The next day is the show and I arrive at the venue (some field in the middle of nowhere) for sound check. It's humid as fuck, and the mosquitos are out in droves. I catch myself wondering what the fuck I am doing here, but then a van pulls up and out steps Joan Jett. Totally worth it. She is absolutely striking and I have never seen a woman her age looking so fit. She's wearing army shorts, boots, and a wifebeater. Everything is set to go and the second they start playing it happens. The legend is suddenly live and ten feet away.

After a run in with the local news station, rehearsal is over and the band goes back to the hotel. I stay with the crew and hang out in the air conditioned trailer, sampling the spread of food and drink.

Steadily the mullets arrive and soon the field is packed.

The show was amazing. I'm standing on stage (to the annoyance of the photographers) watching them kick ass. Thommy is a phenomenal drummer who still loves every minute of it, both on and off stage; Doug (guitar) and Sean (bass) flank Joan and demand their own attention while Kenny plays keyboard (and sometimes tambourine!). But Joan owns the audience. She has them all barking through her cover of the Stooges' "I Wanna Be Your Dog."

They run through it all: "Cherry Bomb," "Bad Reputation," and even "Science Fiction/Double Feature" (from her ROCKY HORROR Broadway days). Of course my favorite part of the show is when she looks over at me, winks, and tosses her guitar pick. Thank God I caught it--that could've been really embarrassing.

After the show Joan still has the energy to meet the fans, so she stays behind for 45 minutes and signs anything and everything they bring her, including some vintage Runaways posters. I head back to the hotel with the band.

And so it goes, "rock and roll will take your soul." I am now confident that my dream of being a rock star is a thing of the past. That shit is work.

Nah. Just kidding. I want everyone to kiss my ass all the time. "Yeah, alright, oh yeah!"