Akon VS. the Rain

Cinco de Mayo is coming up, and what better way to celebrate than to throw a party on Tres de Mayo!

Well, that seems to be the logic behind today's concert in Sacramento's Discovery Park. The only problem? As previously reported, we've been hit by some unseasonable climatic moisture. Being that weather=ratings, we were ready to pounce on this potential disaster, and I was leading the charge!

The only problem? The rain let up right as the afternoon show started. AKA all my soundbites on people battling out the rain were now moot. Good thing I don't have to write this story. Best of luck, suckers!

One thing that I learned today is that when a concert is put on by a radio station, they're cool as hell to the media. An all-access wrist band provided me with all the food and drinks (non-alcoholic, of course... I was on duty) I could take, and they made every effort they could to set up interviews with the artists. Previous concerts I've covered would give you the minimum of what you needed, then shuttle you out. Still appreciated, but they could have fed me... all I'm sayin.

Today's main act was some hip-hopper named Akon... I was unaware of his work, but a quick YouTube search led me to a song where he declares "blame it on me, even though you were 17 in a 21 and up club". Classy stuff.

Every live act has it's own rules as far as media access... the general rule of thumb seems to be "First 3 songs and you're out". The Nazis running Carrie Underwood's show allowed only 2 minutes of the first two songs (and scolded me for snapping a few shots with my digital camera), which seemed rough. Akon? You get either the intro (which he wasn't even in) or the first song. I opted for the first song, and wasn't even sure it was over when I was asked to leave.

I would have been crankier if the rest of the day hadn't have been so easy. Free food? No rain? All access pass? Yeah, I'll get paid for this. Just wish somebody decent was playing. Still, I haven't had an all access pass in a while, so I suppose I can't argue.

Anyway... "Sold Out Concert in the Rain" with no rain... There are days where I'm happy that I'm only hired to take them pictures.