impossible lighting

[mmphoto]

i've been shooting live local music gigs (even though i'm fairly new to photo) because i know a lot of people in bands who want photos for cheap...
crazy that i'd start with some of the hardest lighting available! but anyway, these are from the other night where i actually had SOME light for once! and, to date, they are the best i have of this genre.
they're not perfect, any tips on shooting in lighting like this? or PP tips? (photoshop elements 5.0)
instead of an ISO of 1600 and composing my shots via zoom i used all 28mm this time (duh) and 800 ISO and shot RAW. made A LOT of difference. also used the built-in flash at about 1/8 power. (getting the SB800 in a couple weeks).

 

[mmphoto]

ok... not sure i wanted these in a gallery- looking for advice on show lighting...
people and pets?

 

[Big Mike]

It didn't conform to the rules of the critique section so I moved it to 'People & pets', if you would rather it in the general gallery...I'd be happy to move it there for you.

**
I have moved this post to the general gallery. The critique section is reserved for more serious critique and therefore we like to keep it to one image at a time...(see rules) otherwise, it just gets too confusing.

Feel free to post multiple images in other parts of the forum...or to re-post your images individually into the critique section, with a bit of an explanation of the shot and what you were try to show.

Thank you.

 

[skieur]

For concerts, I like a 200 mm 2.8 with a powerful flash on or off the hot shoe. The telephoto allows me to isolate musicians and eliminate the background clutter through framing or depth of field with wide open shooting at 2.8, if I reduce the flash power.

skieur

 

[mmphoto]

For concerts, I like a 200 mm 2.8 with a powerful flash on or off the hot shoe. The telephoto allows me to isolate musicians and eliminate the background clutter through framing or depth of field with wide open shooting at 2.8, if I reduce the flash power.

skieur

yeah i wish i had a decent flash- getting one soon though! i have a MF 70-200 3.8... but i don't think that's fast enough. i hate to blow away the atmosphere of the shot with a bright flash- but there are always flash filters i suppose. i have a wealth to learn about flashes when i finally get the SB600