Crossed My Heart

Posted on by mikeberretta


Sadly, there are only two shows left for the season at Bethel Woods, but if Saturday night was the final one, I’d be ok with it. My favorite female fronted band was playing. I’ve seen Heart several times, but I had never worked one of their shows and I was looking forward to seeing them from a different perspective. Not that I ever really get to enjoy a show when I’m working- in fact, most of the time I couldn’t even tell you what the stage looked like or what set changes they had. I can, however, always feel the energy of the show and the crowd. I can also hear the music of course- well, mixed in with the crowd noise and the chatter on my security radio ear piece.

The Wilson sisters have been in a band together for 50 years. I’ve been a fan for as long as I can remember. I owned the album Dog and Butterfly (1978) since I was very young and the title track, written by Nancy, has always been a favorite of mine. While I respect the talent and vocal range of Ann, Nancy has always been my favorite of the sisters and my favorite female rocker.

Like all Berhel work days, one of the most interesting parts for me is the security briefing with the artist’s head of security. There’s usually seven of us- my boss, two security supervisors, two house supervisors, the production director and our GM- plus the performer’s representatives. They go over what they expect from us and inform us of any specific things they need from security. Their head of security looked a bit young to me, but he was covering all the bases and saying the right things. It was to be a pretty standard show. Nothing crazy, but they did have a few extra security requirements. Ann and Nancy Wilson were true pioneers for women in rock. I’m sure they’ve had their share of over-enthusiastic fans and their head of security, Dustin, was very concerned about keeping them safe.

After the briefing, one of our under cover police officers was talking to Dustin. I walked over and joined the conversation. While I’m looking at this “kid” who appeared to be no older than my eldest son, I said, “Can I ask you a question- and you dont have to answer it if you dont want to.”
He said, sure. “
“How old are you?
“27”
I bluntly asked, “How the hell did you get this gig? You probably didn’t even know who Heart was when you got hired.”

He glanced around the patio for a second, as if he was checking to see who was watching us or listening to our conversation. He then looked me in the eye and matter of factly said the completely unexpected, “Ann is my mom.”
Then I blurted out, again without thinking, “So Ann is your mom…that means Nancy Wilson is your aunt??”
He was very understanding of my surprise and slight fanboy moment. We talked for a bit, as I tried to wrap my head around what it must have been like growing up as Ann Wilson’s son. As we parted ways, he reached into his pocket, fumbled around and pulled out a guitar pick and handed it to me.

A short while later, it was time for Nancy to exit her bus for the dressing room. We walked her entourage up the stairs and I opened the door for her and said welcome back to Bethel. She looked up at me and said “Thank you.” Nancy Wilson from Heart spoke to me. My night was complete and the show hadn’t even begun.

The show went smoothly and I did get to have another nice chat with Dustin on the ramp of the pavilion and he gave me the quick version of what it was like growing up with Heart. He told me his mom has a baby picture of him being held by Ozzy- he told me about an unfulfilled promise from former uncle, Cameron Crowe to get him into a Star Wars movie as a stormtrooper. You know- normal kid stuff. He told me about being at the Kennedy Center Honors when Heart performed Stairway To Heaven, bringing Robert Plant to tears, and he told me about how his mom beat two bouts of cervical cancer, foot surgery and a broken elbow, while still keeps a full work and touring schedule.

I didn’t hit 20,000 steps that night, but I was close. When the show ended, we walked with Ann back to the bus and then waited for Nancy’s guests to leave. She eventually came out of her dressing and gave Dustin, who was standing next to me, a big hug. No…I didn’t get a hug, but I said thanks for a great show and she, in her Nancy Wilson voice, said, Awwww…thank you. We walked her to her bus and I made the final security arrangements and headed up the lawn to get the bus to the employee parking lot. 

Driving home, I reflected on the night and how cool it was, to me, anyway. Getting to meet the Wilson sisters…seeing them up close…talking with Ann’s son. Oh- and they did play Dog and Butterfly- just for me…and maybe several thousand other people. 

I love my job.

Sometimes you just never know…

Posted on by mikeberretta

Anyone of my friends can tell you I was and will always be an 80’s metal guy, but I like and listen to almost every type of music. Thanks to my security jobs throughout the years, I have been exposed to many bands and artists that I would not normally listen to. Some good, some great and some…meh, but I’ve always appreciated talent and musicianship, no matter what the genre. Whether it’s the yacht rock band at Daryl’s House on Thursday or at Bethel Woods with Joan Jett and Alanis Morissette on Friday, or Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan and Robert Plant with Allison Krause, and Celisse on Saturday or any of the less traditional shows I work, one of the things I enjoy the most is seeing how music affects people.

I was reminded of this during Alanis Morissette’s show on Friday. They had a second stage set up in the middle of the pavilion, behind the sound board. I was tasked with leading Alanis off the main stage, through the pavilion and onto the “B stage” where I was positioned in the blocked off the aisles in front of her. As I crouched just a few feet from her, scanning the crowd, a group of elated young girls who suddenly had scored second row seats with the new stage, caught my eye. They, along with the rest of the packed pavilion, were on their feet. One girl in particular who was singing every word with tears in her eyes and at times, just outright sobbing, stood out.

It’s interesting how music can really move people. At the end of thr four song set on the B stage, I had to run back to the main stage with Alanis, but the Impression of that girl’s moment stuck with me, so afterwards, I walked back over to the mix where the B stage was, climbed over the four empty rows of seats toward the girls and reached out to that one super fan, handing her a rolled up copy of the setlist. I didn’t realize that I may have frightened her and her friends for a moment while charging towards them, but after I handed her the setlist, I turned around, climbed back over the four empty rows and heard a very loud shriek and a thank you as I walked away.

On Saturday, we had Willie Nelson’s yearly Outlaw Music Festival with Celisse, Robert Plant, Bob Dylan and of course, Willie- who just rejoined the tour after a brief Illness. Security was very tight, with three legendary performers on the property.

Early in the day, Celisse had finished her sound check and was sitting on a couch in the VIP area. She suddenly got up from the couch and walked over to a section further away. On my way back from checking the “Member’s Area” I saw her getting up again, mumbling something to herself and shaking her head. I asked if everything was ok and if I could help. A little background- she is a large, normally bubbly woman with an amazing voice and some pretty good guitar chops. She was wearing a very bright yellowish green dress which made her seem to be even more cheerful, so it took me by surprise when she replied, “Where can I go to get the fuck away from everybody?? There’s people all over this place.” I said, “Come with me.” I brought her to the far end of the Members Area and told her she’d be good until about 3:30. She said, “Perfect. I just need a few minutes to myself.” Later, during her set, I led her as she came off the stage and walked through the pavilion, jamming away on her 1963 Gibson Les Paul SG.

She was smiling big, happy as can be and the crowd loved her. She came over to me afterwards and said, “Thank you for helping me out before. I appreciate that.”

I wish I was old enough to have seen Led Zeppelin, but sadly John Bonham died and their tour that I was planning on attending, was canceled. While Robert Plant only does a handful of watered down Led Zep songs during his show with Alison Krause, it is still exciting to see and hear him. His has one of the most recognizable and well known voices in rock and roll. God only knows how many times I’ve listened to him on albums and radio. The man is a true legend. Last year I stood next to him for several minutes during a meet and greet. This year, I was walking past him and didn’t realize he was there. I must have looked a little surprised when our eyes met and he said, “Hello” to which I very cool and calmly said, “Ummm…oh…hi.” and kept walking. At least our friendship is growing and I imagine if he comes back next year, we’ll probably have lunch together. 

In addition to all of the normal business of nearly sold out shows, I had to deal with a few additional issues involving patrons and employees. One of which created my favorite memory of the busy weekend and included Willie Nelson’s production manager’s eight year old daughter and honorary granddaughter, Charlie. She and her mom were shooed away from a viewing area inside the pavilion. I was told about the issue and walked over to apologize to them. We talked for a few minutes and I made sure Charlie was ok and she gave me a high five. I bumped into them a few more times throughout the night as they were bouncing all over the venue. At one point, Charlie’s mom explained to me that Charlie has stood next to Willie with his family band during the last song of the show for years. We worked it out so Charlie’s mom could take video from the pit and get up on stage at the completion of the show.

I promised Charlie I would come to the stage to watch her. When the show ended, Charlie came to the edge of the stage where Willie’s fans were begging for set lists. She started handing me the set lists along with instructions on who in the crowd to give them to. The group of Willie’s fans shouted for her attention in hopes of getting a memory from the show. Charlie walked up to me with one last piece of paper left. She handed it to me and said, “This one’s for you.” I thanked her and turned back to the small mob who were expecting me to hand it to someone in the crowd. Charlie called to me again and said, “You have to keep it!” To which I replied, “Only if you autograph it for me.” She very happily obliged and a little later, after the pavilion cleared out, she came back and asked her mom to take a picture of us.

Who would’ve thought that an eight year old girl would leave a more lasting impression than Robert Plant or Willie himself? Sometimes you just never know.