Meet The Shrine

Located in Harlem on 7th ave just below 134th Street Shrine World Music Venue or The Shrine is built from the ground up on independent music. With records literally tiling the ceiling, all aspects of the venue revolve around the celebration of all things music. The venue was founded in 2007 by musicians and music lovers. To this day it is still one of the best places to see independent artists perform in NYC. Join us as we reflect on the fantastic spot with photographer Jack Tumen. All photos were taken by Jack Tumen.

The Shrine is open now holding socially distanced concerts. If you are in the area and want to see some amazing music I urge you to check it out.

A portrait of The Shrine’s exterior by, Jack Tumen

Describe The Shrine to us in your own words.

Shrine is a place for anybody, any night. The atmosphere is intimate, hazy, and lively - where a casual drink can turn into a night of jamming without a moment's notice. The genres of music that come through are incredibly diverse - and so are the patrons that drop in. It's a great melting pot of Harlem nightlife that brings together people of all ages and different backgrounds. In that sense, the venue is properly named.

How do you navigate using the flash during a live performance?

I think it's a case-by-case basis. In my experience shooting small-venue shows in NYC, the lighting is rarely favorable or is only strong on certain band members but not others. If I know the performing artist on a personal level I'll feel more comfortable using a flash during their set. In general, though, I rarely use one. When you shoot with a flash it takes away from the show and puts the attention on the photographer, and that's the opposite of what I think concert photography is about. Additionally, some venues have rules against flashes because it's distracting to the band, and rightfully so. I'm all about working with the light that's available on stage, even if it sucks, so I always keep a lens on hand that can get wide open. That's kind of what makes each venue unique and tells the story of the show. A flash just sterilizes the moment for me in a way that takes away from what you were actually experiencing live on stage that night. That's one of the reasons I love shooting at Shrine - the on-stage lighting is awesome.

What made you want to start photographing concerts?

It's kind of something that happened organically. I grew up with a tight friend circle of musicians. We're all from Woodstock, NY originally so music is baked into our DNAs. As we got older I felt myself being drawn more towards photography than music, but I still hung around every recording session and went to every live performance with my camera and just shot everything that was going on. As my friends kept pursuing their musical careers I just followed their journey and naturally found myself at countless shows over the next decade - not just in NYC but all over the northeast. As their musical network has grown, so has my concert portfolio.

Lovechild recording at Dreamland Studios in Woodstock, NY.

What was the last show you shot at The Shrine? How did it go

There was this funk/soul group performing called Norman Davis & The Family Band. That night, it felt like they had the crowd on puppet strings because it was an absolute HOOT. For context, Shrine is kind of set up like a cafe on the inside - it's not very large - which is why the energy in the room was so crazy with everyone on their feet howling and dancing. But there was this one moment that I'll never forget - there was a man in a wheelchair positioned at the front of the stage when the band started playing a Michael Jackson cover. The man yelled out that it was his favorite song and the singer heard him and hopped off stage during the chorus and held the mic to his mouth to let him sing the lyrics. It was just a beautiful thing that could only happen at an intimate venue like that. Still one of my favorite moments of any live performance I've ever been to.

Is The Shrine a good venue for a first date?

100% yes. I actually went on a first date there myself earlier this year before covid hit and I can assure everyone, it doesn't disappoint.

What narratives do you like to tell with your work?

When it comes to concert photography, you can't completely convey the message the artist is putting on display without actually hearing the songs. It definitely helps to be familiar with the music you're shooting. Knowing that I try to let the song dictate the story I tell with my images. For example, when my good friends Lovechild perform their song "Hats Off" live, it's a real banger. So I try to wait for those climactic moments when I know the lead singer Leo has all the emotions of the song written on his face and his glasses are falling off and the veins are popping out of his neck. On the flip side, when my other good friend’s Girl Skin perform their song "Forever & Always," I try to capture the sweeping slowness of the song by giving the lead singer Sid a wide frame and allowing the spotlight to isolate him to give the appearance that he's alone in a large, dark room. Ultimately, it's your own artistic interpretation of someone else's art, so some things will always get lost in translation. But that's kind of the beauty and mystery of music and photography - especially at that place where those artistic mediums meet.

Lovechild performing at Berlin on the Lower East Side

Girl Skin performing at Lola in Alphabet City, taken on 35mm film.

Where is your favorite place to shoot the show from at The Shrine? Why?

Front and center baby! Upfront is truly the best place to take advantage of the exceptional stage lighting. There isn't a ton of room to move around at Shine, which is part of its charm as a venue but also one of its obstacles as a photographer. If you get stuck towards the front of the venue, the bar area kind of cuts off the right half of the stage so I always make sure to weasel my way towards the stage and just be the "excuse me, sorry, pardon me" guy. There's also a mirror to the right of the stage which I like to use to get some interesting reflection shots of whichever band member is closest to it.

What venue is the polar opposite of The Shrine? Why?

As far as smaller venues go, I'd say a place like Knitting Factory in Brooklyn is pretty opposite of Shrine. The stage area is completely separate in the back at Knitting Factory and is very wide open. It's definitely more of a concert-specific venue than Shrine. When you're at Knitting Factory, 9 times out of 10 you're probably there for the show. Not to knock on it too much, but the stage area is pretty bare and doesn't always make for the best photos. My favorite detail about Shrine is the classic vinyl album covers that plaster the venue from wall to wall. Its kind of like all the artists of past generations are there to watch the show that evening. It also creates an awesome backdrop for photos.

A great shot of all the album covers on the ceiling at Shrine.

Example shot from a Lovechild show at Knitting Factory.

Any final comments about The Shrine?

Even if there's not a live performance that night, Shrine is still a great place to go any night of the week with friends or on a date. It's one of the few venues that I consistently go to even if there's no music happening. When we beat covid and the world opens up again, I highly recommend hopping on the 2/3 train to 135th Street to give it a try. It's a true gem of Central Harlem.

Hanging Out In The Shrine With Jack Tumen