Ok, first of all, let me tell you about what happened last year that nearly gave me a heart attack (well, not a literal one mind you, I'm still young!). This is a lengthy story, but I encourage all to read the whole thing because I believe it is something that everyone should be on the look out for:
As I do every year, I make pretty hefty purchases at the vendor tables. Ever since ProgPower 2 I have dumped quite a bit of cash on CD's/Shirts/etc., even when I had no job, I somehow managed to pull up enough cash for spending at PP. Last year I had worked my ass off for three months straight at Kohl's, a department store similar to Sears/JCPenny/etc. I hated working there, but I wanted to go to PP and be able to buy stuff.
So PP rolls around and my friends and I decide to only make a few purchases on Friday, because we were going to be front row on the rails for every band that night. That means that I would be making the majority of my purchases on Saturday. Due to the rule against back-packs, I was carrying around about 5 or 6 large bags. I also make purchases incrementally throughout the night. So some bags would end up in the seat next to David and some would end up next to my feet. So here I am, with tons of bags at my seat, and we're watching the last bit of Jorn's set and then the Hearing Aid number. The show ends on a great note! Nothing to worry about right? Right...
My best friend David is half asleep, no doubt completely exhausted from standing nearly 13 hours straight the previous night, exerting tons of energy. I was pretty tired myself. Palabra De Dios was a bit out of it as well. I always hang around after the show, saying my goodbyes and such. Palabra and David decided to go back to the hotel. On our way out of the amphitheatre area, David grabbed some of my bags (the ones next to him) and I grabbed the ones at my feet, and we made our way out of there. I told Palabra and David that I would return to the hotel shortly and we could get some food or sleep or whatever. They headed off and I stood around talking to people.
Pellaz (Paul C)'s phone rings about 15 minutes later, and it's David asking to speak to me (I didn't own a cell phone at the time).
David: "Hey man, do you have my stuff in your bags?"
Me: "One sec let me look"
Me: *rummaging through bags*
Me: "Nope, it's in the bags you took, the one with my Therion DVD" (Note that I was so happy about getting this DVD at the show)
David: "I don't see it here, let me call you back"
I have a look of horror slipping into my face no doubt. I explain the current situation to Paul C. and the others around me, Aki may have been there as well, Julien too? There were quite a few people around. They all agree with my "Oh my fuck" sentiment. Paul's phone rings again.
David: "Dude it's not here anywhere..."
Me: "Dude, are you serious? Don't mess with me about this."
David: "I'm being dead serious dude, it's not here anywhere"
I ask David to look for things that I KNOW are in those bags
David: "None of that is here"
Me: "Ok, I'll call you back ASAP"
I then tell everyone what has happened. I then realize that in David's sleepiness, some of the bags might still be inside of the venue (and worse, potentially in someone else's hands now!) I then start to think about all the various scenarios this may cause. That is at least $200 worth of merch...gone. This is a feeling I wish upon noone!
So now what?
We can't get back into the venue, so how do I even check the seats?? Paul calls one of his friends who is still inside of the venue. He asks his friend to look around for my bags and I try to explain where we were as best as I could. However, I wanted to go for myself because I knew exactly where I was sitting. We get a call back, no sign of a bag. This is getting ultra-depressive. All I can hope now is that a fellow forum member found the bag, and is honest, and maybe if I make a post on the boards when I get home, the bag will be found and returned to me.
I am also slightly miffed at David at this point because he wasn't paying complete attention (I did not blame him directly or anything, I should have checked around too because they were my bags, but they were next to him and I thought he had everything).
Just then, we get a phone call from Paul's friend saying he saw something in the stands and was going to check it out. This brought me a glimmer of hope. Five minutes later, he and Katie (mtndewqueen88) walked out of the doors with my bags. Katie didn't quite understand what had happened (which I did explain to her later). I was so happy and relieved.
Now, for those that know me, I am always down for a joke or prank (or lying outright for a few minutes to make people think that I am not). I decided to make David pay just a little bit for what happened. I called him back and told him that they wouldn't let me in the building, and the guy Paul had asked to look for the stuff found nothing! I am an ass sometimes (actually, quite a lot!).
After spending about 20 more minutes with everyone, I told them I would meet up with them at the Granada but I was going to go back to the Residence and drop off all my stuff and see if David or Palabra wanted to come out. I went back and burst in on them with my bags.
David: "I should have known, you fucker!"
Me: "I couldn't help myself, you have no idea what I went through down there!"
David: "That's alright, we were all depressed up here because it was such a great weekend and this was going to bring it down considerably"
Palabra: "Hell yeah, you got the stuff then!"
Me: "Yeah, I was scared as shit though"
I proceeded to fill all the gaps in for them in the story.
Now, this story did end happily for me, but it could have easily went the other way! I ask in a most serious manner, that everyone find a way to tag their bags with some kind of information. I also ask that everyone on the forums be as honest as I hope you to be, and that if you find a bag on Friday or Saturday night, to post on the forums to let everyone know you found a bag (but don't post the contents...ask the person who is trying to get the bag from you to say whats in it). If we really are a family, then we need to watch out for each other for things like this.
I saw Glenn's post about allowing Day Packs. I hope that this is another word for Backpack/Bookbags, as that would have probably averted the whole situation that day (and it's just a hell of a lot easier than lugging tons of bags).
Will see you all in a week and a few days!
Justin
As I do every year, I make pretty hefty purchases at the vendor tables. Ever since ProgPower 2 I have dumped quite a bit of cash on CD's/Shirts/etc., even when I had no job, I somehow managed to pull up enough cash for spending at PP. Last year I had worked my ass off for three months straight at Kohl's, a department store similar to Sears/JCPenny/etc. I hated working there, but I wanted to go to PP and be able to buy stuff.
So PP rolls around and my friends and I decide to only make a few purchases on Friday, because we were going to be front row on the rails for every band that night. That means that I would be making the majority of my purchases on Saturday. Due to the rule against back-packs, I was carrying around about 5 or 6 large bags. I also make purchases incrementally throughout the night. So some bags would end up in the seat next to David and some would end up next to my feet. So here I am, with tons of bags at my seat, and we're watching the last bit of Jorn's set and then the Hearing Aid number. The show ends on a great note! Nothing to worry about right? Right...
My best friend David is half asleep, no doubt completely exhausted from standing nearly 13 hours straight the previous night, exerting tons of energy. I was pretty tired myself. Palabra De Dios was a bit out of it as well. I always hang around after the show, saying my goodbyes and such. Palabra and David decided to go back to the hotel. On our way out of the amphitheatre area, David grabbed some of my bags (the ones next to him) and I grabbed the ones at my feet, and we made our way out of there. I told Palabra and David that I would return to the hotel shortly and we could get some food or sleep or whatever. They headed off and I stood around talking to people.
Pellaz (Paul C)'s phone rings about 15 minutes later, and it's David asking to speak to me (I didn't own a cell phone at the time).
David: "Hey man, do you have my stuff in your bags?"
Me: "One sec let me look"
Me: *rummaging through bags*
Me: "Nope, it's in the bags you took, the one with my Therion DVD" (Note that I was so happy about getting this DVD at the show)
David: "I don't see it here, let me call you back"
I have a look of horror slipping into my face no doubt. I explain the current situation to Paul C. and the others around me, Aki may have been there as well, Julien too? There were quite a few people around. They all agree with my "Oh my fuck" sentiment. Paul's phone rings again.
David: "Dude it's not here anywhere..."
Me: "Dude, are you serious? Don't mess with me about this."
David: "I'm being dead serious dude, it's not here anywhere"
I ask David to look for things that I KNOW are in those bags
David: "None of that is here"
Me: "Ok, I'll call you back ASAP"
I then tell everyone what has happened. I then realize that in David's sleepiness, some of the bags might still be inside of the venue (and worse, potentially in someone else's hands now!) I then start to think about all the various scenarios this may cause. That is at least $200 worth of merch...gone. This is a feeling I wish upon noone!
So now what?
We can't get back into the venue, so how do I even check the seats?? Paul calls one of his friends who is still inside of the venue. He asks his friend to look around for my bags and I try to explain where we were as best as I could. However, I wanted to go for myself because I knew exactly where I was sitting. We get a call back, no sign of a bag. This is getting ultra-depressive. All I can hope now is that a fellow forum member found the bag, and is honest, and maybe if I make a post on the boards when I get home, the bag will be found and returned to me.
I am also slightly miffed at David at this point because he wasn't paying complete attention (I did not blame him directly or anything, I should have checked around too because they were my bags, but they were next to him and I thought he had everything).
Just then, we get a phone call from Paul's friend saying he saw something in the stands and was going to check it out. This brought me a glimmer of hope. Five minutes later, he and Katie (mtndewqueen88) walked out of the doors with my bags. Katie didn't quite understand what had happened (which I did explain to her later). I was so happy and relieved.
Now, for those that know me, I am always down for a joke or prank (or lying outright for a few minutes to make people think that I am not). I decided to make David pay just a little bit for what happened. I called him back and told him that they wouldn't let me in the building, and the guy Paul had asked to look for the stuff found nothing! I am an ass sometimes (actually, quite a lot!).
After spending about 20 more minutes with everyone, I told them I would meet up with them at the Granada but I was going to go back to the Residence and drop off all my stuff and see if David or Palabra wanted to come out. I went back and burst in on them with my bags.
David: "I should have known, you fucker!"
Me: "I couldn't help myself, you have no idea what I went through down there!"
David: "That's alright, we were all depressed up here because it was such a great weekend and this was going to bring it down considerably"
Palabra: "Hell yeah, you got the stuff then!"
Me: "Yeah, I was scared as shit though"
I proceeded to fill all the gaps in for them in the story.
Now, this story did end happily for me, but it could have easily went the other way! I ask in a most serious manner, that everyone find a way to tag their bags with some kind of information. I also ask that everyone on the forums be as honest as I hope you to be, and that if you find a bag on Friday or Saturday night, to post on the forums to let everyone know you found a bag (but don't post the contents...ask the person who is trying to get the bag from you to say whats in it). If we really are a family, then we need to watch out for each other for things like this.
I saw Glenn's post about allowing Day Packs. I hope that this is another word for Backpack/Bookbags, as that would have probably averted the whole situation that day (and it's just a hell of a lot easier than lugging tons of bags).
Will see you all in a week and a few days!
Justin
(The tricky part would have been getting the bag back to its rightful owner.)
