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03/11/94 - SUN BOWL, EL PASO, TX Review by Elissa Contreras: The Stones are coming to The Sun Bowl at the University of Texas at El Paso...okay...I can handle it!...what? What's that you say? Bryan Adams is opening? Well why didn't you say so! That changes everything, now it's all worth it! 'Stones week' or 'Adams week' as I refered to it, couldn't come soon enough. I took the job as a stage hand I never dreamed I would have the chance to work a Bryan Adams show as well. The last time Bryan and the guys stopped through El Paso was in 1985 on the 'Reckless Tour'. Naturally, I was ecstatic when I heard the news. As excited as I was, I was faced with a major problem...classes. Work was to begin on Friday Oct 30th and continue through the show which was to be held on Thursday Nov 3rd. This was a week of classes that would be missed. Unfortunately my professors did not go for it, so I did what any desperate student would do, I begged...okay, I groveled? Nevertheless classes were no longer a problem and I was ready to work. Seven days of climbing steel, flipping plywood and pulling cables, seven days of comparing bruises and counting splinters. The first two days, Friday and Saturday were spent pulling and laying electrical cable, and flipping plywood. I was covered head to toe in black soot and oil when I heard an exciting rumour. I happened to let myself go on break just in time to overhear a discussion about Bryan Adams and the rehearsal he would hold Wednesday afternoon. I could not believe it when I discovered that 4 people would be sent to Magoffin Auditorium to assist the setup. I of course, rushed in and begged to be part of this crew. Much to my dismay, it was for union workers only. I was not a union worker. The week went extremely slow as we worked from 8am - 10pm everyday. The stage was built from the ground up and there were no pre-built parts, everything was done from scratch. I was given the fun duty of leveling, in which I made sure the stage remained straight and not lopsided. Yes guys, that was me...so if it was crooked...I send my deepest apologies. Regardless of what I was doing I made it very clear to Paul Enger, the union manager, just how much it would mean to me to be part of the rehearsal crew. Tuesday afternoon I was told that since I expressed such great interest in the rehearsal, he was going to allow me to work. I think he wanted to get rid of me... I was to report to the auditorium at noon, I was there at eleven. Okay, so I was a little excited. The equipment truck was there but the crew was not. They were late...or I was early...in any case they arrived at 12.30 and it was time to work. Dressed in my Bryan Adams paraphernalia, I began to help unload the truck. This was a big truck! The crates were big and bulky but were on wheels. They were to be pushed down a ramp, into the music building, down a hallway and finally onto a maintainance elevator where they would be taken up to the stage. It was a long trek but having the words 'Bryan Adams' printed on each box, made me forget about the work and I enjoyed it. I was introduced to each member of the Bryan Adams road crew while we were working. I met Robbie Jarvis, in charge of wardrobe, when a piece of clothing was dropped from the bag he was carrying. I did not ask who's undergarment I almost ran over, but I will say, Robbie was quick to pick it up and we moved on. After the truck was unloaded I seemed to have attached myself to Lance Stadnyk, (Bryan and Dave's guitar technician). Maybe it was vice-versa...well I began laying out cables, monitors and microphones. Lance was great to work with and when it was time to unload guitars he explained to me which guitar would be used for each song. I have to admit though, when the Stratocaster on which Bryan had composed 'Everything I Do' emerged, all I could say was "May I hold it?" I mean come on...this is a piece of rock 'n roll history here! Everything was setup and I was to return to the Sun Bowl until the rehearsal was over. I was crushed so I simply said, "Lance, give me something to do", and he did. He sent me to the grocery store. No problem! I was able to stay! Once everything was ready, Pizza was ordered and we waited for the band. I was on pins and needles. I was also reminded by my boss that the stage hands are not allowed to speak with the artists unless spoken to first. All I could do was hope. When the band arrived it was difficult not to walk by and say hello. Difficult? It was horrible...but this was my job and I wanted to keep it. I was on top of the world though when Bryan walked over to the crate on which I was sitting and said hello...actually I believe I melted into a puddle at his feet and stayed there the remainder of the rehearsal. The rehearsal began and as soon as the band kicked into 'Kids Wanna Rock', I swore I was in heaven - no pun intended. It was almost like my own little show, that is until I was handed a radio and told to oversee things and call if anything was needed. No problem! It was a responsibility I was proud to accept, considering it meant I would have to stay through the whole rehearsal! After about the 3rd or 4th song (which I believe was 'Please Forgive Me') Bryan casually asked WHO had called the rehearsal. I would have volunteered that I had, but they quickly filled him in on the fact that HE had! The rehearsal was now over and it was time to get back to work. The equipment had to be taken down, reloaded and moved to the Sun Bowl where we could start over Thursday morning. I was able to speak to Bryan before he left and that was when he asked me to write this article...I was honoured. I felt as if I had made great friends with the members of the crew. They were all fabulous people to work with as the truck was loaded and pulling out, I knew I would see them the day of the show, and it was time to return to the Sun Bowl. There was still work to do that evening, but I was on such a high that I was glad to do it. By this time the stage looked fabulous and chairs were being setup. I was recruited to setup handicapped risers and drape dressing rooms. Bryan, Keith, Mickey, Tommy and Dave's dressing room was draped in forest green and separated off into 4 sections. Couches and tables were brought in and looked quite nice. I must say the guys were very lucky because they were given the band room. The other side where the Rolling Stones were lodged was the football locker room, training room and lecture hall. We were never able to get rid of the 'sweat sock' stench and I was relieved Bryan and the guys had what I thought was the better dressing room. Thursday I had a break. I was on show call and did not have to be at the stadium until 6.30PM. Of course I was early again and had little to do as I basically hung around and watched the sound checks. The guys arrived at 6.00PM and I was invited into the dressing room where I was able to hang out with the band. Duties called though. My job was to assist in taking down the equipment between acts. Ian Moore, who opened for Bryan, left the stage and it was time to work. While loading the truck I heard someone yell "Showtime!" and ran for the crowd. I was not going to miss the show! They rocked! El Paso gave a warm welcome to Bryan, Keith, Dave, Tommy and Mickey, I felt a wave of warmth come over me when I realised I had helped make all of this happen. When the last chords of 'Summer Of '69' were hit, we were shuffled back onstage to take down the equipment. This was easy...maneuvering the sound board from the sound station in the back of the stadium, through the crow, to truck backstage was not. It wasn't even funny. I kept imagining people saying, "Elissa, you go tell Bryan his sound board is in pieces in the middle of the stadium..." Everything was fine though, and the board made it to the truck in one piece. It was time to say goodbye. I entered the dressing room for the dreaded goodbye. I received hugs from everyone and I believe it was Tommy Mandel who hugged me and politely said, "Do I know you?" All in all it was great fun and as I promised Bryan I would write this article and make it "light and funny", I realised how lucky I really was. The truck and bus pulled out and as the Stones left the stage, it was time to take it all down. This process continued through the night and was not completed until Friday afternoon. I owe heartfelt thankyou's to all the members of the crew and to Bryan and the band. Having been a fan of Bryan Adams since I was 13, I have been fortunate enough to have met him twice before; once when I was 14 here in El Paso, and again in Little Rock when I was 21. I have to admit though, this time was special as I was a member of the crew and was able to experience all of the backstage action. I realise I have experienced what most people only have the chance to dream about and am grateful. As I prepare for graduation this spring, I can honestly say that one of the highlights of my college career was on November 2nd & 3rd, 1994, when I 'Thought I'd Died And Gone To Heaven' - pun intended. | |||
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Article from Badnews * For this show Bryan was supporting the Rolling Stones |