Red Rocks Part 2: How I Almost Killed Trent Reznor

I woke up really early again...I knew I’d have to be up before dawn every other day of the trip so it didn’t matter. I wrote at my desk in the nice Hotel. Then I checked out since I was crashing on Abby’s friends floor that night. I picked up the French Girls and we drove to the venue. I had a scary moment just when we pulled onto the road going to Red Rocks. I got pulled over for the first time ever. Thankfully the cop was really nice and he let me go. (Apparently, I was doing 40 in a 20 mph zone). Even still, I was scared to death. I parked the car, let the girls out – and then swore I would not move that car until we had to leave.

Then I got out of the car and put my platform boots on – since as discussed earlier I tends to mistake the break for the gas and I so I don’t wear them when I drive.


We walked around the venue. It was just as pretty as I remembered. Look you can see them setting up the stage. The girls and I were excited.


From the top of the rocks you could see the band busses and semis. Normally Semies are a beacon of hope to me - but that day - with the addition of busses, the sight of the fleet was making me nervous. Look. There they are parked down at what they call the Trading Post. See? Note the road leading right past it – it’ll come up again real soon…


So I left the girls to explore, locked my self in the car and went back to work. Still had a lot to go, plus I still had to decompress after the scary getting pulled over thing. Write faster – I have to finish by two. If I don’t do it now, I will worry about it the whole time in Santa Fe and driving across the desert I have to get this stupidity over with. My wrist actually hurts what’s wrong with me…this is stupid I should be walking around this venue…eh I’ve done that.


But I do walk around just as soon as I finish. Look at the new addition to the venue since the last time I visited!


Then the girls and I sat and talked and laughed. We all started to get this weird scary feeling. “He’s here.”


No time to worry about that. We have to find Will Call; we have to pick up our tickets. Problem is, the venue is so big, and we don’t even know where to go. I’m terrified I will have to drive again. We ask a security guard, who confirms my fears; I will have to drive the girls to Will Call. To make matters worse, she gives me directions and informs me that I will have to drive directly past The Trading Post. “So, I have to drive past the band’s busses.” She doesn’t seem phased by this, or understand why I would be. ‘Yeah you just go right there….” Any other venue would have routed me 40 miles out of the way to keep me away from them – but no. I’m still shaky from before – and now I have to drive past the crew.

We get in the car – I’m scared but figure I can make the drive in my boots – its only 2 minutes and I have every intention of driving VERY carefully. I so don’t want to get pulled over again. So I drive really slowly. I’m nearing the band’s fleet. I joke about driving past the busses but my focus is on the road. I see the stop sign; I slowly pull up to it and come to a very complete stop behind the White Van stopped in front of me.


(This pic was taken later from where I was seated my car - at the scene of the crime w/ out the white van.)

So I'm officially stopped behind the White Van, count S-T-O-P cuz remember, I'm being paranoid - Only then do I realize, the van isn’t moving. I’m on a hill – now – facing down at the White Van. If I take my foot off the break – I will hit it. So, I’m just very carefully looking around and about to try and pull out from behind the van. I look right – I look left – and out of the corner of my eye – I see the most horrific thing – a big Pooffy Head of Fro - ed Out Hair. I quick turn my head away.

“Please god, don’t let that be Justin.” I say. And All I hear from behind me in that sweet voce of Marie in the back seat:

“It is. And Josh, the rest of the band...”

“-But no Trent!” Flo is kind enough to add.

“NO!”

-I say freaking out. It can’t be – I don’t’ want to believe it, but I turn, sure enough I see the back of Robin Finck’s bad ass Predator Dread Locked Head!!! At that – I freak out – throw the car into park and start totally bugging out. One thing – I am scared to death to drive. The scariest thing after that is to see the band. Last time I saw them in the street in Paris – I ran. I can’t run. I’m stuck in the car – and if I try to drive I will kill us all – I’m so scared I have my boots on in my terror I will mistake the gas for the break – kill the girls and the band. Why god – do I have to drive so close to the band. I need to pull the fuck out. There is another white van on the corner, the band gets in and is out of sight.


(Same shot, same angle from my position in the car – just closer to the actual lighting conditions.)

I calm myself; block out what’s going on and I put the car back in drive. I have to get us out of there. JT the bodyguard is there. Flo says he sees us; last thing I need to be is close to the band at all – let alone in a car. Ready to pull out I look right I look left -Fucking Panic in Detroit!!---

Trent.

FUCKING TRENT REZNOR IS FEET FROM MY CAR!!!!

OH GOD. I’ll kill us all I panic and throw the car in park. Now I’m hyper ventilating. There he is standing there with his bag – in a bright Red T-shirt wearing sunglasses… Trent is about to get into the other White Van. THE White Van in front of me. Jesus Christ I’m parked on a hill behind this Van.

--I’m going to hit this Fucking Van and kill - Trent Reznor with my car!!!—

Fucking god – I don’t know how, but I put that fucking car into drive I pulled out – I was shaking so bad, I drove us some how past both white vans and onto the road. I actually felt like I was going to pass out. Five times I have met the man and I have never come close to being as terrified, as I was to be in his presence. I was that afraid driving near him you have no idea how close I came to hitting Trent Reznor with my car. Thank god the girls were with me, I was so petrified and near fainting in that car – I couldn’t think – I couldnlt remember anything – I’d compleltely forgoted the two steps of directions from the security guard – and Flo had to guide us the rest of the way to Will Call. I don’t know how I made it.


Here he is – in the same red shirt – safe and sound just minutes later back stage at Red Rocks.


So we found Will Call. I parked the car, I got out, I stumbled around and wanted to die. Needless to say we all needed to settle our selves after all that, and since as it turned out, there was still an hour to go until tickets would be handed out – we all got back into the car to sit. Even though we said we wouldn’t talk about it. We did for quite some time. I called Jen I told her, she laughed and then we stopped talking about it. Then it was time to get on line with other fans and get tickets.



What am I doing!? I must be crazy....

It doesn't matter, "We're not gonna talk about it." -We got our tickets. I did what I had to. I felt OK which is weird normally I am so neurotic about such things, but for once I was neutral. Not excited or worried, just ok that’s done. Then I waited with the girls.


Abby showed up in a red dress looking like a goddess.


“Abby – You look amazing!” I say “Quick we gotta take a Myspace Photo!!!”


So just as Abby and I finish being Diva I see Lorena. She asks where I’m sitting and just after I’d written about Lorena showing up all the time as a pleasant surprise – turns out her seats are RIGHT next to us!! No kidding – Abby is 87, me 86, Lorena 85!!! So of course we had to take a photo! I love it.


This is a photo of me in The Slip dress. I think this is my favorite dress I ever made. I can’t believe I managed to paint that thing– or that it survived a pit!!! (Don’t worry I washed it!!!) Mostly, I think it’s my favorite, ‘cuz it’s The Slip. I love that record more than any other, I don’t think I’ve ever connected with a record as much as I have this one. That’s saying a lot after With Teeth and Year Zero too…but I digress… Lemme get back to cool pics -


This is the best view…and why I am so thankful TR allowed cameras this time around! No no look – Red Rocks, NIN logo on a hoodie. Does it get better?


Abby and me. I love this pic - even though a few seconds before it was taken, a security guard thought I was her mother, and I have to think about that every time I look at this. They say he was joking…still hurts. I know I’m getting old I don’t need it rubbed in. * Sigh * and I had gotten carded only days earlier. Still, I was really happy – I got to have a diet coke! I always see TR drinking soda or water during shows; I’m always so thirsty and never get to have sodi myself. Seated shows are good for something. But then I spilled it, as I fear. And it got on my coat…and that just goes to prove one should not be committing such a sinful act of having coke even if it is diet coke with out calories at a show. (As discussed earlier – I have weird food issues. It’s OK, you can laugh, we all do at this point.)


This is Rev. He’s like famous online and stuff. He seems to think I am but he’s wrong he’s a stud and I love ‘im. He wrote this awesome book called My Version of the Truth all about the fans fightin’ in Year Zero. I love it. Rev’s great.


Dear Hunter. I was having fun during their set, I was glad my seats were so far off to the side so no one would see me. I was dancing. About halfway through I realized not only was I the only one dancing…I was the only one standing! I was paranoid I was the only one getting into it! Oh god, just what I need is some awful You Tube video surfacing to make fun of the only stupid girl dancing… Still, I was happy. “We’re here!” I kept telling Abby.


Then Dear Hunter left. It was almost time!!!! Are you ready!?!?