As part of Fall for Greenville, the 1970’s group Kansas was giving a free concert Saturday evening. Kansas has been one of my favorite bands. As a high schooler playing keyboards in a band, they were my idols because of their keyboard-heavy arrangements. “Carry on My Wayward Son” is still one of my favorite songs. Every time I hear it, I still imaging playing the keyboard riffs, switching from piano to organ in a dual keyboard setup. Needless to say, we were going to the show.
Laura was worried about my handling the crowds, and with good reason. As we approached, traffic was horrendous. We managed to find a decent parking place fairly close to the venue. Knowing the back streets of Greenville helps. We unloaded folding chairs and a good bit of camera equipment and walked the two blocks to the stage area.
The crowds were already there, and finding a spot for three chairs turned out to be a challenge. We set up in one location, and were told chairs weren’t allowed there. We found another spot on the sidewalk behind several other chairs, and figured we would be safe. We couldn’t be more wrong.
When the group took the stage, the throngs started pushing forward in earnest. We were all amazed at the amount of long hair and mullets crawling out of the woodwork. Since everyone in front of us was standing, seeing the stage was impossible. Since I was next to a tree, I was somewhat insulated. Amy, on the other hand, was worse off. A guy with a kid on his shoulder stood close behind, and the kid’s feet came close to kicking her head. Worse yet, another guy with a kid on his shoulders pushed in front of her, with his butt right in her face. Enjoying the concert was impossible at this point, so we looked for an escape.
We decided that the chairs were an impediment. Laura and Amy offered to take them back to the car so I could try to get some photos. No matter where I went, I couldn’t get good view, so I had to improvise. I had my monopod with me, so I put my D50 on it, and held it high over my head, triggering the camera with my remote. Aiming was next to impossible, but I did get some shots I would have never been able to shoot otherwise.
When Laura and Amy returned, we decided to wander around the Peace Center and Falls Park instead. As we were walking back to the car, I decided to try my stick method one more time with my fast 50mm f/1.8 lens. I got some good shots of the stage and the crowds.
