Speak with the hotel manager and set up special access to the 28th floor exterior level to the hotel so I can shoot the guys up there later. The area goes all around the 28th floor and has a fabulous view of downtown Philadelphia. Looking over the edge is quite nauseating so only do it a dozen or so times (DUH!) and make myself feel bloody awful. Never have been good with heights really but when an opportunity to shoot the band up here is available I'm just going to have to put those fears aside. It's bright and sunny today and really quite a sun trap up there even though there's plenty of cloud cover which makes it perfect for the moody look that I have in mind for the final images.

Phil comes up about 40 minutes earlier than everyone else and we do a session just with natural light. Get some great shots of him leaping in the air and with the tall buildngs behind. Kobayashi kindly is the human refelector holder for the session and does a commendable job. The rest of the guys turn up a little later and we get on with the session. Joe makes up and recites a terrible limerick about me and I attempt a feeble one in response....I think we're losing our touch on the dirty limericks. Shoot this time by overpowering the light and get that tough moody look I was going for. It's been over two years since their last publicity photos were made so they were definitely ready for an update. Get wrapped on the band and Joe and Viv stick around for some solo shots as Rick videos the proceedings. Nicely done session overall and done in a brief twenty minutes which is firmly a band pleaser.

As we leave on the bus to the venue the Ebayers swarm around the guys as they get on wanting them to sign numerous items. Grab some lunch when we get to the venue, the veggie food they have catered is excellent and I trough out with Shepherds Pie and Veggie Burgers. Rick Nielsen from Cheap Trick stops in the dressing room to see Viv and introduces himself, funny bloke and a nice dry sense of humor....like him already. See Ricki Rockett and stop for a chat with him and then have a mooch around shooting the crew working etc. Viv wants to do photos with some of his different guitars so he gets himself powdered and spruced up and with the help of Wolfie the Wonder Tech who's teching Viv's guitars and running video of the proceedings we head outside to find a suitable place to shoot Viv. This is backstage, Camden New Jersey and there are no suitable places to shoot Viv so we make use of the big red and very nosiy 18 Wheelers that are lined up in the parking lot. Viv changes out several guitars and I get him in front of the truck and tour buses as Wolfie makes a taunting and funny narration to the video he's shooting..... Finish off with Viv and get on the back of one of the trucks between the cab and trailer him between with his Les Paul as customized by Leslie. Grab a few shots of Leslie and Wolfie putting some lurve on Viv who of course laps it up! Backstage I meet Danny Bonaduce who has come by to see Joe, interesting guy to talk to, just like he seems on tv. He's back living in Philly from where he has his syndicated radio show.

Great opening night, Cheap Trick are flawless, Poison have some sound issues and the Lepps go off without a hitch. One of the highlights of the evening was some chick jumping up on the runway and doing her little stripper strut around Joe. Pilgrim ran onstage looking ill at what had just happened but Joe told him to let her stay on and do her thing.... got some good shots of it too that might make the light of day sometime. Get some dinner after the show and finally get to relax a while and just shoot the breeze. Everyone heads back to the hotel and when I get back Joe calls the room to say see ya. I'm heading back home to Texas tomorrow to get stuck into all the photos so I turn in for the night, it's been a great a very full and busy one this time but worth it.