Watching this Beastie Boys Bonnaroo set is amazingly therapeutic. I miss those guys so much. The death of MCA was the first celebrity death that really got to me. They’re indisputable icons. Here’s the link if you want to watch along with me
Like so many others, I have dozens of great memories associated with Beastie Boys. If you never saw them live you missed out. The six times I got to watch them perform were all amazing. Hit after hit after hit and they delivered them all with such effortless ease.
Lemme tell y’all about the time I almost got kicked out of a Beastie Boys show. I managed to score a ticket to see them at the Crocodile, a show with less than 250 people in attendance. It’s an experience I’ll never forget.
At the time I was writing for three prominent local publications and I knew Beastie Boys publicist in NY. I asked for a comp and was rejected super quick. No comps were given. But I always buy tix to shows I wanted to attend b/c I knew comps were a privilege and never guaranteed
Anyway, I get into the show and immediately ditch my friends to secure a spot on the rail. I never watch from the rail. I’m not a big guy so I get squished at the rail. But for Beastie Boys at the Croc I was willing to make that sacrifice.
So I’m on the rail and see someone I’m sure is Beastie Boys’ publicist (it was) & introduce myself. Explain I am working b/c there’s no way I wasn’t selling a review or that show, and also let her know I paid my way into the venue. She commented on the small camera in my hand.
This was before quality cameraphones. She asked that I not take pictures. You can kind of guess where this is going
I’m on the rail rapping along to every song, spitting every lyric, dripping sweat, getting squished, having a blast. At one point Ad Rock points at me and smiles. I’m on Cloud 9 losing myself being so close to the three bad brothers I know so well.
A small tangent. I was very fortunate to do some amazing things during my career as a music journalist. Met or interviewed almost all of my heroes. Saw thousands of bands. Made countless friends. But it’s moments like that show at the Croc that remain my most precious memories.
I am a pretty reserved, introverted person. When I worked as a journalist I was as professional as possible, almost to a fault. I kind of regret being that way because I know it cost me things like access, perks, after parties, drinks w/musicians, etc. But that’s how I operated.
And I wouldn’t change any of it. During those moments on the rail, shows like that, where I was fanboying out, losing myself in the moment, that was me being my authentic self. It’s moments like those I’ll never forget.
After about an hour of being deliriously happy with the biggest grin on my face, I remember I had a camera in my pocket. I couldn’t resist capturing the moment. But there was one problem (aside from being told not to take photos). I couldn’t turn the flash off the camera.
Now I’d been doing the whole music journo thing for quite a while at this point, worked with many photographers and been in several photo pits. So I knew the no flash rule and I knew how big of a cardinal sin it would be to shoot with a flash. But I couldn’t resist
I got off about a dozen shots before I noticed Money Mark pointing at me. Then he pointed at the security guard on the barricade about twenty feet away from me. I got the message real quick. But that didn’t stop me from attempting to get more photos
I managed to sneak about a dozen more shots. After my final photo the security guard saw me, we locked eyes and he gave me a Mutumbo finger wag and a really mean look. I’m 99% certain if the show wasn’t almost over at that point I would’ve been kicked out.
An epilogue, the next day Beastie Boys were headlining Sasquatch. There was a Beastie Boys “press conference” with select media on site. I got invited b/c of my introduction to the publicist (who did not like my photo stunt btw, sorry Laura). I sat in the front of the room.
The press conference was hilarious. Jokes about Jim Croce, basketball and lots of fun. I decided to ask a serious question. After my question it became clear Ad Rock recognized me. Then he chuckled and pointed at Adam and Mike. They look at me and are not happy at all.
Three angry Beasties they be, is what I thought. I was getting serious eye daggers. They remembered me from last night & I was getting kicked out of a joke press conference. I angered my idols. Was I about to be the butt of a Beastie Boys joke? I seriously panicked for a few.
Ad Rock’s response to my serious question during a joke press conference? “Next question.”

And that is how I almost got kicked out of both a Beastie Boys concert and Beastie Boys press conference.
Did you like that story? If so, look for it and dozens of other tales of similar escapes in my memoir “I Used To Be Somebody: The Adventures of a Fanboy Turned Music Journalist, or Don’t You Know Who I Am: The Travis Hay Story” coming to a Waldenbooks near you soon.
You can follow @guerrillacandy.
Tip: mention @twtextapp on a Twitter thread with the keyword “unroll” to get a link to it.

Latest Threads Unrolled: