Two Stones Crew Members Killed (no Who)

[Alan McKendree]

>Roadie work is so dangerous and not thought about much from the 
>general concert going population.I say a prayer  for the friends and 
>family.

Roger that.  I worked shows at the local arena for a few years in the 
'80s, mostly the moveouts (many people needed to break the set down 
ASAP).  The next step up was working the move-ins, which I got 
occasionally, and only the senior guys got to work during the shows 
(basically being paid to sit around and be on call).  I remember the 
Judas Priest set as being the most dangerous I ever worked on...lots 
of tilted ramps forming the stage floor, intersecting at weird 
angles, and made of custom-cut and welded metal grating with many 
edges and points.  But the riggers were the ones who really awed 
me...these guys would walk out on an I-beam 90 feet up, standing on 
the lower rim and gripping the upper rim with their knees, then when 
they got in position they'd haul winches up on ropes, hand-over-hand, 
and secure them to the I-beam.  Those winches supported the light 
trusses and suspended speaker stacks, so they had to be done right, 
and of course they were the last thing to come down after the show. 
Those guys got paid about triple what I got.  I went up with them to 
the catwalk a couple times and looked at that I-beam just an easy 
step over the railing, awaiting me.  I had scary dreams for years 
about walking out over that empty space.

Cheers,
-- 
Alan
"the average Texan...carries not just a gun but a SHOTGUN."
     --Pete Townshend, 1967