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The Official page of The Band Was Here by Director & Photographer Steve Birnbaum
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05/21/2026

With the Late Show with Stephen Colbert coming to an end, it only seems fitting I share some music related images from outside of the Ed Sullivan Theater through the years.

Between Ed Sullivan, David Letterman and Stephen Colbert, this theater has seen many great musical acts walk through its doors.

Thanks for the memories

📸 1,3,5, 7 courtesy of EdSullivan.com

Elvis signing autographs at the CBS-TV Studio 50 stage doors on March 17, 1956. 📸’s by Alfred Wertheimer

05/13/2026

Stereolab on their first US visit in 1992. 📸 by Michael Galinsky

I first found Stereolab in the early aughts at College. Their album Dots and Loops was on high rotation during that time (and still is!) and it’s one of those albums that takes me right back to a certain place in time.

05/06/2026

The Libertines, 2003, NYC. 📸 by ?

I’ve also included some pics I took of The Libertines at CBGB that same week back in 2003. The music scene in NYC was electric back then and these shows by The Libertines (one at CBGB and the other at Bowery Ballroom) only added fuel to the fire. Probably one of the best shows I’d seen at CBGB. Good times!

05/04/2026

Remembering Adam Yauch of the Beastie Boys, who we lost on this day in 2012. He is missed.

Go play some Beasties today!

📸 1 by glen E friedman 1991
📸 3 by Sunny Bak 1987

04/28/2026

🎂 A very happy birthday to Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth, who was born on this day in 1953. An absolute legend and one of my favs!

📸 and date ??

Go play some Sonic Youth!

04/23/2026

The Ramones debut album was released 50 years ago today! The cover image, arguably one of the most iconic music images ever, was taken in 1976 at Albert’s Garden located at 16 E. 2nd Street, NYC. 📸 by the legendary Roberta Bayley

The image was taken for the third issue of Punk magazine, which was then bought by Sire Records when another photo shoot yielded disappointing results for the cover. This image, according to Bayley, was bought “for the grand total of $125.”, later becoming the cover image the bands debut album.

Danny Fields, the Ramones’ manager, has stated that Bayley’s image “was perfect,” and it served to both establish the Ramones culturally and create what would become the “punk look.” - from a April 7th 2016 NY Times article.

I couldn’t agree more.

I shared this image on the anniversary of Joeys passing a few days ago, but it deserves being posted again on this historic day in music history. Go give it a spin today!

04/22/2026

Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails in NYC. 📸 by the great Tom Sheehan. Go follow him!

Here’s what Tom had to say about this shoot:

“We went there so we could go to McGees before it moved. A guy called Martin ran it and left to open Mustang Sallie’s near MSG. After the guest meeting in NYC when he came over his camel got me to do a session with him, seems I made an impression.”

Much has changed from when this picture was originally taken, as you can see, but this is where it would have been. It took me some time to finally locate it, but it was a fun search.

I’m still getting over the amazing Nine Inch Noize show at Coachella. Wow!

.inch.nails

04/21/2026

💜🕊 We lost Prince 10 years ago today.

Here he is in 1984 with the great Apollonia, for the cover image of his album Purple Rain. 📸 by Ron Slenzak and Art direction by Ed Thrasher.

An old post, but always a fun post. One of my favorite visits ever, located on the backlot of Warner Bros Studios. Couldn’t go the day without acknowledging this huge loss. 💜

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