Downtown and Around: Worthy rock stars value their fans

BayFest did a decent job in recruiting acts for this year's festival.

However, it is a known fact that bands are selected based on availability and cost, not on popularity and luck of the draw. I do think that a few of this year's acts were either misinformed about the protocol of our little downtown party, or they mistakenly saw a few too many zeros in their paycheck.

I dared to venture behind the stage where a dozen or so fans were lined up to meet Dwight Yoakam.

Armed with a press pass, a camera and notepad, I attempted to ask a few simple questions and maybe snap a picture for my own personal collection. However, I was apparently uninformed about Mr. Yoakam's "extreme rock star" status and I was quickly escorted out because I was not wearing a pass with Yoakam's personal picture on it.

Come to find out, you had to either possess one of these exclusive backstage passes or be acquaintances with someone really important like Steve Nodine, who simply picked a few friends and escorted them directly into the tour bus, in order to meet this "headliner" himself.

Armed with security heavier than the president himself, Yoakam exited his bus, did his show and headed back to his bunker where he and his security team, (I'm sure) planned out the next backyard festival refuge.

This made me think. What really makes a rock star?

In Yoakam's case, backing a food product known as Chicken Lickins and playing a redneck in the 1996 film "Sling Blade," obviously classifies you as one of Hollywood's top 10.

As for the major acts like Saliva, Theory of a Dead Man, Dark New Day, Trapt, Kool & the Gang, and Craig Morgan, these acts were more than willing to sign autographs, take pictures and answer any questions reporters, or just fans, wanted to ask.

Their lack of security personnel and their fearless attempts to walk into the crowd made their rock-star status a little more believable.

As for Dwight, don't start pricing your John Hancock on eBay just yet.