The Fifth Row Back

Fellow staff member John Nemerovski told me I would be blown away by the Tuesday morning bonanza event at Macworld, and boy was I.  Over the years, I’ve watched and read about several Apple keynotes on the net; I’ve discussed them with past attendees; and I’ve always known that sooner or later I would attend Macworld and see for myself. But in all those years I never imagined sitting five rows back, stage left, from where Steve Jobs does his thing—taking well over an 100 photos along with something like fifty photojournalists from around the world and several hundred other Mac paparazzi snapping their pocket size cameras at each of Apple’s new products and services announced and illustrated on the familiar huge screen center stage.

But let me tell you, MyMac readers, getting to the fifth row didn’t come easy. I was stepped on, elbowed, growled at, and nearly pushed down the stairs by mostly grown men vying for the same access. 

Okay, I’m exaggerating, but not about the elbowing! I got to the fifth row because John was confident I could get there. He drilled me about what to expect: Arrive at the south end of the Mascone Center around 7:45 a.m. and meet at the designated area for media folks on the lobby floor.  

When I arrived, at least a couple of hundred media people stood almost elbow to elbow, talking, sharing notes, and getting pictures taken of themselves. On the other side of the room, a large crowd of photojournalists stood grouped together waiting also for their priority access to their keynote area. In between us and them, various VIPs stood around talking on their cell phones and walkie talkies and reminding us of how the keynote attendance would proceed. 

Again, John, gave clear instructions. “You’re gonna have to move fast, Bakari. Cross the fore, turn right, and go up two groups of stairs, and when you get in the auditorium go for a seat in the left aisle…You’re gonna have to be ahead of the crowed, Bakari, not follow them.” He warned with a smile. Later, he said I should follow two teen journalists because they were sure to be in the lead. 

Well, MyMac readers, I’m proud to say I left those two teens behind. It was like groupies going to a concert. However, I was the cool, posed, and focused one amongst the group. The only thing that kept them/us in control was the two stern warnings by the walkie talkie people that if we didn’t slow it down, we would be turned back. Of course, they weren’t going to do that, but they made the point. I mean, really…many of those eager media attendees were acting like kids. I was one of the few guys in the crowd who acted his age and not his shoe size…

Okay, I’m exaggerating again, but you get my point. No journalist with his pocket or SLR, 55mm lens digital camera wanted to be shooting photos of Jobs ten rows back from the stage. So I pushed forward–cool and focused. When I actually got to the room, that’s when the elbowing began. Not by me, of course. Not my style. But one guy actually spread his arms out in front of me and a few others in an attempt to keep us from passing him. I’m not joking. The nerve of him! I thought about jabbing him in the side and putting him in his place. But like I said, it’s just not my style, so I faked him out and headed toward the beautiful female usher who was directing us to the next row of empty seats. Since there were a few people of ahead of me, I thought for sure I’d lose my chance at the aisle seat. But when it was my turn to walk down the row, I immediately stopped at the first chair. I stood my ground. One guy asked if were going in, and I politely smiled and moved aside so that it was clear the first seat was indeed taken. If I had to, I would have floored the guy right then and there, but you know, like I said, I’m too cool and nice for all that. 

With all the other writers, journalists and photographers firmly inside, the rest of the five thousand plus seats filled up behind us in the matter of a few minutes. To my left, over fifty photojournalists and other camera crew with those mega zoom lenses stood in a special area above the regular seats. Others sat bunched in the first few rows on the left vying for the best shots they could get. Though I didn’t have the big zoom lens, I thought my spot was very good. With my camera set at 1/30th of a second, I just had to avoid camera shakes.

For almost ten minutes before the event began, we digital shutterbugs, photojournalists, and Mac enthusiasts were snapping pictures, testing the quality of our pre-keynote shots, and basically getting photos of one another and the crowd behind. As the auditorium lights dimmed, it  dawned on me that I had arrived. I was viewing the event in real time. I was in the house, baby. The music, the stage setting, and whole nature of the event were all familiar to me, but there’s nothing like actually being in the thick of it, especially from fifth row!

Standing in awe of it all,  I briefly joined the crowed in applause as Jobs mounted the stage. But almost immediately I and others all started snapping pictures.  

As Jobs talked and rolled out the new line of products and services, I clicked away and took in the event for all it was worth. 

Walking out of the auditorium I spotted and greeted Photoshop User magazine columnist, Ted White, and then looked over the large crowd of people moving down toward the conference and Expo area. I didn’t get the close-up shot of Jobs that I wanted, but for a while I almost felt like dancing. I sat aside the writer, reviewer, and critic side of me and called my wife to share my elation. She felt more than I that it would indeed be a special day.