The Pixies show was really good. They did the disk live thing where they sell a CD of the show, after the show is over. That is a wonderful idea. Every act should do that. I would by one every time. Even for stuff I don't like.
     But while waiting out front for the doors to open, a ritual I engage in before ever general admission show (sometimes waiting a number of hours to get a good seat, yes I am that guy), I had occasion to meet one of the most annoying security agents ever in history. He was a large man with a goatee and a beret, wearing a black trench coat and a bright yellow shirt with the security companies name written in large letters across its front. It was his job to walk the line, keeps us from drinking beer we may have brought to the show, and to remind us that no cameras would be allowed. This should be done with a minimum of chatter. But this individual was clearly under the impression that HE in fact was the entertainment. He repeated his line about the cameras five or six times.
     Let me at this time say that I believe that there are three types of concertgoers. People who show up hours before the show starts, people that show up a few minutes before the door opens, and people who show up after the opening band is over. Being a member of the first group, I can tell you with some authority that those of us who show up very early, see very few new people arrive to the line after a certain point until its time for group two to show up. So the guard delivered his speech over and over again to exactly the same people. Then he began a little segment he called: “Stupid Shit People Have Tried to Bring Into The Venue”. The name pretty much says it all. Items ranged from pounds of dope, to gun shaped lighters, to bulletproof vests. He was really on my nerves.
     He knew we were a captive audience. He knew that he could say whatever he wanted, and we WOULD NOT LEAVE. We have been waiting for hours. We aren't going anywhere, especially on account of some asshole venue security guy. So we have to sit there and listen to whatever he says. He talked to people, hit on some of the young girls (one girl I saw had to be in high school), only to joke that he had a fiancée. He was so obnoxious he should have had a security guard of his own. People wanted to hit him. He talked for hours, right up until the time that he had to go inside and prepare for the doors to open. I want to make it clear that it's not like I hate him just because he is in a position of authority. I'm not really like that. I just think that people in his position should be seen and not heard. He should retain a healthy distance, but be RIGHT THERE if someone needs him. Invisible unless he has to do his job. That’s all I'm asking.