When I first heard that AC/DC were coming to Moncton, I was excited for the city and figured I would once again provide my security services (haha) to the Magnetic Hill concert, something I had not done since the Rolling Stones were here in 2005.
When I reported in to work I was disappointed by my assignment: front gate security check (patting people down). However, fate has a funny way of working out: this assignment turned out to work to my advantage by the end of the night.
As we were being briefed on the patting down procedures, the head security person asked for 2 people with “loud voices” – my wife Stefeny spoke up for me saying I had a loud voice. Thus, I was reassigned to just outside the main gate to help direct traffic. This was a great spot for me as I got to see a lot of familiar faces, and got some free AC/DC light-up horns from the vendor after I brought him a cold bottle of water.
While working this detail I was approached by a young man in an Anvil t-shirt who asked me some information about the gates. After answering him, I had to ask him about his t-shirt because it was the first and only Anvil t-shirt I saw the entire day. He replied that he was the drummer’s son. My jaw dropped.
“Robb Reiner is your dad?!” I asked him with equal parts disbelief and excitement. After he confirmed the fact, I asked “Dude, I’m a huge Anvil fan. How can I meet your dad?”. So it was that I met Tyler, son of Robb Reiner, drummer of Anvil. Tyler had told me that after the show I could visit the trailer and meet the band! I was so excited and couldn’t wait until the night was over.
When I first heard that AC/DC were coming to Moncton, I was excited for the city and figured I would once again provide my security services (haha) to the Magnetic Hill concert, something I had not done since the Rolling Stones were here in 2005.
When I reported in to work I was disappointed by my assignment: front gate security check (patting people down). However, fate has a funny way of working out: this assignment turned out to work to my advantage by the end of the night.
As we were being briefed on the patting down procedures, the head security person asked for 2 people with “loud voices” – my wife Stefeny spoke up for me saying I had a loud voice. Thus, I was reassigned to just outside the main gate to help direct traffic. This was a great spot for me as I got to see a lot of familiar faces, and got some free AC/DC light-up horns from the vendor after I brought him a cold bottle of water.
While working this detail I was approached by a young man in an Anvil t-shirt who asked me some information about the gates. After answering him, I had to ask him about his t-shirt because it was the first and only Anvil t-shirt I saw the entire day. He replied that he was the drummer’s son. My jaw dropped.
“Robb Reiner is your dad?!” I asked him with equal parts disbelief and excitement. After he confirmed the fact, I asked “Dude, I’m a huge Anvil fan. How can I meet your dad?”. So it was that I met Tyler, son of Robb Reiner, drummer of Anvil. Tyler had told me that after the show I could visit the trailer and meet the band! I was so excited and couldn’t wait until the night was over.
Fast forward a few hours to 19:35. I heard Anvil‘s “666” (not sure if this was what they opened with?) so I took my first break of the day (after 6 hours in the gruelling hot sun) and ate lunch while listening to the band. I couldn’t see them but I did hear most of the set. I’m not sure but I think I heard Winged Assassins, School Love, a couple of songs I wasn’t familiar with, and of course Metal on Metal.
After my break I was reassigned again: this time to guard the ticket-checking table. This is where they brought people who’s tickets didn’t scan. Needless to say, I had to kick out a lot of people with bad tickets, especially after AC/DC had started. What had happened was people were leaving the concert early (even before AC/DC?!) and then selling their used, already scanned tickets to suckers poor souls who would be furious when I had to kick them out. Can’t say I blame them. “Sir, this ticket was scanned 3 hours ago.” The best was this one guy who swore up and down (and I mean swore) that he had that exact ticket in his wallet for weeks before the show. The more we questioned him though the more his B.S. story fell apart and it was out the gate for him.
In the end it didn’t matter because about halfway through the headlining set, throngs of people rushed the gates and got in for free/unchecked. I remember asking an RCMP officer “So are you guys just going to look the other way on this or what?” which is pretty much what they did. Not much they could do really. At around the same time, the head security person got a call saying that the pit in front of the stage was getting nasty and the current staff there were overwhelmed. Six of us (including both me and Stef) were re-deployed there. Which was great because we got to see/hear the last hour of the show including Angus’ ridiculously long (and awesome) solo. And the pit was very calm by the time we got there so it was a breeze.
When the show was over, my last assignment was to push the crowd out of the venue so that the stage crews could start tearing down. After that, it was back to the security shed to check out for the night…
….but not before a quick pitstop at the Anvil trailer! I approached tentatively as it didn’t even look like people were in there. I went up the steps, knocked on the door and Robb Reiner opened it. He invited us in, we met Lips and Glenn, talked about the show, and got a personally (ie: “To Rick”) autographed CD – their new one This is Thirteen. I told the guys that I had Metal on Metal on cassette; Forged in Fire & Hard N Heavy on vinyl, and the Anvil Anthology on CD; and admitted that I hadn’t heard much from them this decade. Indeed, I kinda forgot they existed until Dango gave me the Metal on Metal cassette; and then I got Annihilator‘s last CD with a Lips solo on my favourite track Army of One… and then of course the movie completely raised their profile the world over.
When I asked Lips if this was the biggest show they’ve ever played – he confirmed that it was and he was thrilled that it happened right here on our own Canadian soil, and said he regretted having not been to the Maritimes since 1979. I told him that they should come back and play a bar show since we have a pretty good metal scene here. I alluded to Joey Belladonna‘s praise for Moncton and Lips was not surprised to hear that.
My biggest regret though was not getting my picture taken with the guys… Even though Stef had her camera phone, we were too tired/beat to bother taking pictures – sorry guys you’ll just have to take our word for it.
Anyway it was a great day. I got sunburnt despite 3 applications of sunscreen; drank Red Bull, Gatorade and several bottles of water; got to see AC/DC and meet fucking ANVIL!!!!! Metal on Metal!
The signed album cover
Grimby: Army of One 