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Ringo StarrY Not...uh Night




Here is part one of the very long story about how I got backstage at Ringo's concert....Made it outside the doors at the time they were scheduled to open. Not open. I waited patiently...nothing better to do, really. And there's some edgy dude (short Hispanic), pacing, going up to the ticket counter, and asking me questions every now and then. I tend to be wary about the edgy types (and the normal types, too). He asked about how to get back to the highway, and if I knew if the concert was sold out. (It did appear to be quite full.) I look at my watch. I go to the ticket counter asking when the doors will open. Between 6:30 and 7:00. Still time. Then it was 7. Doors still closed. Eventually, the realization hits that I have crossed time zone and my 7 is their 6. So, I decide to kill time wandering around the casino, and pushing the menu buttons on one of the slot machines to get a free drink. Headed back upstairs. Still closed. Edgy dude still pacing, still going to the ticket counter, still asking me questions. Doors open. I quickly find my seat. Nine rows from the stage, one chair away from the aisle, in case they let us approach the stage. (No, they didn't.) I notice that they had added an extra row of floor seats, so that's a good sign regarding ticket sales...and the top level ticket sales. Now that I know where my seat is, I have no desire to sit in it for 55 minutes before the concert starts. So, I was walking...
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Re: Ringo StarrY Not...uh Night


Image

Yes, a new, interesting story. Keep it coming Harry.

---


Winner of EIGHT Phunnies and counting!

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1/24/2011, 3:19 am Link to this post Send Email to tkitna   Send PM to tkitna
 
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...and I find that the stage door is behind one of the bars (alkyhol type). So, I figure, what better way to kill time before the concert than to hang out discretely near the stage door? If I see someone, I see someone. And this is the place to do it. And I do see someone. And someone sees me. Edgy guy. Again, he approaches me. This time he asks if I'd do him a favor. Ahhhhhh...here it comes now. You could watch the wheels go 'round inside my head. "Could you take a picture of me with Ringo?" My reply..."Yes, sure."
Not really knowing what to think now. Is he thinking the same as I am, only far more optomistically? But I certainly understand the impulse. And if such an occasion did occur...well, he didn't have anyone handy to record it for posterity. He asks me to follow him, and we're standing right outside the stage door. "Here, you'll need this." He hands me a big yellow cloth sticker (which neither of us could get the backing off of, but someone else figured it out for us). It is dawning on me that this is a backstage pass. Then he asks me where I was sitting, then hands me a ticket. "You're sitting here now." (Opposite side of the venue, 7 rows back, in the middle.) Turns out edgy dude builds Rick Derringer's amps, (niftty 50s/retro looking tube amps) and the reason he was so edgy was that they won't let anyone pick up their passes until a certain time, lest they have the opportunity to be too bothersome. Then, security tells us we can go in the catering room.
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We are ushered into the catering room. I quickly realize that the chances of meeting Ringo are slim. I'm sure he has his own room. Amp Dude remains optimistic. Since I really don't personally know anyone here (including Amp Dude), I figure it's best to stick close to Amp Dude and try my best not to get kicked out. Trying to focus through my utter state of shock, I do notice that Edgar Winter is not in the room, and Gary Wright is. I also notice that Amp Dude is engaged in conversation with someone he obviously knows. I am standing about an inch away from this someone. Focusing further, I realize that this someone is Rick Derringer (of "Hang On Sloopy"/"Rock & Roll Hoochie Coo" fame and producer of Edgar and Johnny Winter, and also member of Edgar Winter's White Trash, and the Edgar Winter Group). I wait for a break in the conversation and remark, "YOU'RE RICK DERRINGER!" "Yes, I am." "Sorry about that, but I had always assumed you were bigger than me." (As in taller. Rick is about an inch shorter than I.) "Well, praise God! About time someone thought that! It's ok, man. You can be bigger than me if you want to. Go right ahead. Why not? You can be anything you want to be." "Anybody can fly. Just not for long." "That's true." Every now and then I could pick up snatches of conversation. I heard Rick say that was going to be an early show. (7:30.) To which I said, "That depends on what time zone you're in. I crossed time zones so now the early show is a bit later." So Rick says to a guy on staff, "It's like what that man said. It depends on what time zone you're in. We were in Ontario last night. So what time zone is it here? What time is it?" 6:50. "Ok, we're cool, then." Then I overheard Rick say that Wally (Palmar, of the Romantics from Michigan of "What I Like About You"/"Talking In Your Sleep" fame ) was a little hoarse tonight. (If you didn't know, you wouldn't know.) I look at Wally, then at Rick, and say, "That's funny. He doesn't look like Mr. Ed." Rick asks, "Who doesn't look like Mr. Ed?" "Wally. You said he was a little horse tonight." "That's funny, man." (Somehow, Wally set up my getting a picture with him and some snazzy dude. He tells me to stand in the middle. "Guess I'm the cheese in this sandwich." I have this complete blank shocked expression on my face. Wondering how did I get here? How am I still in here? How do I stay in here? And I have lost track of Amp Dude. Figure I'm safe if I hang with Rick.) The head of catering for the casino comes in to inform Rick that the juice machine is next door. And it is such an awesome juice machine that it has its own room. I look at the catering guy, then back at Rick and say, "So, that's the status, then. Band here in one room. Juice machine with its own room." Rick says it's a good juice machine. (Mind you, he hasn't seen it.) Catering guy says, "It's a great juice machine, worthy of its room. And you know who else has his own room? Me! And I share it with the juice machine. Because I'm the juice man. No one gets to the juice machine without going through me." Juice Man then asks Rick if Ringo was into the juice. Yes, yes he is. Rick relates this story. Early in the tour Ringo was drinking beet juice every day. (Supposedly beet juice has colon cleansing properties.) Then, three straight days, no beet juice. The following day, they're on the plane, and Ringo is handed his juice. He drinks it, finishes it, then a look of mental and physical anguish crosses his face. "Oh, !@#$! Beet juice!" See, he is human! Following this, someone I recognize walks in the room. Rick says, "Here's someone I can introduce you to. Gregg Bissonette." (You might remember him as the other drummer on the last tour.) He of many g's walks to the catering table. Figure I'll blurt something out quickly. "I was at the Waukegan show." "That was a great show! The whole thing was great!" Then I relate the story of how I lived in Waukegan for 9 years, moved out the year before, got the email and was convinced someone was yanking me. He turns towards the wall and I can see he's checking his phone. Figure I won't bother him while he's busy. He turns around, so I ask if I can ask him a question. (I had called Margaret the night before for info on what was happening at previous concerts. She mentioned that the Drumheads had been bringing their big green stars.) Gregg says, "Sure, as long as you let me eat." "Yeah, drumming on an empty stomach would be a bad idea." "It is." I ask if at the previous shows if they'd noticed the people with the big green stars. "Oh, the Drumheads? Yeah, we've seen 'em." (Mind you, I didn't mention the word Drumheads, he did.) So I quickly say that I couldn't find mine, but I made my own signs. (Nifty things like "70 is the new 16".) As he's heading for a table, he asks where I was sitting. Still in shock, I couldn't comprehend he was asking so they could look for my signs. So I say, "It doesn't matter where I'm sitting. Tonight, the man with the best seat in the house is you." "You got that right." He high fives me. And then, it's time to go. And that is the story of how I got backstage and didn't get thrown out.
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Re: Ringo StarrY Not...uh Night


Cool story. I enjoyed it. How was the show?

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Re: Ringo StarrY Not...uh Night


 :mmt: Great story,Harry. I'm assuming that unfortunately Ringo never came to the juice machine?
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Re: Ringo StarrY Not...uh Night


The very awesome juice machine was brought to the very awesome Ringo. Not to be confused with another juice story. Which was never intended for mere mortal ears such as my own. Unless you're like, cool with the band.

The show was awesome from my Rick Derringer comped seat...looked like a sell out even. But damn it, someone else had the best seat in the house. He knows who he is. And he knows who we are.
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