Iron Maiden Tailgate Party
September 10, 2000

Picture the scene: a parkinglot filled with metalheads, open car doors allowing loud metal music to escape, a brewski in everyone's hand, a group of metalheads smoking pot out of a HUUUUGGGEE 7-foot Gene Simmons bong, everyone excitedly chattering about seeing Iron Maiden. No, we're not talking about 1986, we're talking about the year 2000, and this is no metalhead's dream... Iron Maiden is back and metal is back! Iron Maiden claim they're not about re-living anyone's past, and it's true, this is NOW and we are ALIVE!

Okay, so that was a bit of a dramatic introduction for a tailgate party, but there was something very nostalgic about this tailgate party, hearkening back to an earlier era when metal was great and parking lots were great party places. Speaking of early, we got there pretty early (notice how empty the lot is behind us). We all met at the local Denny's and then caravaned to the parkinglot so we'd all be parked together. Pictured here are Stephen Stalker (top), Mike Bear and Perry Grayson (back), Jeff, Matt, Raven Mad's short-haired Dustin Swad, and Ana Greco and I up front.

We were later joined by Glenn and Aric, who not-so-stealthily poured alcohol into incognito red cups.

The tall, bald gentlemen on the left was some random guy who thought it was funny to be in our pictures. I thought it was funny, too, so I invited him in. I think I asked him what his name was, but I was a bit too buzzed to remember. Anyway, nice guy.

Dustin's tee shirt says it all. That smiling McDonald's cup in my hand was filled with beer three times, all consumed from a straw (I know, that's bad, but I was having a good time, and I was all sobered up by the time Maiden came on stage). Hey, isn't that a beer in Dustin's hand? Isn't he a minor??? Perhaps if he still had his long dark luvlee locks he wouldn't look so young... heh heh...

Here's the party posse once everyone showed up. We were joined by Chris "Drumslut" Silva, Raven Mad's Joe Verastegui, and Chris's friend Tony. And of course, the tall bald dude.

The show itself was very good. It seemed like everyone we knew was there; we couldn't walk ten feet wtihout running into someone. Lew and Beat the Bone were on the Levi's Stage, having been given an awesome opportunity to play around the country with Iron Maiden.

Apparently some dumfucks decided to run around wagging knives around and four people were stabbed, so there was a bit of drama. And the OC fans showed how dedicated they were by a mass exodus when Bruce Dickinson stated in the middle of their set that Iron Maiden wasn't there to relive anyone's past. Great. Welcome to LA. No wonder a lot of bands purposely boycott this area. *sigh*

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