Prolific Ann Arbor-based photographer Doug Coombe currently has a breathtakingly beautiful and exhilarating exhibit at the Ann Arbor Art Center, which is free, open to the public, and runs until January 5. The exhibit features three decades of Southeast Michigan’s amazing, world-changing music scene, including celebrities like Iggy Pop, the White Stripes and Eminem, in addition to lesser-known but equally compelling local musicians.
“Our Love Will Change the World”
The exhibit’s name is “Our Love Will Change the World,” which is the title of a song from the personally meaningful Detroit-pop-punk band “Outrageous Cherry,” also recorded by Alice Cooper.
According to Coombe’s posted show notes: “…one of my photos was on the back cover of the first Outrageous Cherry CD as well as on a Big Chief album. It’s a big reason why I decided to study photography at Washtenaw Community College.”
The title of the show is also fitting because he is highlighting artistic expression, community, and other positive themes that grow from photography, music, art and creativity.
“It’s also fitting because love and art can change the world,” Coombe said in his notes. “Arguably, love, compassion, empathy and creating beauty might be the most radical act in the age we live in.”
Coombe said his current show is also a teaser for a book that he plans to put together about the area’s music communities, which he estimates won’t be released until 2026.
“I’m putting together a book of my Detroit music photography, and I’m being very broad, like including southeastern Michigan and Detroit, Ann Arbor and Ferndale…” Coombe said. “I really do think it (the area) is one of the greatest music scenes around.”
He added that he was inspired by all the diverse music scenes in Detroit — techno, soul, garage rock, hip-hop, jazz, and noise music. He believes these music scenes have already begun to change the world.
“The idea of the show and the book that I want to do as a celebration of these Detroit music communities, what I love about them is that they’re usually the small little scenes, frequently like the same 200 people at the show,” Coombe said. “But these scenes are great because everybody’s just passionate about the music, and it’s just kind of uplifting and supporting one another. And these scenes have the power to inspire people and change their lives.”
Coombe said that everyone in these scenes has gone on to great things – not just the musicians. The photographers, videographers, writers, bar owners, bookers, record label owners and even the fans dancing up front at all the shows have gone on to cool careers.
“So, for me, the show and the book that I want to do is a celebration of the Detroit music community, which I think is one of the greatest music communities in the world.”
The title of his show, his show itself, and art in general are very powerful forces to Coombe.
“That’s what I love about art and music — it does have the power to change the world and change communities,” said Coombe. “…Music has a way of sneaking inside your mind, inspiring you and changing your worldview.”
Famous and Talented Subjects
Coombe’s show includes many famous musicians such as Iggy Pop, Jack White, Bob Seger, Eminem — but he also wants to give a voice and promote lesser known musicians who are also extraordinary in their creations, yet do not necessarily get the attention they deserve.
“Not every great musician goes on to achieve success,” said Coombe. “So part of what I want to do with the show, but also the book, is not only pictures of great, well-known musicians from the area but also all these other fantastic musicians who are such a huge part of the scene that should also be world-renowned in my mind. So I kind of want to use the show and the book as a platform to elevate these people.”
For instance, Coombe mentions Fred Thomas as a local Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti artist who has influenced countless other musicians for decades.
Up close and personal
Looking at the photographs, one can tell that Coombes gets very close to the performers and is sometimes up close and personal or actually in the mosh pit.
Coombe’s start in photography coincided with his sister Jenny marrying Mac McNeilly — the drummer of the Jesus Lizard. The mosh pits of their shows were the perfect opportunity to take high-energy concert photos while learning how to keep himself uninjured and his camera equipment in one piece.
“You couldn’t sit there and politely try to compose a shot,” Coombe said. “You had to try to anticipate and capture the chaos as (lead singer) David Yow was flying through the crowd and try not to let my camera get smashed in the process.”
In many ways, Coombe is like a gonzo photojournalist, capturing the show’s antics while he is photographing, and that comes through in his stills.
“A lot of times when you’re in situations like that, the photos don’t work out because like somebody’s shoe is in your face or you’re getting knocked around,” Coombe said.” But when you get a cool photo from that, they’re just fantastic. And that’s what keeps me going.”
For instance, one of Coombe’s favorite photos in the show is of Negative Approach and John Brannon, which he thinks is on par with Iggy Pop, but not as quite well known.
“That photo in particular is very powerful to me because prior to that photo I visited my wife’s grandfather for the last time at a nursing home,” Coombe said. “Going to the show in just a very heavy frame of mind, and then suddenly to get put in the mosh pit with music that makes you feel like a teenager again. It reminded me what a gift life is”
While Coombe is not actively slam dancing while he is photographing, he is still part of what is going on. He puts his job of recording images first and foremost.
“I mean occasionally, just if I know the bands, I will get up on stage or in people’s faces,” Coombe said. “But ultimately, I don’t want to distract from the performance. I just want to document the kind of energy of what’s going on.”
Coombe’s photograph of Eminem occurred when he was still an underground artist at that point, about a month before the release of The Slim Shady LP. At this concert, it became dangerous in the mosh pit.
“He (Eminem) was playing a rave at a warehouse in Detroit where Hell’s Angels were doing security,” Coombe said. “Even though he wasn’t famous yet he had this charisma where women were just trying to touch him. After a half hour, I was about to get crushed between the barricade and the stage by his female fans. I love that energy, because that makes for great photos. But I realized if I didn’t get out of there, I would get trampled. I got up on the side of the stage to get out of there when someone from Eminem’s posse inadvertently knocked me off the stage. I got my camera equipment but bashed my shin. I still have a scar from that fall. It was totally worth it. I felt like I had just experienced something akin to Beatlemania.”
This is Coombe’s first solo show at the Ann Arbor Art Center, although he curated the show “Ultimate Stars,” which featured the art of Ann Arbor area musicians at the Ann Arbor Art Center in 2016. He has previously been in numerous group shows. Because Coombe has been photographing for so long and has covered so many accomplished musicians, along with his talent, the Ann Arbor Art Center reached out to him to do the current show.
“A lot of the photos are labors of love because I really love the musicians,” Coombe said.
When Coombe started in photography, he said he was just “a kid who worked at a record store taking a camera to shows.” When he started out he just wanted to take photos of local musicians he liked.
“I was definitely an amateur,” Coombe said, when he started. “Although growing up, my stepfather was a really good amateur photographer who had a darkroom in the basement, so I hung out with him a lot…I definitely learned a lot by osmosis, just hanging out with him.’
He got all his technical training locally from Washtenaw Community College.
“The Washtenaw Community College photo program is amazing,” he said. “It really changed my life. After studying at Washtenaw Community College By dumb luck I walked into the Metro Times in 1999 the day their staff photographer Bruce Giffin quit and they just hired me on the spot.”
Coombe said he hoped that people unfamiliar with the music scenes featured in the exhibit might be intrigued by the photography and be inspired to go home and listen to some of that music.
He also feels very fortunate to be doing what he loves as a music photographer and gets to meet so many interesting people.
“The best part of what I do, which I was not expecting going into this, is all the people I meet,” Coombe said. “Really cool and remarkable people I get to meet because I’m a photographer.”
Forty framed photographs and over 30 unframed photographs are available for purchase at the gallery. The Ann Arbor Art Center is located at 117 West Liberty Street in Ann Arbor.
Donna Marie Iadipaolo is a writer, journalist, and State of Michigan certified teacher, since 1990. She has written for national publications like The Village Voice, Ear Magazine of New Music, Insurance & Technology, and TheStreet.
She is now writing locally for many publications, including Current Magazine, Ann Arbor Family, and the Ann Arbor Independent. Her undergraduate degree is from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, where she graduated with an honors bachelor’s degree and three teacher certificate majors: mathematics, social sciences, English. She also earned three graduate degrees in Master of Science, Master of Arts, and Education Specialist Degree.
