Backstage passes: How they work.
[This was my weekly column for GlobalNews.ca. – AC]
One of the most frequently asked questions I get is, “How can I get a backstage pass to [insert name of artist here]?”
My answer is always the same. “You can’t — and what did you think you’d find backstage, anyway? Wild parties? Naked groupies? Tables heaped with cocaine? Roman orgy levels of food and booze? Or were you thinking of hanging with the band in their dressing room before they go to work?”
Let me set you straight. Most of what you’ve ever heard or read about what goes on backstage is a complete lie. Yes, things used to be a little looser — or so I’ve heard — but in today’s concert business, there’s not a lot of time or patience for messing around with people who don’t belong backstage. Schedules are tight, security is strict, and privacy is more of an issue than ever before.
But since so many people want to know about backstage passes, here is a rough primer on how they work, and the hierarchies involved.
The modern backstage pass was invented by a Cincinnati man named Dave Otto.
