Did You Ever Sneak Backstage at a Concert? How Did You Do It?

From 1956 until 2011,Tri state concert fans saw many top acts at Roberts but not all of them were paying customers.

Back before the old stadium was reduced to several acres of fescue, I was waiting backstage to MC a show and chatting with a couple of security guards. I asked if they remembered any interesting ways people have sneaked in to concerts. Here are the top three:

THE BAG OF ICE -- The simplest one. A guy got a 10 pound bag of ice, tossed it on his shoulder and walked right through the back entrance like he belonged there. It worked back in the day.

THE FUSES -- The most clever. A guy showed up to the back entrance just before the concert started holding a small Radio Shack bag. He told the guard, "They just called me and I have the fusses". The guard says, "I'll take them to the sound board". The fuse guy says, "I have to deliver them directly to the sound guy". It worked. Of course the bag was empty.

THE ARTIST LOOK ALIKE -- Might have worked. A few years back Martina McBride was playing Roberts. I got a call from a lady who said, "Can you help me meet Martina? They say I look exactly like her and I want to get my picture taken with her". I remember saying, "If you look like her just go down to Roberts stadium in the afternoon before the concert and walk right in the back entrance like you are her and belong there". I was joking but I never heard back from her. Maybe it worked.

THE CLIPBOARD -- Honorable mention on this one. I used to get in sports events when I was in college wearing a trench coat and carrying a clipboard. No one ever questioned me when I carried a clipboard.

THE OLD FAVORITE-- 'I'm with the band". This usually works if you are an attractive female (and the security guard is male).

Categories: Concerts