Pitchfork

Photo by Ryan McGinley

Do the math: given that a picture's worth a thousand words, and given that two forthcoming photo exhibits celebrating the magic of musicians and live music feature over a thousand photographs altogether, it follows that you, my friend, have the opportunity to take in over 1,000,000 words in the next few weeks-- and you don't have a read a thing.

The first exhibit opens tomorrow, January 4, at New York's Team Gallery and runs through February 10. "Irregular Regulars" showcases the work of 29-year-old Ryan McGinley, who's spent the past two years indulging in all things Morrissey. McGinley's photographs seek to capture just how rapturous and passionate worshippers in the church of Moz can be, and appropriately his candid snapshots of fans and crowds have a fuzzy, dreamy quality, as though Moz himself were emanating holy light, and not just the rig above the stage. Cool stuff. Scope some examples here.

Then hop a train and catch "Past Perfect" at Philadelphia's Space 1026, which opens the following day, January 5, and runs through the 27. This exhibition collects a shit-ton of Polaroids from UK-based pair Pat Graham and Melanie Standage, including candid and pre-fame portraits of pretty much every band on your iTunes playlist: Elliott Smith, Isaac Brock (Modest Mouse), Les Savy Fav, the Shins, Ian MacKaye (Fugazi/The Evens), Ted Leo/Pharmacists, Tortoise, the Sea and Cake, June of 44, At the Drive-In, Air, Sarah Cracknell (Saint Etienne), Brett Anderson (Suede), and more.

"Past Perfect" is actually but one-third of the Pat & Melanie "Retrospect" exhibit, which also includes an "allegorical photo installation" called "The Wildebeest" and another photo installation inspired by-- and sharing its name with-- the Cure's "A Forest". Details here.

Oh, and make that 1,000,284.