.

Full gallery link in bio.

Photographing Los Bitchos again after three years IS like catching up with international friends who happen to be some o...
07/11/2025

Photographing Los Bitchos again after three years IS like catching up with international friends who happen to be some of the best musicians I’ve heard. The first time at the Empty Bottle, I knew something special was happening, but Lincoln Hall proved their extraordinary sound hadn’t lost a singular technical note in three years that felt like six. Or seven.

Watching Serra, Agustina, Josephine, Nic, and Ryan, this international crew weave their cumbia style without saying a word, each song transporting the entire venue somewhere back into the heart of Columbia circa 1970, though I can be wrong with the place and time) Their technical skills have gotten ridiculously tight, layering sounds that somehow feel both ancient and futuristic. It’s cumbia, but not really. It’s surf rock, but also not. They’ve created their own universe where Colombian rhythms meet whatever else they feel like throwing in the mix. No lyrics needed.

After shooting countless bands across several genres in the spectrum I photograph within, Los Bitchos have surfaced the most unique sound I’ve ever captured through my lens. They’re not chasing trends or trying to fit into any boxes. Just being themselves, and themselves happens to be absolutely perfect. Even eight years later.

Full gallery in bio link.

No matter how much I attempt to capture the essence of the Jett girls, photos, videos, and cheeky write-ups all fall sho...
07/01/2025

No matter how much I attempt to capture the essence of the Jett girls, photos, videos, and cheeky write-ups all fall short of conveying their true impact. Just like books or cinema, returning to their work repeatedly reveals new layers of their performance art and music that a single close encounter simply can’t convey. Multiple experiences really are a must.

With my posts, you see them frozen in carousels, brought to life in video reels highlighting their appeal, and snippets of their tracks accompanying each post as I try to capture how it actually feels to experience their live performance when you just can’t make it to the venue. I like to think I get closer with each gig, but realized I always leave something out.

What do I miss? Often, I miss highlighting their writing abilities and like the other examples I’ve laid out, this too is just a taste of the whimsical, ominous, whimsical storytelling you get from the Jett Girls. In particular, there’s part of a verse in their track “Toaster” that held the lyrical top spot of ‘24 for me.

“All the toast is burnt and so is my face,
And my arms and legs aren’t in the right place,
My head feels soft, oozy and wet,
And I’m speaking in Greek alfahaabeTTT!”

Pair this verse with descending waves of a bassline that pull you downward, only to brashly throw you back up to the edge of soaring guitars, and there you have it.

Like the photos, stories, narratives, and now lyrics, you just need to attend their next show to see it all come together in the best DIY fashion this side of Andromeda. Another celestial reference to their appeal I’ll never forget.

Unless they command me to, of course.

Note: I don’t think I’ve ever written about my editing process, so here it is: I haven’t had more fun editing a set like this in years. For shoots, I have a rough ratio of “keeper-photos” vs all the shots taken at a show. This set blew the ratio’s previous numbers into cute little pieces thanks to the JGs and has me for the first time questioning B&W.

Cheers to the Playwright, Dragon, and Liena. 🛸

Full COLOR set in bio.

Photography captures fleeting moments, those granularities that can become priceless when caught at just the right insta...
06/21/2025

Photography captures fleeting moments, those granularities that can become priceless when caught at just the right instant. While video records the complete experience, having two photographers shooting at times from the same vantage point is the best of both show worlds.

For the Sleigh Bells show, I knew I needed video coverage beyond the brief clips I usually capture while focusing on stills. With Sleigh Bells, video felt essential to truly capture the energy, so I needed another photographer willing to help with filming, and Mickey Dennis was an immediate choice.

Mickey, also a talented musician I’m lucky to know, agreed to my last-minute request to shoot video. After a full day of work and her own band practice (I can’t wait to photograph her second band), she still braved the inevitable traffic nightmare of a Cubs home game and walked multiple blocks to reach the Metro. Among all the highlights of that show, swapping lenses and chatter with her throughout the night ranks as one of my favorites.

Photography is typically a solitary pursuit, but having someone like Mickey literally at your back shooting makes the entire experience richer and more complete.

Before the show, she shared how attending would be a full-circle moment for her since she had once covered “Rill Rill” in her very first performance. Given Sleigh Bells’ place in my own origin story and the full-circle journey that’s brought me to where I am today, Mickey was the obvious choice.

Thanks again, Mickey!

.menace

Being backstage carried all the expected intimacy and privilege you’d imagine, but what caught me off guard was how fami...
06/18/2025

Being backstage carried all the expected intimacy and privilege you’d imagine, but what caught me off guard was how familiar it felt despite rarely shooting on stage. I’ve been pulled up once to shoot mid-show before, and it disoriented me in a great way, but I’d never planned to shoot from there. With Sleigh Bells, it required that tiny bit of boldness: asking them to see their show from a completely different vantage point. So, what’s familiar about something I rarely do?

Despite Metro’s size, shooting from the stage created this unexpected, SMALL venue atmosphere. The proximity of Alexis Krauss and Derek Miller felt like being transported to those tiny clubs where you’re practically on stage with the band. I was mesmerized by how the crowd interacted with Alexis, with show-goers acting as a mirrored backdrop of what I normally see. I now understood what it must have been like to witness Sleigh Bells at their smaller shows in the early days. It was chaotic, raw, and untethered physicality graced the night.

There’s something perfectly poetic about capturing photos at Chicago’s iconic venue with the artists who inspired me to photograph musicians with artistic intention: to document something beautiful on stage. The critical focus required when Alexis is on stage has never been more on display, with FOMO hitting hard every time she sailed past my lens. The shoot was unpredictable, a bit messy, and full of energy that made early shoots fun, unconcerned with predictable angles thanks to the freedom and access given, making the show dizzyingly surreal.

You know that moment when you reach the peak of an experience and everything feels somehow possible? Meeting them backstage was IT. When asked if I was “ Frank the photographer,” it mentally brought me down, full circle, to my fanboy knees.

Special thanks to .menace who had the ability to make the show even better. Something special about having another photographer around who gets the music, the shoot, and is just a great presence. Much more on Mickey and her work in Post 2 of 2.⚡️

Post 1 of 2. Full gallery in bio!

What a magical Saturday evening at Alice’s birthday celebration. Walking into her living room, it was immediately clear ...
06/10/2025

What a magical Saturday evening at Alice’s birthday celebration. Walking into her living room, it was immediately clear this wasn’t going to be an ordinary birthday party. The space was completely transformed, with cozy seating facing the stage, and intriguingly, a purple curtain closed off early arrivals like me, filling me with mysterious notions and anticipation.

Alice emerged glowing with excitement, ready to share something clearly personal: her first written play, “Flightless Bird”, a love story adventure filled with charm. Alice’s script came alive under her direction, elevated by each performer bringing their unique talents to her words. Costumes put together with love and ingenuity, resourceful props, lighting effects that proved you don’t need a big budget to create atmosphere. The whimsical, endearing nature of the whole production, combined with the genuine talent and heart everyone brought, created something special.

What made tonight truly extraordinary was witnessing how she had brought together this incredible ensemble of performers from across an artistic community. Seeing the Knee-Hi’s and Jett Girls, Alice’s sister, major talent from Winona Driver alumni and Foggy Notion Physical Theater, all gathered in one intimate space felt like watching separate creative worlds beautifully collide.

What struck me most was seeing artists I’ve encountered in different venues all coming together to celebrate Alice. This evening perfectly showcased the creative brainpower and unlimited possibilities that exist within her fellowship.

Alice didn’t just throw herself a birthday party; she created an experience that showcased her power as a playwright and director, rising composer, and her ability to bring people together. What she really gifted everyone present was something beyond than entertainment, but a reminder of why we’re all drawn to this artistic fellowship.

Plain ‘ol lucky to know someone like playwright Alice.

Much more to the story than the 20 images here can tell. View the full story in bio!

Address

1035 N Western Ave
Chicago, IL
60622

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Frank Mesina Photography posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category