Last weekend I was lucky enough to photograph TwentyWonder: A Carnival of the Mind – an amazing night of music, comedy, roller derby and more. This charity fundraiser was put on by the non-profit TwentyWonder to benefit the Down Syndrome Association of Los Angeles and it was such a cool event to be a part of.
So many people and groups turned out to support this cause that it was hard to keep track of them all. The League of S.T.E.A.M. had a huge collection of steampunk accessories that included some crazy netgun demonstrations. The {RV}IP Lounge and Karaoke Cabaret was a portable party palace that kept the crowds entertained all night. Ed Asner was a big hit reading Dr. Seuss books. The original Batmobile was on display. Since the night was hosted by the LA Derby Dolls in their Doll Factory, the main event of the evening was the LA Ri-ettes battling the San Diego Wildfires in a short but very sweet mini bout of roller derby.
And of course there was the music. I love music and I love concert photography, so this was the icing on the cake for me. Exene Cervenka from the punk band X sang the national anthem before the game began. After the bout, the Australian comedy band Axis of Awesome lived up to their name. And then Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, who I’ve liked for awhile but never seen live before, gave an incredible performance to wrap up the night.
It was such a fun evening, with so much to do and see, and really heartwarming that there was such a great turnout for this fundraiser. I’m already looking forward to next year’s event!
