Walking slowly, carefully, trying to look ‘casual,’ I worked my way up through the crowd towards the front of the line, all the while trying not to wince as the massive amounts of masking tape holding the body of my friends camera to one ankle and his zoom lens to the other, were RIPPING the hair off my legs. On the inside I was TOTALY FREAKING OUT(!!!) because I was getting closer and closer to the ominous security check I had to go through with a security guard who might very likely toss me and the $100 ticket I’d paid a fortune (to me) for, OUT of the line and BANNED from the show....(and most likely, not in a nice way!)
On the ticket, which looked like a formal invitation, it said in the bottom right corner, ‘No cameras please’ to see Elton John perform at this charity event held in the intimate setting of the famous ‘Doug Westin’s Troubadour’. That was for sure a ‘red flag’ I took note of, but it really didn’t bother me too much because it would not be the first time that I’d had to be clever to photograph a show…
So…I got there early to check things out and see what I was up against. As I did my 'walk-by' past the line-up for the early(er) show of the night, however, it became very clear that it would be INSANE for me to try to sneak a camera inside this time! I had NEVER seen security this tight before. They were actually PATTING EVERYONE DOWN before granting access to the entrance.
WHAT!!?!
I watched, stunned, starting to panic, trying to consider my options…my mind was racing, “How could I pull this off!?!”…and as I watched...I noticed…that the guy doing the ‘pat down’ was HUGE…and…because of that, when he would do his ‘patting,’ he would stop somewhere around the knee area, I assumed because it was a long way down for him - (haha, and after all, who would hide a camera in their shoe, right!?!)
This is the ticket I paid about $125 for ($25 over face price). I had heard that counterfeit tickets had been created and sold so although I was pretty sure, I wasn’t 100% sure I would get in with it.
I went back to the car, not sure if I could do it. I mean, I COULD leave the camera in the car and actually just watch the show. It was a small venue holding only 250 people and I knew it would be an incredible performance! But then, having the chance to photograph Elton in such an intimate setting was the chance of a lifetime for me....and WHY I paid so much (a ticket to Elton's arena shows was only $6.50) for the rare ticket in the first place! (Something I never did)
So when it came time, I stepped out of my car, pulled my bell bottoms down over my ankles (and the camera gear HEAVILY taped just above), and headed back to the crowd.
I watched as each guy in front of me would step up to take their turn. Everyone was clearly intimidated by this giant and a few times people would be caught trying to smuggle a cheap 'Instamatic' camera in under their coat. He would give them a stern look and immediately toss the camera in the trash before they were allowed to move on. I was pretty sure if this monster detected any of the tape or camera gear I was concealing, he would not be so easy on me. My heart was POUNDING and I was really starting to question my resolve as I stepped up, trying SO HARD to look like I wasn’t TRYING to look casual, BUT STILL look casual. The big burly guy ordered (not asked) me to lift my arms. As I stood there forming the letter ’T’, he first checked my jacket arms, then, starting at my arm pits, he worked his way down….patting….going lower…and I thought I was going to pee myself...but then he stopped…about 2 inches below my knees…(and about 3 inches above where tape and camera started)
He stood upright and waved me out of his way so he could get to the next guy.
Trying to keep my composure while taking care not to clink the camera parts together as I walked, I flashed him the piece sign and kinda sauntered along towards the door where I had to present my ticket.
HOLY CRAP!!!!!
This is the (really nice!) souvenir book I was handed as I presented my ticket to enter the venue.
When I got to the door, I showed my ticket, (which I got to keep), and someone handed me a souvenir book, (AWESOME!! - although not easy to deal with while taking photos), and then directed me inside.
This is the last page of the book which tells the details of the event.
I went straight to the bathroom to find a stall to…PEE! …and remove the camera gear from my legs. Let’s just say there may have been a little tearing up at that point* as I assembled the camera, tucked it under my coat, stuffed the huge wad of masking tape (*still retaining a significant amount of my lower leg hair) into a trash can and headed back out to find a good/safe place to photograph the show.
These are pages from the book
There was no way I would go unnoticed up close. The place was so small that I felt I could be easily spotted almost anywhere, but then I found a place to perch on the stairwell landing. It actually was a great spot! The angle was great, I could lean my souvenir book against the wall and I was able to squat down and shoot through the railing. In fact, I shot the whole show around and through (mostly under) the people standing with me at the railing, which kept me hidden from the security guys.
This is the perspective I was shooting from during the show. It was great because I faced Elton when he played, plus I was also high enough up to see him over the piano!
The show lasted about 90 minutes, I think, and I made it all the way through without a hitch (unlike some previous experiences).
Elton interacting with the audience
Elton antics
When Elton finished his encore, before I stood up, I quickly swung the camera under my left arm putting my arm through the strap to carry it down my left side under my coat - which I zipped closed. As I stood up, in my right hand I grabbed the souvenir book (invitation tucked inside), while I held the camera back and against my left side via my hand tucked in the jacket pocket. I turned ready to head for the door and suddenly became more aware of my surroundings...
As I turned around, I found myself staring at Bernie Taupin!!?! ( Apparently he had been standing by/behind me in the group of 10 or so people on the landing watching the show.) He was signing the back of a ‘young woman’s’ invitation.
When I turned to face him, I looked at him - and he looked at me - and I wasn’t exactly sure what to do, (being as how I had just smuggled a camera in and took dozens of un-allowed photos of the show, while he was standing right by me, watching me, knowing that people were frisked outside before entry to be SURE they didn’t bring a camera into the show).
So I went for ‘distraction'. I held the bottom of my souvenir book with my pocketed left hand while I opened the book with my right to present MY ticket to Bernie as I asked for his autograph. He smiled at me and signed my invitation (with the girl’s pen). I grinned and thanked him and then headed off slowly, at first, holding my camera steady under my jacket, rapidly picking up speed as I went for the door!
The other side of my ticket
When I stepped outside and took in that first breath of fresh(er) West Hollywood air, I was FINALLY able to relax. I walked back to my car, shaking my head in TOTAL disbelief that I had actually pulled that off.
Elton ALWAYS worked hard to get the audience going!
There is a scene in the ‘Rocket Man’ movie where Doug Weston reminds Elton after his first appearance there that he still ‘owed him 3 shows’. I had a vague recollection of hearing of this obligation back then and that these charity shows were meant to fulfill that obligation - (although I can’t confirm that).
I could’ve been down there with my hand on Elton’s piano while he played…which is where I would’ve been had I not smuggled the camera in.
This show was the second show of the evening for Elton and it started pretty late. The show was absolutely fantastic! But it was different.
Elton singing along with the audience
His antics were subdued compared to his arena shows, but the passion in his songs and his singing were 100%.
The lighting at this show was very low, so most of the time he moved a bit faster than my camera shutter, but I love having these images to remind me of that ‘intimate’ evening with Elton....
This is a one-in-a-million shot. At the exact moment that I took this photo, someone behind Elton also took a photo using a flash - which created an interesting backlight effect for my shot! In this photo you can see the railing that I was shooting through. (Haha - you can also see one of the security guys who would've had me dragged me out by my ear if he'd seen me...)
....almost like he was in my living room*
(*assuming my living room had a 9 foot concert grand piano, of course!)
DS
