Rob Zombie & Korn @ Providence Civic Center 3/20/99

Well I'm not the biggest Korn fan but I wanted to check this show out to get some photos and see how they do in an arena setting. I haven't gone to any of the "Family Values" shows, I haven't seen them since the small Lupo's days. I figured I was all set since I had passes from Korn's publicity folks, but this one turned into a joke and never got better.

I showed up to discover I didn't have a ticket. I kind of knew this, but I figured I could score one outside if I couldn't get in with just my photo passes. I picked up my passes, inquired about getting a ticket, and ended up outside in scalper alley looking for anything to get me in.

Tickets were going for like 75 dollars, so I decided to blow that off and just go for it with the ticket takers. I approached two different lines and tried to bluff my way in, but was rejected. Finally I noticed a little old man who looked like he was going to die if he saw another face piercing, so I headed over and explained that I didn't have a ticket, but I was supposed to take photos. He tried to get somebody on his radio, but when nobody answred he just let me in.

Psyched that I was in I headed right up front to await the photo time. I get to take photos during the first three songs usually. This was no different- I was checked by like seven security guards, who then let me hang out in the front row until it was time to take pictures.

I took photos of Videodrone without incident. They were pretty good and all and I just hung out until they were done. Security was looking uptight since they were trying to make sure nothing happened on the floor and watch their backs for break-in rushes.

Security was having a rough time holding back all the Korn fans- every few minutes it seemed another door was breeched and 75-100 fans came running into the arena looking for a free seat. Most of them barged through the security guys blocking the floor, which got them all pissed off and uptight.

Rob Zombie took the stage and I went to work. Nobody seemed to care that his name was crossed off my pass, so I just did my thing. I took pictures for two songs then went back to the sidelines to wait for Korn. During the third song, or maybe it was the fourth, I raised my camera and took a photo of some robot that came on stage. A security guard saw me and freaked out. He called his boss and I got thrown out.

On the way out Mr. Security just kept getting madder and madder. He asked for my film and I gave it to him. Since it only had one picture on it, I didn't care. I had just changed the roll. The full roll was in my pocket. Then he asked for my ticket. As we know I didn't have one- and that pissed him of. "This is a fuck up from top to bottom!," were his exact words.

He raved on for a few, warned me that taking photos at a big show was different that what I was used to, and had some cops take me out of the building. I've never been evicted from anything, so this was kind of cool.

It sucks that I didn't get to see Korn, and I missed out on some good photos, but so what? All in all it only cost me a few bucks and I kept the good roll of film.

So, up top is my best Rob Zombie photo. It's the only decent one, so soak it up.