I Felt Like A Gringo - Minutemen

Flyer stolen from Facebook

I'd like to think I ruined a few people's night by being at The Dickies / D.I. / New Cold War / The Pluralses gig last night @ The House of Booooo's. Fuck that place. Seriously. The petty, insecure bearded long hair jackoffs working there - both the Security on the floor and in the box office - all deserve every bad thing that happens to them. I can't say it enough. Fuck that place.

Everything was going great. I got my tickets, got a photo pass (Thanks Cody!), lots of old friends and people I haven't seen in 5-10 years were in attendance, and the amount of stink eye I was receiving from ex's and enemies in attendance was comedic. They act like I care, they act like they're gonna do something to me, when we all know all they're gonna do is sit back and talk shit because they're too pussy to actually do anything, but I digress.

It started during The Pluralses opening set. Some longhair Security doosh comes up to me as I'm in the photographers area directly in front of the stage. There's a few other photographers there, shooting away, but this asshat comes up to me and stands in front of my camera and asks if I have a photo pass. I point to my left shoulder where my plainly marked photo pass is sitting right in front of his face, and he goes 'Oh, well you should have it in an easier spotted place.' Where? I told him? Right on my forehead? 'Smart ass' he mutters as he walks away. Whatever. I shot about half of the Pluralses set before heading back to the bar where my drink and my girlfriend were.

He comes up to me again as I'm about 6 songs in to the New Cold War set. Same long hair bearded Security dooshbag taps me on the shoulder and tells me I can't shoot with a flash. I'm not shooting with a flash, I tell him. He points to the flash sitting directly on top of my camera and says 'What's this then?' It's not even on, I tell him, and he again reminds me that I can't shoot with a flash in the venue. I point my flash, which, again, isn't on, and obnoxiously point it straight into the air and ask him There? Are you happy? Or would you like me to break it off my camera? He calls me a jerk and walks off.

It's one of the last song that the Dickies are playing, If Stuart Could Talk, and I've been shooting pictures during the bands entire set, when this little dick bastard comes up to me again and tells me I've been shooting too many pictures, and that I need to stop. I start busting out laughing and tell him Oh, is that right? I didn't know there was a quota on how many pictures you could take here. Is that what you're telling me, that this pass is limited? "You can't shoot pictures after 3 songs" he yells back at me. "Nobody's allowed to take pictures after that." He's directly in my face as I motion with my hand to some guy on the actual stage, taking pictures of The Dickies, as well as everyone against the barricade taking pictures and videos of the band with their cell phones - some using their flash. What about them? I ask? You gonna do your job and tell them they can't take pictures as well? He looks me in the eye and goes "Oh, well they're friends and family. They're allowed to." I'm laughing even louder at this point and tell him Yeah right? Where do you dream up this bullshit dude? He growls at me and says if I take one more picture he's kicking me out of the venue. I mock him by going Ooooh noooooo! Please Mr. Security Man! Don't kick me out during the bands last song! Oh woe is me, I don't know what I would do if the big jock-o-rama kicks me out of the shitty venue during the bands last song. Oh whatever will I do then? LOL He walks away, telling me to keep it up and see what happens. I laugh as he walks away and yell at him Wouldn't give you the satisfaction sweetheart!! He turns around with murder in his eyes and sees me standing there with arms extended going What? and laughing. He glared at me angrily and then went back to his perch near the side of the stage, and I could see him and his other bouncer friends talking among themselves, pointing in my direction and giving me dirty looks like I give a fuck... hahahaha Losers. Then the Dickies were over and so I left, with Erika being more pissed off with the situation that I was! haha.

I guess the moral of the story is that there's always gonna be somebody somewhere who's gonna try to fuck things up for you by goading you and pushing your buttons - whether by their own choice or the influence of others. The secret is to not let it get to you, which pisses them off even more. To paraphrase Gunnery Sergeant Thomas Highway from the movie Heartbreak Ridge, never give the pricks the satisfaction. ;)

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