Alan Snodgrass Photography

Not that it happens a lot, but it’s always a nice surprise to be handed, not only a photo pass and ticket, but an all access pass as well … especially when I’m usually anxious about my name not being on the list at will call (which happens more than I’d like). So it was, as I checked in at the Fillmore for the first of two sold-out NOFX shows.

The funny thing is that while it sounds cool, I’m never quite sure what to do with that All Access when I get it. In this case, I actually had to ask a security guard what it meant to which I was told I can go anywhere. Anywhere? Really? Where did all reasonable judgment fall apart in the approval process?

So what did I do? After shooting the first band, I walked behind the black curtain where I got a side view of the stage. Underwhelming. So I went upstairs to the balcony where there were a bunch of people I didn’t recognize relishing in the marginal side-view of the stage. Nowhere to be seen were the piles of free booze, drugs and women … a major disappointment to say the least. But sure, I still hung out there sipping a beer that I purchased from the bar simply. Because. I. Could.

Unfortunately my time in the photo pit during NOFX’s set was cut abruptly short by an uptight wanker of a security guard that spazzed out after a single crowd surfer came over the barrier and booted all the photogs. So still in need of some shots I took up a position on the stage hoping to get a few more photos, not quite sure if I was going to get man-handled by a different guard. Thankfully not. It’s always possible to get a gem like the cover shot in the NOFX gallery, but the vast majority ended up looking like this …

… a picture of someone’s back. Ah well, at least I got a couple of good ones to go with a great place to watch the rest of the show.

On a totally separate note … one of the unique things about shows at the Fillmore is the Fillmore poster. In case you don’t know what I’m talking about, after every pre-sold-out show, the venue hands out quality concert posters to the departing audience … at least those that get out the door before they run out. So rather than hobnobbing back stage with my all access pass and a bunch of people I don’t know (and most of NOFX slipped out the side door before Eric Melvin was even done with his end-of-set accordion jam), I beat feet to the front door before they ran out of the weekend’s poster. I think it’s pretty cool in a 60′s-Grateful-Dead-meets-punk-rock kind of way …