Eddie $$$

I was at an Eddie Money Concert at Konocti Harbor this weekend. I wish I could have taken more pictures but apparently my "Lens" was not acceptable. (28-135 IS USM)
Tix said that no Video or Audio recording was allowed but nothing about photography. I get there and a security guard pulls me aside with a more than confused look and says that I can't have "That" type of camera. He isn't sure about that and then ask "Well, let me see the lens, what kind of lens is that?" And before I can even tell him what kind he barely glanced at it and said "Nope, can't take photos I don't think with that kind of lens..." (Assure you, this guy sounded like the typical WHAT KIND OF ZOOM DOES THIS THING HAVE?)
So I snap away throughout the night, not using a flash to reduce any kind of attention to myself and not to disturb the show even though there are easily a dozen or more P&S cameras shoved right into his face snaping away every few seconds.
About a third of the way through a feel a tug at the back of my shirt and this guy tells me to "Knock it off" and I pretty much know what he is referring to. I am not a professional by any means, just a "Dumb punk ass kid playing with his camera" (according to my going to be father-in-law who was there and pissed about how security was beating around the bush with me)
Well, about 3 or 4 songs later (My camera is now unused for the rest of the night as asked) I decide to relieve myself in the bathroom. When I get up to walk to the end of the Isle, Guard #1 is glarring at me and is making it more than obvious that he is watching me. I ignore the little man and make my way to the back. As i walk past guard #2 he tried to step to the side and kind of guide me OUT of the hall. I casually avoid his offer to being kicked out (he didn't say a word but made it clear that I was not wanted there) I turn along back wall and walk towards the bathroom where Guard #3 comes about 3 isles to me and follows me about 25 ft to the bathroom. At this point, I don't care if they throw me out or not.
I tinkle, walk back to my table where next to guard #1 at the end of our isle is now occompanied by guard #4. Lemme tell you, guard #4 was nor man nor beast. It was a walking mountain. I ignore him like a penny on the ground and as i sit next to my girlfriend she has my camera guarded like a dog guarding his bone to which she tells me "when you left, that other guy (Guard #4) came over and they talked and were pointing and starring at your camera"
Although that was the extent of what happened i was pissed that they beat around the bush about me and my camera.
To get one thing straight though, nothing said i couldn't take pictures. Nothing said i couldn't have an DSLR. Hell, the guys who checked my tix saw me with it and didn't say a word. If someone was to of come up and tell me "Excuse me, Could you not use that kind of camera in here?" Everything would of been fine. Instead my girlfriend and her parents were wound up thinking i was gonna be kicked out and my camera was going to be confiscated. And trust me, i know that if they tried to take it there would be problems.


The pictures i took were merely for personal enjoyment, nothing else. I don't look for problems. But this pissed me off cause there was a monkey on my back for over an Hour when i could of been having fun. Everyone else was snapping photos like crazy with their P&S.

Next time, I will flash them the tickets that say "NO VIDEO OR AUDIO RECORDING ALLOWED" and say "Doesn't say photography."


MR EDDIE MONEY!

Sweet pictures...sorry they gave you a bad time. People tend to be so intimidated by 'big' cameras and 'big' lenses....