Taking a break from our regularly scheduled Bonnaroo programming, I wanted to take a post here and let you in on a little secret.

Survivor (yes, *that* Survivor) is alive and well, still soldiering on and rocking out festival crowds all over the country this summer. Because I am a lucky bastard and was in the right place at the right time, I got to relive some of my middle-school, Rocky-related fandom for a few hours a couple of Friday nights ago.

I do some freelance work for a webdesign company called Artsite Design. One of their clients is Survivor. Because I take kick-ass rockstar photographs, and they needed new content for the website’s redesign, I got tapped to toddle off to Sterlingfest in the Detroit suburbs.

Press pass in hand (well ok, not really in hand…it was a “virtual” press pass) I was able to get backstage, watch the meet and greet with the local bigwigs and snap some great photos.

What is it with rockstars and actors all being short? I thought it was hilarious that as people came and went before the meet and greet, there was a buzz of anticipation amongst all these white suburbanites…and then there was no question who was who when the rockstars arrived!

As with all scenes where artists of any stripe are involved, there has been some drama in the history of Survivor. They now have a new singer, Robin McAuley. By any measure, he’s a fantastic frontman. And he seems to fit their vibe to a T.

Frankie Sullivan is the founding guitarist and driving force behind Survivor these days. Here is a shot of him and Robin rocking Sterlingfest:

A few more to come…