Look, It's A Bird, It's A Plane, OMG It's Monkey
"Monkey! Stage left! Can you move the lights to more of a 45 degree angle please!?"
"Roger!" I replied with a fake salute. Instead of taking the long way to stage left, I took a short cut. Hooking my harness to the far end of the catwalk and clambered and swung to the opposite side. It's how I earned my nickname: Monkey. I was always climbing up or down or swinging from one place to another.
Currently I was helping set up the stage for Linkin Park's performance of their album Meteora. I've been with the band since the beginning and they're all like brothers to me. It was fun being the person in charge of all the sound and light equipment up in the rafters, plus it was the best seat in the house during concerts. Not to mention the fact that I get to travel in the bands charter bus from place to place.
"How's that Ben!?" I called down. Ben Moody: Stage manager and sound tech for Linkin Park, great guy; terrified of heights.
"Perfect! O.k. you can finish whatever needs finishing and the bread before the concert." he yelled back. Clambering up to the second terrace of lights I checked each of them plus the sound wires that ran along the ceiling.
"Hey Monkey! Get your tail down here!" I released my hold on the bar I was using for balance while attaching a wire and hung by my knees to shout down "Chester how many times do I have to tell you: enough with the tail jokes; we've already established I don't have one!"
"Yeah, yeah. Well come down, me and the guys want to have dinner with you before the concert." he replied.
"O.k., let me finish attaching this cable, I'll be right there!" Hoisting myself back up I attached the cable and stuck it back out of the way so I wouldn't trip over it during the concert in the dark. Unhooking my harness I jumped down to the first catwalk terrace and walked over to the ladder, slide down, and jumped onto the back of a waiting Chester Bennington.
"Hey" I greeted giving him a slight squeeze.
"Hey yourself" he replied while starting to walk "You know I hate it when you do that whole jumping and climbing thing."
"Quit worrying hun, I'm attached to a harness so I'm safe." I retorted.
"It still scares me." he grumbled.
"Well someone has to work the equipment up there. I've been doing it from the beginning. Plus I find it fun." trying to placate him.
By this time we had arrived at the bands' private dressing room. Pushing the door open for Chester, who's hands were busy supporting my legs, I hopped down once inside.
"Hey guys!" I shouted to the room.
"Monkey!" Joe shouted and glomped me. I was soon smothered by all the members of the band as was tradition. After disentangling myself I took off my harness and through it over the back of the couch. "So what's for dinner?" I asked while straightening out my clothes.
"Oh just one of your many favorites" Phoenix teased while we walked over to the buffet set-up "Bar-b-queue." Letting out a shrill squeak that made the guys wince, I barreled past Brad, who was just about to pick up a plate, and filled my plate in record time with ribs, brusquest, rolls, mashed potatoes and green beans. Grabbing a Dr. Pepper and a bunch of napkins and silverware, I plopped my behind on the floor in front of the coffee table and used that as my dinner table. Sinking my teeth into a rib I sighed. "Mmmmm, home sweet home."
"Enjoying it cowgirl?" teased Mike. Cowgirl was another common nickname of mine, what with me being from Austin, Texas originally.
"Oh yeah." I replied taking a gulp of Dr. Pepper. The guys joined me in my Japanese style of using the coffee table to eat off of.
"O.k. men let's suite up!" Joe announced in a mock military voice once we were done eating. Grabbing my harness off the back of the chair were I had tossed it; I followed the guys out to the charter bus we shared. The boys each went to their lockers while I went with Chester to his. Opening it he tossed me my gear. Black tank-top with 'Linkin Park' in red lettering, black Bermuda shorts, studded belt, black heel socks, black jazz shoes, and a glow-in-the-dark headband.
Taking all this from Chester I went into the bathroom and locked the door to change while the band changed in the bus. The purpose behind all my black attire was so no one would see me working during the concert if they happened to look up. Although the glow-in-the-dark headband was Mike's and Chester's and the rest of the band's request. It was so they could pick me out easily in the dark. Chester said they wanted to see me easily so he could make funny faces at me. (Which he did and I replied to with funny faces of my own.) Mike said it was so he could sing my favorite parts to me. I knew it was really for them to make sure I was safe.
Sitting on the floor I put on my jazz shoes. I loved them; light weight, flexible, closed toed, and allowed me to maneuver like I was almost barefoot, which was ideal when I was in the rafters. These pair were my favorite; I only used them for concerts. They were a present from the band; custom made to have extra grips on the bottom with 'Monkey' on the heels in silver lettering.
Standing up I opened the top drawer which had all my stuff in it and took out a brush and hair tie. I brushed my hair into a ponytail and then put on the headband to hold back and stray hairs.
"Can I come out?" I shouted thru the door to make sure the guys were descent.
"Yeah!" Phoenix called back.
Unlocking the door I stepped out into the main part of the bus… and was immediately scooped up by Mike and thrown over his shoulder fireman style.
"Mike!" I protested "Put me down! I have to get my harness."
"Sorry, no can do." he said "besides Rob's got your harness." I twisted a little to look at Rob who held up my harness with a smug look on his face.
"Traitor." I muttered and let out a yelp as Mike jostled me for the comment. Getting quite a few stares as we walked to the stage, Mike only set me down once we were on the stage. Grabbing my harness from Rob I slipped it on pulling tight all the buckles.
"Phoenix, if you would be so kind." Phoenix then grabbed the front loop of the harness and lifted me up, doing a couple of arm exercise in the process.
"Yep, you're good." he said, satisfies, while putting me down. We always did this to check that my harness was secure.
"Huddle!" Joe commanded and we all got in a circle with our arms around each other with me sandwiched between Chester and Mike. After Joe gave his spelt, Mike and Chester gave me a kiss on the cheek at the same time and then gave me a sandwich hug. Disentangling myself I hugged the rest of the band members as they kissed the top of my head. Going over to the catwalk ladder I took my rope from Brad, gave the band a mock salute, and scrambled up. When they were sure I was secure and a funny face from Chester, they ran out on stage to the screaming fans and the show was on.
As the band played their intro 'Forward', I quid the lights to come up slowly to reveal them and adjusted certain ones so they wouldn't blind the guys. Continuously through-out the show I swung and climbed to adjust light and sound equipment as needed. During all this I would pause to make funny faces at Chester, almost making him crack up in the middle of one of his screams, or to listen to Mike sing to me. When 'Easier to Run' came on I leaped to the second terrace catwalk and hide behind the glare of the lights so the band couldn't see me. This song always made me cry or made my eyes water and I would never let the band see how it affected me. Once the song ended I hopped down to the first terrace, connecting my harness to the railing as 'No More Sorrow' came on, the last song of the concert. I loved dancing to this song and mimicking Rob on his drums. I was jumping around on the catwalk while pointing back at Chester who was pointing at me while singing. I jump up-CRACK!-and kept going. The look of terror in Chester's eyes as he stopped singing told me everything.
"AHHHHHHHHHHH-" My petrified scream was cut short as a sharp yank at my waist reminded me: my harness. Clutching the rope for dear like I waited for the wild swinging to stop.
"Devin!" Opening my eyes, which had been squeezed tightly shut, I looked at an obscure angle at the audience which w3as now pointing and gasping at me. Looking towards Chester, the band, and the stage, I realized I was hanging at an upside down angle… and 4 stories above the ground.
"Chester, Mike, Joe, Phoenix, Brad, Rob! Anybody! Help!" I screamed, panicking. The auditorium exploded like an up-turned ant hill. Security guards cleared out the audience in record time, people were shouting orders. Phoenix dashed up the ladder to the catwalk.
"Stop!" I screamed at him "Go back! It's not safe! The catwalk's weak where I'm at and more could give way! Go back!"
"But-" he protested.
"Get your ass down on the ground now or so help me God I'll throttle you when I get down!" I screeched. Slowly he backed down and descended the ladder. Once I was sure he was safe on the ground I let the tears flow: that's all we needed a band member falling to his death trying to help me without a harness.
By this time all the audience had cleared out leaving an open field behind.
"Devin!" I looked towards Chester who was standing on the stage "Just hang in there! A fire truck with a ladder is on its way!"
"Well that's easier said than done!" I yelled down.
"Why!?"
"I'm hanging upside down hun. All the blood is rushing to my head. In a little bit I might pass-out." I heard the a muffled "Shit" and "Fuck" come from the band members.
"Just keep talking to me Devin." Chester said trying to sound calm and not really succeeding.
"What no monkey jokes Chester?" I asked trying to lighten the mood.
"Well you certainly look like one at the moment." he joked half heartedly. I didn't reply. With a sharp tug I dropped a few inches which drew out a surprised scream and shouting from the band.
"Are you alright!?" shouted Brad. Twisting to look up I saw what had caused me to drop: the broken edges of the catwalk were cutting into my rope.
"Can we please get that fire truck here?" I asked.
"What's wrong Devin?" Joe called.
"Um, the broken edges of the catwalk are starting to cut my rope." I reluctantly replied.
"Were's that fire truck?" I heard Phoenix demand. Suddenly the 2 story high double doors opened to let in a wailing fire truck… just as the rope dropped me another inch causing me to yelp.
"Hold on Devin, it'll be o.k. in a sec." Mike assured me. I watched upside down as the fire truck and ladder were positioned underneath me. The ladder began its accent with a fireman in the basket to help me. As the fire man got closer I held out my hand and grabbed his in a vice like grip and he stopped.
"Why'd you stop?" I shouted.
"It's o.k. miss, the ladder can't reach anymore but we can get you down from here. Now what I need you to do is unhook your harness from the rope. You're going to fall but I'll catch you or you'll fall right into the basket, o.k.?" I looked at the guy like he was crazy and informed him of it. Reaching up to my grapple I unscrewed the hook.
"O.k. I'm going to slide the rope off, you ready?" Dear God I hope he catches me, I thought.
"Don't worry, I'm right here." he replied. I reached up with both hands, grabbed a hold of the rope and fell.
"AHH- oof." I protested as I landed on my ass inside of the basket.
"You're o.k. miss, you're safe." came the remark from the fireman. Turning he pressed a button on a control panel and the ladder started to descend.
When the ladder reached the ground I was literally dragged out of the basket and into Chester's arms.
"Thank God you're safe. Never ever scare me like that again." He muttered into my hair.
"I'm sorry." I replied weakly, tears streaming down my face and soaking the front of Chester's shirt. Squatting down he picked me and I wrapped my legs around his waist and my arms around his neck, burying my face in the crock of his shoulder and neck. The rest of the band circled around us and I held onto Mikes' hand as we made our way to the charter bus that would take us to our hotel. On to the ride over I curled up in Mike's lap with my back against Chester and his arm around my waist. Upon arriving at the hotel we all piled into one room, everyone getting ready for bed. By that time I had fallen asleep in between Mike and Chester with them holding onto me in order to keep away the nightmares of falling. I fell asleep, safe in the arms of my family.