My Wrestlemania Trip (Story + Photos)
Apr 9, 2014 18:54:04 GMT -5
Captain Charisma, JHTB®, and 6 more like this
Post by HHH316 on Apr 9, 2014 18:54:04 GMT -5
I had a great time in New Orleans! It was going to be a very busy trip for me (as a fan and an employee) but I was ready for the challenge.
I flew in on Thursday and the plan was to just start media coverage for Axxess. I did some sightseeing until the show, and saw a ton of superstars walking around the area. Axxess was pretty enjoyable. I’m a fan of the event. I spent most of it working, photographing all of the superstars. At the end of the night, I jumped in the New Age Outlaws autograph line to get my canvas signed by them. I got in just before the event ended for the night. When I pulled the canvas out of the box, WWE cameras swooped in and covered the signing. The Outlaws were way over the top, just cracking jokes and having fun. I’m not sure if it made air, as I have been away from the TV all week. Here’s one of my Bruno photos from Axxess.
The rest can be found at slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/Gallery/galleries.html
Friday night I was photographing the Ring of Honor, “Supercard of Honor 8.” It was a great show and I’d recommend checking it out. I had a very late night (didn’t get to bed until 5 am) so I missed the Saturday morning Axxess session and got ready to shoot the ROH TV tapings that afternoon. My ROH photos can be found at the link I posted above.
I got to the HOF just as the opening video was starting. I cut it pretty close with my entire running around. I really enjoyed the show. Some people thought Lita’s speech went too long, but I had no complaints. Jake’s was probably my favorite of the bunch. Mr.T’s…yeah. I get it. You love your momma. I really wanted Hall’s to be longer, and the appearance from Taker was probably the biggest pop of the night. Warrior went a little long, but I didn’t mind. I decided to check out Bourbon Street after the show. I’m not much of a drinker or partier, so I didn’t know what to expect. But wow, it was unreal.
Sunday was another busy day, starting at Axxess for a few hours for media coverage. Then I hopped over to Wrestlecon for myself. It was…not really what I expected. It felt like a dingy random wrestling show, and smelled like a bunch of wrestling fans at a dingy random wrestling show. But I was only there to meet Bret Hart and Kevin Nash, and then I was going back to Axxess. Bret ran about 30 minutes late, which was really putting me behind. I still have the original Bret Hart sunglasses that came out when I was a kid, and I got those signed. Bret was quiet, but very nice. Kevin Nash made small talk with everyone that approached him. I got a magazine signed by him that was already signed by Hogan and Hall, completing that project.
I went back to Axxess to meet X-Pac. Bob Backlund was signing at the same booth with him (random, right?) I wasn’t planning on meeting Bob, but he’s right there. The line was very long and moving very slow. They were really taking their time with everyone and it was very clear they was grateful for every person who entered his line, especially X-Pac, and he wanted them to know that. X-Pac loved my canvas and I got a photo of him with it. Axxess was closing right when I got thru the line, but X-Pac told the 50 people behind me he’d make sure they all got autographs.
My media credential fell through for Mania, but I had a friend with an extra ticket. It was a great seat in section 142 and he was only asking for face value. When we went to meet up, he told me a friend of his had 2 extra tickets he couldn’t sell, so he was just going to give them to us. Where were they? 8th row, right in the corner. Yeah, you read that right. It was awesome being that close to a show that big. Then when it was over, the guy let me keep the chair. Simply awesome. I had to figure out how to ship it home on short notice, but I made it happen. Some of you probably saw the panoramic photos I’ve done in the past. I plan on doing another one for this show. Here’s a photo I took of Bryan’s celebration that’s been circling around online.
I checked out Bourbon Street again after the show and it being filled with wrestling fans made it so much fun!
Monday was full of sightseeing and Raw. The live crowd was SO much fun. As everyone was lining up outside the building, you could just tell how much fun they were going to have. But I didn’t once hear a pointless chant (other than the Uno Mas one, which happened during the commercial break after one aired on the screen.) Everything had a purpose. I realized when I got home my DVR didn’t record Raw, so I’m hoping to catch the replay on Saturday.
I had such an amazing trip. I got to catch up with a lot of old friends, make new ones, and visit a place I'd never been before. Now with the passing of the Warrior, it makes me even happier I stuck around for Raw instead of heading home.
I flew in on Thursday and the plan was to just start media coverage for Axxess. I did some sightseeing until the show, and saw a ton of superstars walking around the area. Axxess was pretty enjoyable. I’m a fan of the event. I spent most of it working, photographing all of the superstars. At the end of the night, I jumped in the New Age Outlaws autograph line to get my canvas signed by them. I got in just before the event ended for the night. When I pulled the canvas out of the box, WWE cameras swooped in and covered the signing. The Outlaws were way over the top, just cracking jokes and having fun. I’m not sure if it made air, as I have been away from the TV all week. Here’s one of my Bruno photos from Axxess.
The rest can be found at slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/Gallery/galleries.html
Friday night I was photographing the Ring of Honor, “Supercard of Honor 8.” It was a great show and I’d recommend checking it out. I had a very late night (didn’t get to bed until 5 am) so I missed the Saturday morning Axxess session and got ready to shoot the ROH TV tapings that afternoon. My ROH photos can be found at the link I posted above.
I got to the HOF just as the opening video was starting. I cut it pretty close with my entire running around. I really enjoyed the show. Some people thought Lita’s speech went too long, but I had no complaints. Jake’s was probably my favorite of the bunch. Mr.T’s…yeah. I get it. You love your momma. I really wanted Hall’s to be longer, and the appearance from Taker was probably the biggest pop of the night. Warrior went a little long, but I didn’t mind. I decided to check out Bourbon Street after the show. I’m not much of a drinker or partier, so I didn’t know what to expect. But wow, it was unreal.
Sunday was another busy day, starting at Axxess for a few hours for media coverage. Then I hopped over to Wrestlecon for myself. It was…not really what I expected. It felt like a dingy random wrestling show, and smelled like a bunch of wrestling fans at a dingy random wrestling show. But I was only there to meet Bret Hart and Kevin Nash, and then I was going back to Axxess. Bret ran about 30 minutes late, which was really putting me behind. I still have the original Bret Hart sunglasses that came out when I was a kid, and I got those signed. Bret was quiet, but very nice. Kevin Nash made small talk with everyone that approached him. I got a magazine signed by him that was already signed by Hogan and Hall, completing that project.
I went back to Axxess to meet X-Pac. Bob Backlund was signing at the same booth with him (random, right?) I wasn’t planning on meeting Bob, but he’s right there. The line was very long and moving very slow. They were really taking their time with everyone and it was very clear they was grateful for every person who entered his line, especially X-Pac, and he wanted them to know that. X-Pac loved my canvas and I got a photo of him with it. Axxess was closing right when I got thru the line, but X-Pac told the 50 people behind me he’d make sure they all got autographs.
My media credential fell through for Mania, but I had a friend with an extra ticket. It was a great seat in section 142 and he was only asking for face value. When we went to meet up, he told me a friend of his had 2 extra tickets he couldn’t sell, so he was just going to give them to us. Where were they? 8th row, right in the corner. Yeah, you read that right. It was awesome being that close to a show that big. Then when it was over, the guy let me keep the chair. Simply awesome. I had to figure out how to ship it home on short notice, but I made it happen. Some of you probably saw the panoramic photos I’ve done in the past. I plan on doing another one for this show. Here’s a photo I took of Bryan’s celebration that’s been circling around online.
I checked out Bourbon Street again after the show and it being filled with wrestling fans made it so much fun!
Monday was full of sightseeing and Raw. The live crowd was SO much fun. As everyone was lining up outside the building, you could just tell how much fun they were going to have. But I didn’t once hear a pointless chant (other than the Uno Mas one, which happened during the commercial break after one aired on the screen.) Everything had a purpose. I realized when I got home my DVR didn’t record Raw, so I’m hoping to catch the replay on Saturday.
I had such an amazing trip. I got to catch up with a lot of old friends, make new ones, and visit a place I'd never been before. Now with the passing of the Warrior, it makes me even happier I stuck around for Raw instead of heading home.
