Okay, so. TSO. They were in town back in....December, I think. Maybe January. Around Christmasish. The actual date isn't important, just that it was BEYOND FREEZING the day they were in town.
Now, again, Nationwide is a hockey arena. Meaning....there's ice down. All the time in the winter because it takes too long for it to freeze again. We can't turn up the heat and it takes FOREVER for the backstage area to warm back up after having the loading dock door open because....it's all concrete.
So when it's cold A) there's ABSOLUTELY NOTHING I can do about it and 2) it's probably something YOU DID. Like, oh, I don't know....showing up 3 hours late then taking 2 hours to do load in even though you were crunched for time? Seriously. That happened.
I showed up about 10am, an hour before doors for the first show (2 shows that day, back to back....which killed me and we'll get to soon) and they were still setting up the stage? Cuz they had just finished load in like 20 minutes ago? GREAT FUCKING PLANNING THERE GUYS! So it was still freezing backstage because it was something like 10 degrees outside, we're in a concrete building, and there's ice under the stage.....things they should really be used to since they usually play big arenas.
I was posted backstage by the curtain and every thirty seconds or so I would hear, "IT IS SO COLD!" out of some worker or another, completely with a scowling look at me. Like it was my fault or something. Uh....correct? Gold star? WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO FOR YOU?! Eventually, the sound tech came over to me and asked me to call command (which, by the way, was still 24 hr.....who's office was 10 feet away...) and ask them to turn up the heat.
ARE YOU STUPID?! I just told him that we don't control the heat, it's regulated because of the ice. His DUMBCUNT response? "We're not USING the ice." Well.....no....but the hockey team is tomorrow....
Common sense isn't so common.
Then one of the lead guys in the band came over and was like "You know, if we had more help with load in, we could have closed the door earlier. Why didn't you have more people here?" Uh....I don't know what he's used to from security....but that's crew. We have NOTHING to do with that. Whatever, some people will always be stupid.
Oh and I guess the guy that STARTED TSO was there. I had no idea who he was or what he looked like. And he had no pass. My job? Make sure everyone hanging out beside the stage has a pass. So I stopped him and asked him for it....and got my ass reamed. I'm sorry sir, you're not that important. I don't know your face. "But don't you KNOW WHO I AM?" has NEVER worked on me.....if you're that damned important, get an all access pass! christ almighty!
And that was just show one.
After that show, I had time to eat a sandwhich while walking between The Dungeon (our room) to grab a heavy coat and the entrance I was working. This was around 3pm. I had been there since 10 and that was my first break. I still haven't sat down. Got to doors and bullpens (getting some people in but still not taking tickets) so I jumped in to help.
Now, just a little....hint....for when you go to shows. If we ask you to unzip your jacket / lift up your sweatshirt....just do it. Without commenting on the weather. Yes, I know, IT'S COLD. At least you can go away from the doors. I can't. So don't continuously tell me how cold it is. Trust me, I'm way more aware of it than you are, trust me on that. And don't ask "Do I have to?" because technically...no, you don't. But then you don't get to go into the show. And no, I dont care how old you are, you CANNOT jsut walk pass me pretending you dont hear me. I will stop you and continuously repeat my question, complete with sign language translation, if need be. You don't do it, you leave. Simple as that.
And yes, it's a long show. Still can't bring in food. Stop bitching about it. And just because you LOL FORGOT you had half a bag of potato chips in your purse DOESN'T mean I'll let you bring it in. It still has to go. And don't say "well I wasn't going to eat it" because I don't fucking care. I really dont. Toss it or leave. Only choices.
THE PUBLIC I SWEAR.
I didn't really deal with their crew the second show, so I'll skip to the autograph line.
We won't even get into how I got tricked into staying for this fuckery. Cuz it was sneaky and really...I applaud Gary for pulling it off. I must have been tired / hungry, because I rarely fall for their tricks, but this time I did.
I was watching the end of the line to make sure it wasn't blocking people trying to leave. Their management kept coming over to me telling me to stop turning people away (I wasn't?) and quit telling people they'll stop signing at midnight (well that's what the sheet I was given said. That YOU wrote). Seriously, if you don't know when they'll stop signing, put "11-?" or something....not a time. And we all knew this was going to end up a clusterfuck because it was their last show of the tour.
TSO was supposed to come out at 10:30 or so. They came out at 11:45. Drunk as hell. Loud as hell. Hilarious as hell. It's not like you couldn't TELL, even from where I was, that they were toasted and loving it. So I honestly don't think turning to the last person in line and saying, "wow, started partying early" was all that "unprofessional" Mr. Tour Manager. Maybe you should have told them they shouldn't bust out the booze until after the autograph line? And why do you care so much about what I'm doing back here at the end of the line? Go wrangle in your bassist, he's sloppy drunk and trying to stand up and hug....OH EVERYONE. Get away from me.
It was seriously the LONGEST DAY EVER. I really hope they have a better crew next time they come to Nationwide.....SO GLAD THEY'RE DOING PALACE NEXT TIME THEY'RE HERE
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