It's been a crazy week. I was out sick, work's been wild, and then last night I found myself at the Ted Nugent show at the Fillmore.
As I mentioned yesterday, my friend Chris was playing with the opening artist Alex Winston. He smuggled me into the venue before the doors opened with this impressive custom VIP pass and we caught up over a pre-show meal in the Fillmore's dining room. We killed time before their set in the backstage area, which is really on the side of the stage on two levels. Since Ted doesn't really spend time backstage (he probably lingers in his plush tour bus or nice hotel room and then shows up minutes before his set starts), Alex and her band had access to the main backstage room on the upper balcony. I was able to watch Alex's set from this vantage point.
After her set concluded, the guys had to load out their gear. I knew I had at least half an hour to kill so I left the backstage area to wander around and people watch a bit. I'd estimate Nugent's audience to be around 85% male, and I was definitely the only female wandering around by herself. The people watching was interesting for a little while, until I started to feel a little creeped out by the leers of drunk dudes. I walked back up to the side balcony and attempted to re-enter the safety of the backstage area and was promptly stopped by the bouncer at the entrance. Apparently even with my fancy VIP badge, I still needed to be escorted by a band member. Nugent's security is pretty tight.
I sent Chris a text telling him to come save me, then took a seat on the public side of the balcony where about 40 or so fans were waiting to watch the show. A few moments later, two burly dudes came in and ordered a few people to clear a walkway. Then the 'Nuge himself strode in, all hat and flowing hair, long legs and smug smile. He was surrounded by about five men, all making a quick walk of the 20 or so yards to the backstage entrance. It happened so quickly that most people just had enough time to turn their heads and smile and maybe let out a "Hey, man!" Except for one woman:
"Teeeeed! THAT'S TED!!!"
She wobbled to her feet and teetered after the entourage, sloppily grasping over the shoulders of the rear bodyguard. Though her desire to touch her idol was indisputably fervent, the fact that she was at least a few drinks into her evening softened the effects of her pursuit. She almost seemed to be grasping for him in slow motion, yelling out his name at full volume while forty other fans stood by and watched. It didn't take Ted long to disappear behind the backstage curtains and it was over as quickly as it started, but the woman's night was made. "That was TED F*$^IN' NUGENT!" she yelled as she tottered back to her friends, elated. I can only imagine how many times and to how many people she'll tell this story for years to come.
I finally made my way backstage again and before reuniting with Chris I watched a few songs of Ted's set. In addition to a fully painted backdrop, his stage set included:
- a semi-automatic weapon (fake?)
- US flag
- California state flag
- animal skull
- animal pelt
- Ted Nugent-branded wall of amplifiers
- raccoon tail, affixed to pants