Romance on Warped Tour?
Chapter 3: Introductions At Work
The best bit of Security work is the bit where you aren’t working with the bands. Some of the bands are lovely, My Chemical Romance are good with security guards: mainly because they have to put up with me complaining about it. Some bands treat their security guards appallingly – the head of Security never put me with those bands because there wouldn’t be a band left.
I always enjoyed crowd control, mainly because I’d give up being aloof and join in with the crowd. And ‘sort it from there’. Pfft. Yeah right. I moshed and bounced about like crazy… and if there was crowd surfing where it wasn’t allowed then the crowd surfers would be in lots of pain…
I also enjoyed checking people in. Ya know, checking the tickets, getting the right wrist band on them. It was fun. I loved to hear the fans squeal as the doors opened. I just loved the fans. Some were little shits… but I’d sort them out. The most part of fans were great: helpful, polite and just great kids.
I knew a few of The Warped Tour crew… most of them were men. I was used to being one of the few female crew, it made it all the more fun. Especially when, afterwards, you drank the guys under the table. I was slightly surprised when I turned up to see another girl there. She was tall – my height so about five foot eight. She had brown hair with black highlights and piercingly blue eyes. Scarily like Bob Bryar – that blue. As she was facing me, and her hair was back (as long hair is supposed to be for Security work) I could see her piercing in the top of her ear. I grinned. There would be someone new for me to talk to, who looked vaguely like the kind of person I’d like to hang out with. Finally a friend… who’s not a guy!
I stood near to her, but close enough to be a stalker and tuned into what Steve was saying. His minion, Jack, was handing round radios – we didn’t get the super cool ear radio’s with curly tubes we got the hand held ones. Which in some way were more
fun… they pack more clout to when you hit someone with them.
“Ok, so I have the list of jobs but first we have to introduce ourselves to each other. First day of tour we all say hi and explain a bit about ourselves.” He looked round the group of assorted people, for someone he knew. He spotted me, and laughed, “Ok – I’m going first and then Lou. Hi.” He waved, “I’m Steve. I’m head of Security. You have a problem come talk to me. This is my minion Jack. If I look pissed off talk to Jack. That way I thump only Jack.” I snigger, Steve wouldn’t hurt a fly unless he had to. Steve pointed at me, “My word is law. Live with it.”
I turned to the rest of the group and waved, “Hey, I’m Lou Way. I’ve been doing Security work since I was 17 – I’m 24 now. I don’t talk shit and I don’t handle shit stirrers. I’ve worked with Steve before; he’s all bark and no bite.” I ducked a swipe at me. “Uhm… yeah. I think that’s all there is to say about me… oh yeah – I love to party.”
The ‘new girl’ was next. She looked quite shy, so I smiled softly at her and nodded slightly. She cleared her throat, “Hi. I’m Rachel Haner. I work mainly for Avenged Sevenfold… I’ve done Security for 7 years. I’m 24, now. I haven’t done anything like this before… I like to party too. I’m independent but work well in a team.” I smiled… I thought she looked familiar.
I shuffled a little closer to her, and touched her elbow gently. She jumped but refrained from squeaking. Her head snapped round to meet my brown eyes and she
frowned, “Yeah?” She whispered, I stepped back motioning her to do the same.
“Hi. Uhm, I just wanted to say I think your brother’s band is awesome.”
She smiles and nods, “I really like My Chemical Romance – I’ve seen you work there before.”
I nod, “Yeah, I’m Gerard and Mikey’s little sister.”
Her jaw drops, “Why didn’t you say?”
“Why didn’t you say you were Synyster’s little sister?”
She shrugs, “Moot point.”
I laugh and we tune back into what Steve was saying. “Ok so list of jobs now. Lou and Rachel you’re gonna be working the crowds. Mainly the mosh pit – so you’re staying between the stage and the barrier.” He looks at me, “Staying there.” I pout and he laughs. “You might have to help set up too, sorry girls.” I look round the assorted people assembled. We were the only girls. I groaned and headed off towards the stage with Rachel.
“Are we the only people doing this bit?” She asked confused.
I glanced round, “Looks like it.” I frown, “What the fuck was Steve thinking?”
She shrugs, “I don’t know, but it’s stupid. We can’t keep the kids in control with two of us!”
I giggle, “Tear gas.”
She looks at me, with a raised eyebrow and giggles too. “What’s it like being Gerard’s little sister?”
I shrug, “He’s a great brother and all but I never really made friends – too scared everyone would be my friend simply for my brother.”
She nodded, “Snap.”
I looked at her more closely we were very similar in more ways than one. “We’re gonna have to hang out more.” She looked at me confused, I shrug, “You can understand where I’m coming from. You’re like my only female friend.” I tell her laughing.
It was true – she was my new and only female friend.
I always enjoyed crowd control, mainly because I’d give up being aloof and join in with the crowd. And ‘sort it from there’. Pfft. Yeah right. I moshed and bounced about like crazy… and if there was crowd surfing where it wasn’t allowed then the crowd surfers would be in lots of pain…
I also enjoyed checking people in. Ya know, checking the tickets, getting the right wrist band on them. It was fun. I loved to hear the fans squeal as the doors opened. I just loved the fans. Some were little shits… but I’d sort them out. The most part of fans were great: helpful, polite and just great kids.
I knew a few of The Warped Tour crew… most of them were men. I was used to being one of the few female crew, it made it all the more fun. Especially when, afterwards, you drank the guys under the table. I was slightly surprised when I turned up to see another girl there. She was tall – my height so about five foot eight. She had brown hair with black highlights and piercingly blue eyes. Scarily like Bob Bryar – that blue. As she was facing me, and her hair was back (as long hair is supposed to be for Security work) I could see her piercing in the top of her ear. I grinned. There would be someone new for me to talk to, who looked vaguely like the kind of person I’d like to hang out with. Finally a friend… who’s not a guy!
I stood near to her, but close enough to be a stalker and tuned into what Steve was saying. His minion, Jack, was handing round radios – we didn’t get the super cool ear radio’s with curly tubes we got the hand held ones. Which in some way were more
fun… they pack more clout to when you hit someone with them.
“Ok, so I have the list of jobs but first we have to introduce ourselves to each other. First day of tour we all say hi and explain a bit about ourselves.” He looked round the group of assorted people, for someone he knew. He spotted me, and laughed, “Ok – I’m going first and then Lou. Hi.” He waved, “I’m Steve. I’m head of Security. You have a problem come talk to me. This is my minion Jack. If I look pissed off talk to Jack. That way I thump only Jack.” I snigger, Steve wouldn’t hurt a fly unless he had to. Steve pointed at me, “My word is law. Live with it.”
I turned to the rest of the group and waved, “Hey, I’m Lou Way. I’ve been doing Security work since I was 17 – I’m 24 now. I don’t talk shit and I don’t handle shit stirrers. I’ve worked with Steve before; he’s all bark and no bite.” I ducked a swipe at me. “Uhm… yeah. I think that’s all there is to say about me… oh yeah – I love to party.”
The ‘new girl’ was next. She looked quite shy, so I smiled softly at her and nodded slightly. She cleared her throat, “Hi. I’m Rachel Haner. I work mainly for Avenged Sevenfold… I’ve done Security for 7 years. I’m 24, now. I haven’t done anything like this before… I like to party too. I’m independent but work well in a team.” I smiled… I thought she looked familiar.
I shuffled a little closer to her, and touched her elbow gently. She jumped but refrained from squeaking. Her head snapped round to meet my brown eyes and she
frowned, “Yeah?” She whispered, I stepped back motioning her to do the same.
“Hi. Uhm, I just wanted to say I think your brother’s band is awesome.”
She smiles and nods, “I really like My Chemical Romance – I’ve seen you work there before.”
I nod, “Yeah, I’m Gerard and Mikey’s little sister.”
Her jaw drops, “Why didn’t you say?”
“Why didn’t you say you were Synyster’s little sister?”
She shrugs, “Moot point.”
I laugh and we tune back into what Steve was saying. “Ok so list of jobs now. Lou and Rachel you’re gonna be working the crowds. Mainly the mosh pit – so you’re staying between the stage and the barrier.” He looks at me, “Staying there.” I pout and he laughs. “You might have to help set up too, sorry girls.” I look round the assorted people assembled. We were the only girls. I groaned and headed off towards the stage with Rachel.
“Are we the only people doing this bit?” She asked confused.
I glanced round, “Looks like it.” I frown, “What the fuck was Steve thinking?”
She shrugs, “I don’t know, but it’s stupid. We can’t keep the kids in control with two of us!”
I giggle, “Tear gas.”
She looks at me, with a raised eyebrow and giggles too. “What’s it like being Gerard’s little sister?”
I shrug, “He’s a great brother and all but I never really made friends – too scared everyone would be my friend simply for my brother.”
She nodded, “Snap.”
I looked at her more closely we were very similar in more ways than one. “We’re gonna have to hang out more.” She looked at me confused, I shrug, “You can understand where I’m coming from. You’re like my only female friend.” I tell her laughing.
It was true – she was my new and only female friend.