Thursday, March 4, 2010
Last September, I was sitting in Spanish class, bumming about how I wasn’t going to be able to go to Beach Ball, a concert Kansas City radio station 96.5 The Buzz throws every year. Last year, it was at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Bonner Springs. I didn’t have the money to go, consequently missing out on a much-needed dose of nostalgia. Not only was Blink-182 headlining the show that night, Weezer and Taking Back Sunday were playing as well. I’d been a loyal fan to all three of the bands since I was in middle school and had never gotten a chance to see any of them perform.
I was finishing up my last class of the day, when I noticed a text from my roommate. “We’re going to Blink.”
“What do you mean, we’re going to Blink?” I asked. “Pick me up at the Union after your class and I’ll explain,” she said.
Apparently, while I was on campus all day, she was busy creating phony VIP passes for us. She found a photo from a local DJ’s Twitter page, who had posted a snapshot of herself sporting her VIP pass for the show that night. My roommate took the photo from the internet and tweaked them in Photoshop, to where they looked almost identical to the DJ’s pass.
I picked her up at the Union later that afternoon. As she entered the car, an impressive grin spread across her face as she handed me a warm, newly-laminated pass. “Are we really going to do this?” I asked. “We might as well try,” she said. “What’s the worst thing that could happen?” And with a shrug, I accepted her dare.
The nerves wouldn’t set in until later that night. My roommate was always the instigator — resourceful, ruthless and bold. This wasn’t the first time I had submitted to one of her plans.
We hit the road and arrived at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater about an hour later. The sun was setting and we could already feel the energy from the crowd. We hurried through the parking lot and tested our passes at the front gate: Piece of cake. Next we moved to the private seating section and made it through effortlessly. Each event worker let us through after inspecting our passes, either convinced enough by them or too indifferent to inspect them more thoroughly. One guard even offered us VIP wristbands. “Why didn’t you get these at the front gate?” he asked.
We accepted the wristbands and gave each other glances of giddy excitement. We had made it past the guards. There was one obstacle left for us — the main stage.
We weaved our way through the front of the crowd, dodging crowd-surfers and pit-rioters as they danced to Taking Back Sunday, until we reached a staircase that led up to the front stage.
My roommate grabbed my hand and gave me a determined look that said, “We’re doing this. It’s now or never.” With that, she marched up the steps and handed the security guard her VIP pass. In a glimpse, she was past the guard and looking back at me to make my move. I held my breath as I slowly stepped up the stairs. I tried my best to slow my breathing and maintain a vague expression. Just after he let my roommate pass, he gave me a nod in the direction of the stage. We had made it.
We strategically placed ourselves behind the crew members, not speaking a word to each other, communicating only with stealthy smirks and an occasional eye glance. I thought our presence alone was screaming “out of place” but we were able to watch Weezer’s entire set, quietly tucked away in the corner of the side stage. Halfway through the set, I realized I hadn’t even looked directly at the crowd yet, for fear of being spotted. I turned my body slightly and felt an overwhelming exhilaration from the crowd. It felt too good to be true. I was looking out at the thousands of people at the venue, knowing that I had pulled off getting backstage.
Weezer finished their show and left the stage. Suddenly everyone who occupied the stage was moving, so my roommate and I felt the need to look busy as well. We decided to seclude ourselves behind the 20 buses parked near the stage. We briskly walked behind the stage into the private parking lot off-limits to regular fans. Prior to this night, I had always been prohibited from this area by security guards and a 10-foot fence. We sat in anticipation on a piece of dewy grass in the dark, the moonlight illuminating the silver tour buses, until we heard the shrieks of the crowd about 30 minutes later. Blink-182 must have taken the stage.
My roommate and I discreetly found the same spot as earlier, while the band began playing “What’s My Age Again.” Blink-182 performed as if they hadn’t aged a bit since they took the music scene a decade ago, bouncing up and down and screaming juvenile profanities into the roaring crowd. We noticed a couple of toddlers running around and were convinced they were one of the band member’s. I felt out of my element and a little invasive, but I knew I wasn’t doing much harm. We were able to watch the first four songs until a security guard we hadn’t seen before asked us for an additional pass besides the lanyard. Since we hadn’t anticipated this wrinkle, my roommate and I gave in and made our way down the stairs, back into the crowd of concert-goers.
Since my freshman year, I’ve been an accomplice to my friends in breaking the rules for the sake of music. We’ve tested authority, schmoozed bartenders into staying open after last call and swooned “merch-boys” into meeting us at the bar next door after their show, all to make a face-to-face connection and interact with bands we’ve grown to idolize over the years. And although we didn’t get to meet Blink-182 or any of the bands that night, we got to experience the show from a different perspective than anyone in the crowd.
Out of all the shenanigans I’ve pulled with my friends during my college years, this was by far the biggest of all our antics. It was my biggest breach of concert authority, but that’s not the point. Just the possibility that we might have met Blink-182 that night was the motivation behind our rebellion. Isn’t that what rock ’n’ roll is all about?
Blink 182 concert draws thousands of fans
On the tour, the band played new material for the first time ...
Wakarusa Wrap-Up
Four bands and a student discuss their experiences at this year’s Wakarusa ...
Stage presence
Softee
Q & A
with Todd Anderson of Left on Northwood
Notes from the Underground
Montano: Concerts should have safety regulations
Music lovers have a lot more to be worried about than hurting ...
Fear, interrupted
How one man’s love helped undo the damage of another.
Band reunites for one last show
Q & A with Nikki Glaser
"Most comedians had to develop a thick skin for whatever reason."
BLOGS: The Kansan is live from the ...
Kansan staff writers Sam Carlson and Tyler Harbert blog live from the ...
Roesler: Summer renovations leave the Granada ready ...
One of Lawrence's premier concert venues prepared for new year.
Concert changes venue to South Park
Eight local bands to perform near Downtown Lawrence in an event organized ...
Jail tale
A one-night experience of rehabilitation
From ashes to immortality
For more than 150 years, the face of downtown Lawrence changed as ...
Ryan: Small-time musicians need your ‘Band Aid’
Ditch the iPod and go out for some live music.
Hughes: Not as safe as you think
Lawrence feels safe... Unfortunately, just because we feel safe, doesn't mean we ...
Jayhawks cut down Lumberjacks
Kansas used a balanced offense to notch its 600th win in Allen ...
Stage Presence: Fourth of July
Band thrives on folk punk music
Guitars and Grace
At Open Swim, worshippers get down with God
Dave Matthews tour arrives in Bonner Springs
Tickets for tonight’s installment of the band’s popular live show were still ...
Malicious Intimacy
Four students' experiences with domestic violence.
Shake-ya-boogie with SELLOUT!
Behind the scenes with a local cover band
To hell and back
A fight outside Naismith Hall began Thor Nystrom's year-long journey into the ...
Concert held at Pearson Scholarship Hall
The concert was held for the seventh year and is the scholarship ...
Free For All: Sept. 10, 2007
Did anybody see the K-State video on YouTube? Don’t forget your power ...
When a stranger doesn't knock
A night meant for relaxing brought some unexpected--and unwanted--company
Wakarusa Music Fest: Rockin’ the lake
Jazz ensemble takes act to Switzerland music ...
Students will perform six concerts over 10-day period in Switzerland and Germany.
N.Y.-Not-U.
Her big city dreams shattered, Rachel found a different path to happiness ...
Stage Presence: Tinhorn Molly
Rising stars. Feel free to swoon.
Clearly an eye opening experience
A new life without glasses
I was there
Setting the stage for watching President Obama’s inauguration
Wakarusa Blogging
Can't make it to Wakarusa? We've got you covered. Bryan Cisler is ...
Editor's note: Feb. 4
Jayplay editor's take on this week's issue.
Jayhawks excited for postseason
Breast cancer fundraiser numbers decrease
Salon Hawk’s results are down from last year, but efforts will continue ...
Fight or flight
A hard lesson learned: violence doesn't solve everything.
From left: Kimberlee Hinkle, Libby Johnson and Hannah ...
1 comment
Kansas Jayhawk fans hold aloft a reproduction of ...
2 comments
Erin Saupe, a Ph.D. student from St. Cloud, ...
1 comment
0 comments
Armed robbers continue to threaten.
3 comments
Lecture from Greg Mortenson, co-author of New York ...
0 comments
Comments
Personal essay: Back-stage pass
Wow cool you just stole from local businesses and proved yourself as a band whore. great job
Personal essay: Back-stage pass
It's things like this that give female concert goers a bad rep.
From one woman music lover to another, thanks Leslie. You suck.
Personal essay: Back-stage pass
why do people have such a problem with this story? Leslie didn't do anything bad, her and her roommate just took a chance. Are you all just jealous something awesome like this has never worked for you? the name calling is really unnecessary, it's just a personal essay for crying out loud. Why aren't you more mad at the security guys who didn't catch these fake passes?
Personal essay: Back-stage pass
yeah i'm jealous of a girl who got to go to see blink 182 for free.
the problem is that sneaking into a show is just like stealing from a business. she is just bragging about it and wants everyone to know how cool she is. I think the Kansan was wrong for thinking this was an alright article to post. If she wanted to make an issue about the poor security then thats one thing, but this just comes off as distasteful and immature.
Good luck getting a job at a national magazine if you're trying to get crap like this published.
Personal essay: Back-stage pass
Sneaking into a shows isn't really a big deal. Writing an article about it is what's so stupid. She stole from people who try to make a living in the music industry (not Blink 182 or Weezer but local promoters and people who bring the shows to Lawrence and Kansas City that we all go to) and then published this horrible story bragging about her accomplishment and encouraging others to do it. It's like stealing from a local shop downtown and telling everyone to do it.
And yeah, it sucks that security didn't catch it, but she didn't get backstage by sporting a VIP pass b/c you can't do that at Sandstone. Anybody can buy those. She and her roommate got backstage because they probably wore some cute little skimpy outfits and flirted (or possibly something more degrading) past some security dude. Which is a shame. For all women.
BUT NO, I'm not jealous of something like "schmoozing bartenders" and "swooning merch boys" in order to make face-to-face connections with bands because that's not what "rock n' roll" is about at all. That's what being a groupie is all about.
And that's why she sucks.
Personal essay: Back-stage pass
You know what's really a shame for all women, starbuck217? Your disgusting slut shaming. I read your first comment that was removed, as well as the one you just posted. I decided to make an account to respond to it.
It's sad that you, a woman, would say something like that. You propagate the myth that women who do something for themselves obviously get there through sexual and degrading means.
I suggest you read this: http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntucat/why-do-women-slut-shame/
What if a man had done this? Would you imply that he had given the security guards a blow job, as you did in your first comment? Get off your high horse.
And how exactly do you know that you can't get backstage at Sandstone? The article says a local DJ had one, that was her way in - why would they question the author's?
Also, what gives? I think it's sweet they got in. Rock, music, the industry: it's ALL about what you can get away with. You know this person, they know that person - or you make a fake ID and get your butt into the show. Live a little.
Personal essay: Back-stage pass
Slut shaming? Give me a break.
If a dude wrote this article, it would be just the same, but girls are the ones that take advantage of it more often because they can. I don't propagate that women who get something got there through sexual or degrading means at all. The author is the one that gives that impression.
Or what did you think she was getting at by schmoozing bartenders and swooning merch boys? Her great conversation skills?
Personal essay: Back-stage pass
@KUJayhawk, whatever gets their rocks hard right? I got a great backstage story myself:
So I was hanging out by the Revival Tent @ Waka a few years back waiting for the Incident to go on, when this really cool friend of mine from Boulder came over and flashed me this vip decal that get you in the beer garden back stage. I was a little nervous at first, but after my buddy got through and passed me his ID, I worked up the brass to go in. And let me tell you, it was amazing! One minute I'm jammin to G-Love and special sauce and next I'm sipping on a fat tire with Buckethead's tour manager. So what if I missed Stings first set... an experience like that is a one in a million and I think it's awesome that the author got her back door dream action!
@kujayhawk, I enjoy your knowledge of European literature and wish to subscribe to your newsletter. themightysid@gmail.com
Personal essay: Back-stage pass
hey SidBankstonLA, I already prefer your brief story to that of the one above! Everyone loves to hear the well written stories of life behind the stage and how amazing that sort of experience is and if thats what the writer wanted to really get across then this would have been a really interesting story and insightful to those who have never experienced that, but unfortunately it appears to many of the readers that Leslie wanted to instead get across how cool it is to photo copy a fake vip ticket and sneak backstage so they can oodle a possible blink 182 child.
I think articles should be about things that the general public knows little about, not just bits and pieces of that mixed in with omg me and my friend are super cool and into this band that 80% of the world likes too! that is not original. Explain to us just how it was backstage instead of painting a picture of easily gaining access into something that doesn't even have an actual ending to. And if your purpose was to get us angered at CAPITAL FEDRAL PARK AT SANDSTONE (by the way, it hasn't been verizon wireless amp for about 3 years...well done fact checking..) security you should have made that a bit clearer...instead everyone is angered at you. whoopsies.
unfortunately, the writer seems like a bit of a 'cool rock and roller girl' who thinks its acceptable to drunkenly beg the bartender for booze after hours or to flirt with a merch guy from a band that probably sucks who's playing at the granada and is taking your flirting for genuine affection.
Personal essay: Back-stage pass
hey mary! hey lauren!
Personal essay: Back-stage pass
oh yes. but you forgot a certain Stylish Ways!
Sign in to comment
Or login with:
OpenID