Backstage Passion

When "Nigel" works at Coors Amphitheatre as a security guard, he's usually backstage.

"The guards up front have to deal with [fans] trying to jump up onstage and getting crushed and escorting people out. People will threaten you by saying, 'I will sue you.' "

Nigel, in his 30s, guesses he's worked 100 shows, including Tony Bennett, the Cure, Coldplay, and Radiohead.

"At Brad Paisley, a lot of people said, 'What's the price, man?' They wanted to pay to get backstage. I don't have a price....

"Once when I worked out front, there was this girl who was trying to sneak down from the 200 to the 100 section. She just started hugging me. People are looking at you. You have to say, 'Please get off me.'...

"I saw the drummer for the Shiny Toy Guns switch his [all-access] pass. After he gave his up, he tries to walk in and he says, 'Hey, don't you remember me?' He told me he lost his pass, but I saw him switch it."

Nigel recalls Fergie's bodyguard doubling as a censor.

"She had this big bouncer who looked like the Russian guy from Rocky III. He was 6'5" and all muscle. When she went backstage to put on makeup, people came over and took pictures. He told people to show him their cell phones. He wanted to see what the pictures looked like before he'd let them leave."

Nigel says John Mayer was the biggest backstage stud.

"He straight out asks specific ladies to come backstage. One security guard went out and invited a bunch of ladies back who asked to be invited back. We had girls jumping over fences trying to get to him.... He got more [female] attention than Fall Out Boy."