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Luke Bryan HFE Tour VIP 2017

Luke Bryan

August 2017 Syracuse, NY

Lake View Amphitheater

#lukebryan

#hfetour

Luke Bryan has a very good VIP program. I was lucky enough to win a meet and great for the second time for the Syracuse, NY show. He is incredibly nice and it’s always a great experience to meet him in person. Like many country artists, Luke has a fan club entry to win his meet and greats.  Luke has such a kind, humble, fun personality and truly makes each fan that he interacts with feel special.

I understand why a lot of country artists do this: accessible for all fans vs. only those who can afford it. That makes the process a great thing.

Entering the VIP: You sign in,  receive a red bag and a 2-3 song acoustic set and some finger snacks. The VIP area is very intimate and Luke performs really well.  He really is so laid back and fun in these performances.

Suggestions for his staff & CID Entertainment: I have been saying this one for a few years now number the wrist bands given out when you enter and possibly allow groups of 50 in at a time. But when it’s time to enter the acoustic tent area, make them line up in order by bracelet number. That will seriously cut down on the insane running, pushing, coming up from the back that occurs and keeps it fair, if you get there on time you go in first. Tim McGraw’s VIP staff does that and it works very well. It didn’t take much time at all to get everyone in number order.  Plus who wants to have to run like crazy to get into an event when you were among the first 20 in line? One other suggestion would be to offer a limited # of VIP Meet & Greet tickets for purchase to compliment the fan club meet and greet contest. Keith Urban did that last tour and I believe sold 5 or 6 per show, we got the party, M&G and there was a roped off up front spot in the pit we were escorted into.  I know a few friends of mine would love to meet Luke but, have not been lucky enough to win yet and with Luke’s ever growing popularity it will be harder.

Venue Comments:  This was my first time attending an event at the Lakeview Amphitheater.  I thought the venue itself was very nice.  Getting in wasn’t bad, I had a family member drop us off.  Getting out was miserable.  1st they need way more lighting, the ground is very uneven in spots and you couldn’t see where you were walking.  We had heard it was fast to take the Centro buses downtown after.  That didn’t work out to be a fast option because they did not have a bus only lane so the bus got stuck in all the traffic.  They should have a car lane and a bus lane so the buses going downtown and to the parking lots could easily move in and out and be way more efficient.  The prices were also outrageous compared to other venues I have attended.  $7 for a soda/water, $15 for a drink.  I am not sure if attending events at this venue will be top of my list to return to.

Videos:

 

Final Verdict: Definitely recommend Luke’s VIP!

Fun concert wear!

http://www.coach.com/shop/women-wristlets

 

Until Next Time,

Xoxo

Heather

VIP Experience Blog

DWTS VIP Hot Summer Nights Tour Summer 2017

DWTS VIP Hot Summer Nights Tour Summer 2017

#dwtstour

I’ve had the pleasure of being a VIP for the last five Dancing with the Stars tours. From the first tour I participated in the VIP to this year’s tour I must say: It’s like night and day!  They have improved them tremendously!  So let’s talk about the details of the VIP!

Pre-Show: For my 1st and 2nd shows in Raleigh/Durham…I did two different packages there.  We received our pre-show email about 3-5 days ahead from VIP Nation.  For our show we had to arrive between 2:15-2:45 and show started at 5:00 (Note this varies city to city so ALWAYS review your itinerary).  There is no reason to line up an hour early or anything.  They have a very organized process to get everyone in.  The email also contains where the VIP check in table is, the link to where to find your photos and password.

Front Row VIP Package Gifts

Entering VIP:   Right on time the doors were opened, they did the usual security checks at the door and then you went to the sign in table.  It took maybe 5 minutes to get checked in.   We also picked up our 1 drink ticket, the tote bag for the front row package included a bag, sunglasses, water bottle, earbuds & signed tour program.  For the 2nd row package it include the same minus the signed tour program.  When you check in you are given a laminate with a letter on the back and that is the order they call you for your pictures so there is not one giant line and everyone can enjoy the party until it’s their turn.  I will also say I missed our VIP host from the last two tours Anthony Jones.  No offense to Brittany in any way.

Now on to the good stuff!  After check in we were directed upstairs.  We didn’t wait very long at all when they started telling Group A to line up.  A few minutes later we saw Alan and Britt coming our way, it was their turn to do the Meet & Mingle!  It appears that it’s all rotating like last tour (2 in the Meet & Mingle and 4 in the photos with Emma & Rashad/Heather being consistent).   To give you an idea for our cast photo we had Emma, Lindsay, Rashad & Gleb.  I will update this after each show to give you all an idea:

http://lightscmemories.com/entertainment-blog/dwts-hot-summer-…r-vip-photo-list/

The photos were wonderful as always.  In all past tours I have attended they have always taken 2 pictures, this time they only did 1.  The staff is also very kind, nobody is yelling at you it’s a pleasant experience.  You do have to leave your purse, bags and anything else on you at the table and you cannot ask for autographs etc. at the cast photo portion.   This year too it was one professional photo taken by VIP Nation host, no selfie options in the main photo.  You could however do selfies with the dancers in the Meet & Mingle.  I did not honestly see the green screen option anywhere at either VIP party in Durham so I cannot comment on that.  After the photos were done and the dancers all left to get ready for the show you could go to the merchandise stand and do some crowd free shopping which was also nice.

Rows 2-5 VIP Package Gift

Please note on the pics:  the itinerary says up within to 2 weeks but the staff has been doing an awesome job and usually has them up in about 24 hours.

Show time!  Here is a full article I did on the show itself.  http://lightscmemories.com/entertainment-blog/dwts-hot-summer-nights-tour-2017/

Suggestions for Tour Management:  This is something I have been thinking about.  For the Maks & Val Tour and the Derek & Julianne tours there was another top level tier package when you got pictures in the VIP and then got extra time with them backstage.  I know the VIP photos are with “select” dancers (4 the last 2 tours) at each city but, many fans have voiced their disappointment when their “favorite” isn’t in their photo since it’s a random rotation.  I have heard many voice their displeasure at paying several hundred dollars but not getting a pic with their favorite.  What if you added another ticket tier or made it with the front row packages that you get your pic with the rest of the VIP’s and then you are either taken down just before the show or just after and get a photo with the full tour cast?  If you sold a very limited # of them it wouldn’t take that much extra time.  That way you those that truly want to meet them all would have the chance and it would then add another tier package for you.  I know I would sign up for that for sure!

If possible rotate the dancers if you are doing two shows in one city.  Some of us like to go to both shows and it would be great to get pics with two sets of dancers since you are paying VIP at both.

Bravo & Thank you:  VIP Nation you always put together fantastic unique experiences and it doesn’t go unnoticed! Thank you so much to the tour staff:  Mandy Moore, Director Andrew Winghart, Associate Director and Ashley Edens-Shaffer, Creative Consultant and our dance captains:  Lindsay and Artem truly put together an amazing show that I think every fan should be sure they have a ticket for! The creative genius is obvious at every moment in the show.  The vision and layout for this tour is truly worth 10 Stars!  The crew and all the other behind the scenes individuals also deserve a shout out!  The Dancers (Sharna, Gleb, Artem, Lindsay, Sasha, Keo, Emma, Hayley, Alan and Britt all truly leave it on the floor each night.  It’s emotional, it’s passionate, it’s raw, it’s FUN, it’s full of energy and I am so excited I will get to see this tour multiple times and have a new take away each night!

If you don’t have a ticket…Buy one today and if you are able to do VIP it’s worth the investment for this experience they have many different levels and price points too!  Here’s the link for tickets/VIP package! https://vipnation.com/tours/dancing-with-the-stars-live/hot-summer-nights/e54ccb4a62ac4b99ca9331d468a18443VwH3ZPV%3D

Want to see more photos?  For many more pictures from the tour, past tours please follow me on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook @lightscmemories!  If you have any questions that I can help with please don’t hesitate to reach out!

 

 

Where do I love to shop for fun outfits for VIP pics!

https://factory.jcrew.com/

http://shop.nordstrom.com/

http://coach.com

http://www.bebe.com/

 

Until next time,

XOXO

Heather

VIP Experience Blog

Dierks Bentley WTH Tour VIP

Dierks Bentley What the Hell Tour VIP

July 2017

#Dierksbentley

Dierks has a very good VIP program.

Entering the VIP: You sign in, get some merchandise (Sunglasses, pin and cloth to wipe down glasses) and he did a 6 song acoustic set and some finger snacks. The VIP area is very intimate and Dierks absolutely played more songs than I have ever seen another artist do to date in a similar setting.

 

He was super fun, he took requests from the crowd on what we wanted to hear as well.

 

 

 

 

Suggestions for his staff: One suggestion would be to offer a limited # of VIP tickets for purchase to compliment the fan club meet and greet contest. I know a few friends of mine would love to meet Dierks but, have not been lucky enough to win yet and with Dierks’ s ever growing popularity it will be harder. 

I have to hand it to Coastal Creek for the VIP area there was a large built in AC blower this time as it was over 95 degrees that night and otherwise the tent would have brutal.  I know there is not much they can do about the weather and I tried to stick it out in the pit for as long as I could but, after about 12 songs into Dierks set I had to step off to the side where it was cooler and get some more water.

Also wanted to shout out Jon Pardi and Cole Swindell who opened for Dierks.  Both are phenomenal talents as well.  It was my first time hearing Jon perform and Cole is absolutely amazing.  I would think we will see Cole headlining his own tour very soon.

For more photos from the show please follow my social media pages @lightscmemories

 

Final Verdict: Definitely recommend.

 

Until Next Time,

Xoxo

Heather

VIP Experience Blog

NKOTB 2017 Tour

NKOTB

Raleigh NC

July 2017

Entering the VIP:

This turned out to be a night I will never ever forget thanks to Donnie, Jordan, Joe, Jon and Danny!  NKOTB has always done one of the best VIP experiences in my opinion.  The only thing I really, really wish they would change is make it mandatory groups of 5 instead of 10.  It’s so hard to find 10 people that will be happy with who they end up standing with.  We had a full group for Raleigh but, a side note, I went to the Charlotte show as well and that was a total and complete cluster.  The VIP management was not verifying groups before letting people in which resulted in our group of 10 being totally split up which wasn’t right at all.   Back to Raleigh, we finally got in out of the heat and entered the party room which was set up great with all kinds of photo op props, the bar was open and they had some snack foods.

NKOTB VIPThey started lining us up for our photos and as always the experience was awesome with the guys.  Once all the group photos were done those of us that had the Ultimate upgrade were lined back up (we had an interaction just us and the guys).  I love that they give this option!   I entered and was met by Danny and Donnie.  I was joking around with Donnie saying you always tell me to remind you to follow me on twitter but, you never follow.  Little did I know at that time that Jordan was doing a FB live so Donnie’s face lights up and next thing I know Donnie is live following me on twitter after all these years on Jordan’s FB live.  The entire experience had me laughing harder than I had in years!  Joe was commentating, Jordan and Donnie were being absolutely hilarious.  I quite literally had the time of my life in that 5-10 minutes I was with them.  They all made me feel so special and really after the year I had to that point I needed a great laugh and they sure delivered.

Show:   I had a pit ticket for the Raleigh show and then had a lower bowl seat for Charlotte.  The pit is always such a crap shoot.  I ended up with this very tall, very drunk woman in front of me when they were on the inside stage and didn’t really have any interaction when they were on the outer stage.  In retrospect I probably should have done the bar stools like last tour.  The lower bowl seat in Charlotte was ok and we did have interaction with Donnie when he was returning to the stage one time.

Final Verdict: NKOTB does it right, they always have in my opinion.  In past blogs I have talked about the cruise.  I would say if given the chance to only do one, I would always chose the VIP at one of their concerts.  They are all such nice guys, the personal interaction you have with them is just second to none in my opinion.  I have loved them since I was 15 years old and still love them today.  As with a lot of other blogs I have done on other artists the VIP staff can either make or break your experience.  In Raleigh it was totally fantastic, in Charlotte it was a poor experience the way they handled check in, the groups, not caring when several organized groups of 10 were split up.

Suggestion:  Please switch this group of 10 to groups of 5!  It would take away the one constant stress when doing your VIP’s.  It might actually go faster because you don’t have to spend an hour trying to get a group of 10 and make 10 people happy who they are standing next to.

Fun concert wear!

Bebe:  http://www.bebe.com/

Nordstrom:  http://shop.nordstrom.com/

White House Black Market:  https://www.whitehouseblackmarket.com/store/

Coach:  http://www.coach.com/shop/women-wristlets

 

 

Until Next Time,

Xoxo

HeatherNKOTB VIP

VIP Experience Blog

DWTS Hot Summer Nights Tour VIP Photo List

#dwtstour

I will keep track again of who is in each cities VIP photo/mingle so if you attend a show and can send me the info I would appreciate it:)

Atlantic City Night 1:   Photo:  Sharna, Artem, Rashad, Emma & Keo   Mingle:  Alan & Britt

Atlantic City Night 2:  Photo: Gleb, Lindsay, Rashad & Emma  Mingle:  Keo & Hayley

Morristown Night 1:  Photo:  Lindsay, Sasha, Emma, Sharna & Rashad   Mingle:  Alan & Britt

Morristown Night 2:  Photo:  Rashad, Emma, Lindsay & Artem  Mingle:  Hayley & Keo

Erie:  Photo:  Photo:  Emma, Rashad, Sasha & Gleb   Mingle:  Alan & Britt

Rochester:  Photo:  Emma, Rashad, Sharna & Artem   Mingle:  Keo & Hayley

Albany:  Photo:  Emma, Sasha, Lindsay & Gleb  Mingle:  Alan & Britt

Hershey:  Photo:  Emma, Rashad, Sharna & Artem  Mingle:  Keo & Hayley

Lowell:  Photo:  Emma, Rashad, Gleb & Lindsay  Mingle:  Alan & Britt

White Plains:  Emma, Rashad, Sharna & Sasha  Mingle:  Keo & Hayley

Binghamton:  Emma, Rashad, Lindsay & Gleb  Mingle:  Alan & Britt

Washington DC:  Emma, Rashad, Artem & Sharna  Mingle:  Keo & Hayley

Mohegan Sun Night 1:  Emma, Rashad, Lindsay & Sasha   Mingle:  Alan & Britt

Mohegan Sun Night 2:  Emma, Rashad, Sharna & Artem  Mingle:  Keo & Hayley

Raleigh NC Both Shows:  Emma, Rashad, Lindsay & Gleb  Mingle:  Alan & Britt

Nashville:  Emma, Heather, Sasha & Artem  Mingle:  Keo & Hayley

Louisville:  Emma, Heather, Keo & Sharna  Mingle:  Alan & Britt

Huntsville:  Emma, Heather, Artem & Alan  Mingle:  Keo & Hayley

Memphis:  Emma, Heather, Sasha & Gleb   Mingle:  Alan & Britt

Shreveport:  Emma, Heather, Artem & Sharna:  Mingle:  Keo & Hayley

San Antonio:  Emma, Heather, Sasha & Gleb:  Mingle:  Alan & Britt

Corpus Christi:  Emma, Heather, Sharna & Artem  Mingle:  Keo & Hayley

Little Rock:  Emma, Heather, Sasha & Lindsay  Mingle:  Alan & Britt

Tulsa:  Emma, Heather, Sharna & Lindsay   Mingle:  Keo & Hayley

Enid:  Emma, Heather, Gleb & Artem   Mingle:  Alan & Britt

Springlfield:  Emma, Heather, Sharna & Lindsay  Mingle:  Keo & Hayley

St Louis:  Emma, Heather, Sasha & Artem  Mingle:  Alan & Britt

Milwaukee:  Emma, Heather, Lindsay & Gleb  Mingle:  Keo & Hayley

Peoria:  Emma, Heather, Sharna & Sasha  Mingle:  Alan & Britt

Akron:  Emma, Heather, Lindsay & Gleb  Mingle:  Keo & Hayley

Grand Rapids: Emma, Heather, Sharna & Artem  Mingle:  Alan & Britt

Detroit:  Emma, Heather, Sasha & Lindsay  Mingle:  Keo & Hayley

Merrillville: Emma, Heather, Sharna & Gleb  Mingle:  Alan & Britt

Minneapolis:  Emma, Heather, Artem & Lindsay Mingle:  Alan & Hayley

Omaha:  Emma, Rashad, Sasha & Keo  Mingle:  Alan & Britt

Kansas City:  Emma, Rashad, Sharna & Lindsay  Mingle:  Keo & Hayley

Salina:  Emma, Rashad, Keo, Britt, Alan & Sasha Mingle:  Hayley?

Denver:  Artem, Lindsay, Emma & Rashad  Mingle:  Alan & Britt?

Salt Lake City:  Emma, Rashad, Keo & Sharna  Mingle: ? Hayley

Las Vegas:  Emma, Rashad, Sasha & Lindsay  Mingle:  Alan & Britt

Tempe:  Emma, Rashad, Sasha & Keo  Mingle:  Alan & Britt

San Diego:  Emma, Rashad, Lindsay & Sharna Mingle:  Keo & Hayley

Long Beach:  Emma, Rashad, Sasha & Artem  Mingle:  Alan & Britt

Oakland:  Emma, Rashad, Lindsay & Keo  Mingle:  Alan & Britt?

Reno:  Emma, Rashad, Sasha & Sharna  Mingle:  Keo & Hayley?

Fresno:  Emma, Rashad, Artem & Keo Mingle:  Alan & Britt

 

Thank you for following again this tour!

 

 

VIP Experience Blog

Move Beyond:  Live on Tour

Move Beyond:  Live on Tour

Derek & Julianne Hough

May 2017

DPAC

Move Beyond

Entering the VIP:

This MOVE Beyond tour did not start off on the right foot… not the fault of Derek & Julianne’s but, I felt Faculty Tour company management should have emailed all the VIP’s.  We received an itinerary asking us to arrive between 3:30-4:30.  We arrive and are told oh sorry Derek & Julianne’s flight was delayed and the VIP was moved to after the show so we had to just sit around and kill 3 hours until the doors opened/4 hours until show time.  There is absolutely NO excuse for them not to have sent an email to all the VIP’s.  I drove an hour to get there so it would have made no sense to drive all the way home and turn around and fight rush hour coming back.

MOVE BeyondShow/VIP:  The show was great, filled with creativity, awesome dance #’s.  The VIP after the show was great as always with Derek & Julianne doing a Q&A for a good half hour or so, being very candid and showing off how down to earth they are.  After the Q&A we were escorted back for our photo opportunity.  They are both very nice and laid back.  After that it was time to go, it was long night.

MOVE Beyond VIPFinal Verdict: Derek & Julianne were awesome the tour company should have been a lot more considerate to the VIP’s and emailed us instead of expecting us to sit around for 3+ hours because the VIP was moved to after the show!

 

 

 

Fun concert wear!

Bebe:  http://www.bebe.com/

Nordstrom:  http://shop.nordstrom.com/

White House Black Market:  https://www.whitehouseblackmarket.com/store/

http://www.coach.com/shop/women-wristlets

 

 

Until Next Time,

Xoxo

Heather

 

VIP Experience Blog

Bon Jovi This House is Not For Sale Tour 2017

Bon Jovi This House is Not For Sale Tour

March 2017-Los Angeles

The Forum

bon jovi

I love Bon Jovi’s VIP Tour staff.  I was so happy to see Alli & Lou were back with us the This House is Not For Sale tour and the addition of Christine was also great!  They are so kind and really want to ensure you have a great experience.

Entering the VIP: You sign in,  receive your VIP lament for the show, all the other merchandise was mailed to you with a very nice black leather bag this time, you also received a USB bracelet that you could download the live show of your choice, a set of guitar pics, signed lithograph, tour program for the Front Row “Knockout” package.  You also were able to take the tour chair home with you.  We needed to be checked in no later than 5:30 so you didn’t miss the backstage tour.

bon joviBackstage Tour:  We were taken down in groups to do the tour.  It’s a fun experience because you get to peak in JBJ’s quick change room, you might get a chance run in with Phil X or John Shanks even!  They allow you up on stage to take photos with the white mic stand, keyboards, drums etc.  After the tour you return to the party area where they have a cash bar and some snack type foods.

bon joviThe show is always a super fun high energy show.  Bon Jovi has been one of my favorite bands since I was 15 and it’s been fun watching them evolve over the years.  I love having Phil X and John Shanks on stage now they both add a new and different energy and dynamic to the band and Jon just seems so much more relaxed during this tour and truly seemed to be having a lot of fun!  There truly is nothing like a Bon Jovi concert and this show was no different with a great mix of the new and older music and JBJ even sang Always for us during the encore which was a great surprise!

bon joviVenue Comments:  My seat was ok but, I had a friend that also had a front row seat and she was so far down she wasn’t even in front of the stage. I would say don’t sell those as seats if they are going to be staring at a black curtain vs the band.

 

Final Verdict: Definitely recommend Bon Jovi’s VIP!

Fun concert wear!

Bebe:  http://www.bebe.com/

Nordstrom:  http://shop.nordstrom.com/

White House Black Market:  https://www.whitehouseblackmarket.com/store/

Coach:  http://www.coach.com/shop/women-wristlets

 

 

 

Until Next Time,

Xoxo

Heather

VIP Experience Blog

Runaway Tours-Ft Lauderdale Feb 2017

Jon Bon Jovi February 2017-Ft Lauderdale

Runaway Tours Trip

This was my 21st Runaway Tours trip.  They have improved so much since my first one back in 2011. Back then you had to be in a big group photo with 8-10 other people you didn’t know.  Now you get a photo with JBJ based on how many are in your room, single, double and sometimes triple depending on the options they give you.  This trip included 2 nights hotel stay (there was also a no hotel option), a welcome party, bus to/from the venue, the show, a photo with JBJ & the band for this trip grouped by room, a great signed photo that I will treasure and a small zip up bag with the Runaway Tours logo on it.

We checked into the hotel and got ready for the Q&A as that was the first event up for this trip.  We knew the Q&A would be with the band this time but, we were all surprised and excited when Phil X walked in, he took Tico’s place so we had David Bryan, Phil X and JBJ for this event.  It was a fun dynamic and a lot of great questions.

After the Q&A we all lined up for our photos.  It was another nice but, quick photo opportunity and then we were told there was about an hour before the party room would open.  Not sure in this case if that was planned or maybe the Q&A went shorter than they had originally planned or what.  A few of us left the hotel and went to find some dinner.  I was pretty tired after returning from dinner but I did swing by the party for a bit to see friends.   This trip had a really good group of people on it which I thought made it a lot of fun.

This trip was different because it was occurring during the tour so instead of the acoustic show you were able to attend a full Bon Jovi Concert which is always amazing.  In the interest of full disclosure I always upgrade my seats because the seats Runaway is given just are not where I prefer to sit at a concert.  This tour in both Ft Lauderdale and LA they were in the first few rows of the section full floor section.  However this is why I prefer to do Runaway Tours when they are on tour so I can guarantee I will be thrilled with where I am sitting.

I upgraded the front row experience for this show.  Due to the fact we had a package and had to arrive earlier than the buses were leaving a bunch of us that upgraded car pooled to the venue with a local friend.  More on the experience in a future blog.  After the show the buses were easy to find and we jumped on and got back to the hotel pretty quickly.

If you are interested in trying a Runaway Experience:   http://www.runawaytours.com/

One suggestion I would love to see implemented for tour travel companies is a loyalty program.  Wouldn’t it be so cool to say after you have done 25 trips you get something like a meet and greet or x period of time with JBJ, at 50 trips you get xyz.  That would make people really want to go on a lot of trips to achieve that status/rewards.  Very similar to how cruise lines, airlines have reward programs and how Aerosmith does their concert tickets.   Similar to the Keith Urban 100 club concept which I will also cover in a future blog.

I would also love to see a return of a group tour of the city or an activity in the city we are in.  It’s very hard for those that are new and those events used to be such a great bonding time.

Fun concert wear!

Bebe:  http://www.bebe.com/

Nordstrom:  http://shop.nordstrom.com/

White House Black Market:  https://www.whitehouseblackmarket.com/store/

Coach:  http://www.coach.com/shop/women-wristlets

Until next time,

Xoxo

Heather

VIP Experience Blog

Sandra: Guest Blog DWTS Tour VIP Experience

 

Guest Blogger:  Sandra Chen!

(Sandra is one of the best assistants I could have ever asked to have on this blog journey and I was thrilled to share this experience with her…HD)

Hi guys! So happy to be featured in this guest blog by Heather, it’s amazing and such a pleasure! I’m going to be telling you all about my amazing experience doing the DWTS We Came To Dance Tour VIP. First of all, I have to thank Heather again for this opportunity to meet my favorite dancers and watch an incredible show up so close. It was the best time of my life, and I loved every second of it. Forever grateful for that experience and to have met the wonderful person that’s Heather.

Wow, I don’t even know where to begin! I was so nervous all morning because I never done this before and meeting 4 of them all at once was just so nerve-wracking! When we had checked in, I got more excited than nervous though especially after receiving my cute tote bag and the gifts in it. Also getting that VIP lanyard just made me so happy, I still keep it in my room where I can see it every day to remind me of the best day ever. So my meet and greet was with Sharna, Val, Artem, and Laurie! I was glad that Heather went before me because she was so sweet to let them know I was coming in next and that it was my first time doing m&g! Laurie peaked to see who was next and saw me, and gave me such a big hug, she’s adorable. Heather was still in there talking to the others, but I was on the side chatting with Laurie! I got to tell her about my gift and she thanked me for that, and also remembered meeting me from the GMA cast reveal. I know m&g is super fast, so I’m glad I got to have a little conversation with Laurie before the pictures. I went down the line hugging everyone, and wow they give the biggest and best hugs. I was so speechless so I just kept saying thank you and it was nice seeing them. Then I requested to get the picture of Sharna and I hugging, and she was so sweet about it and said of course. Laurie & Val ended up hugging each other, and I wish Artem joined me & Sharna but I didn’t want to take up too much time and totally got nervous to tell him to join. They were all so humble and kind, I really appreciated it and definitely loved how my pics turned out! I also thought I had to go around to exit but Artem led me out through the curtains and held it for me, such a gentleman. That part of VIP was amazing, I couldn’t stop smiling!

Afterwards, it was time for the mingle with Hayley & Lindsay! So glad they added this to the VIPs because it gives you so much time to be able to really chat with them and take individual pictures. I was beyond happy that Hayley was in my mingle because I really wanted her there. I got to talk to her multiple times and take pics with her, and sometimes we’d just go back if nobody was talking to her. One of my favorite moments talking to Hayley was telling her about me and Erica’s name in the jive she does, and her laugh is the cutest thing. She really made this VIP experience so special. Lindsay was super sweet to meet again, and when she was leaving she even helped give my gift to Laurie. I loved how interactive they were with fans! Both the m&g and mingle was absolutely perfect, even better than I expected. Moments I’ll treasure forever!

 

We got to sit in the second row right in the middle, and I had such a perfect view. It was unbelievable how close I was, and the whole show there was so much contact made between me and the dancers. You can also hear things they say when you’re so close up, and it was just wonderful. The show was absolutely perfect, everything to the costumes, dances, voiceovers, made this show incredible and really made me connect with them more. My first VIP experience was just indescribable and made me so happy, I smile just thinking about it. Thank you once again to Heather, the whole cast, and friends who experienced this with me. If you can, definitely get VIP or just general tickets to the show because wherever you sit, it’ll be an amazing time for you. January 21st, 2017 is a day I’ll remember always! XO -Sandra

 

Questions/Answers: 

1.) What was your favorite dance and why?

This is a hard one because every single dance was amazing to me and special in their own way. I have to say Hayley & Val’s contemporary piece was just stunning, made me absolutely speechless and the emotions put into this piece really touched me. Jenna & Artem’s contemporary was also so beautiful, I really enjoyed watching that and even teared up a little. A favorite group dance of mine was definitely the choreography piece because of the amazing voiceovers they did which really connects to the passion/love they show on stage when they dance.

2.) What was your favorite part of your first VIP experience?

The mingle for me was definitely a highlight of my experience, it was just so nice to have time to be able to talk to them, thank them, laugh, and take pictures! 

3.) What if anything surprised you about the VIP experience?

More unexpected than surprised, but I didn’t think the whole m&g/mingle was going to be as long as it did. I thought both would be very quick and you’d be done, but it wasn’t and that made me really happy. Also I knew we were in second row, but did not expect to be SO close to stage… it was amazing! 

XO

Sandra

 

 

VIP Experience Blog

DWTS VIP We Came To Dance Tour 2016-17

DWTS VIP We Came To Dance Tour 2016-17

#dwtstour

I’ve had the pleasure of being a VIP for the last four Dancing with the Stars tours. From the first tour I participated in the VIP to this year’s tour I must say: It’s like night and day!  They have improved them tremendously every year!  So let’s talk about the details of the VIP!

Pre-Show: For my 1st show in San Jose I had the Front Row Meet & Mingle VIP Package.  We received our pre-show email about 3-5 days ahead from VIP Nation.  For our show we had to arrive between 5-6 pm (Note this varies city to city so ALWAYS review your itinerary).  There is no reason to line up an hour early or anything.  They have a very organized process to get everyone in.  The email also contains where the VIP check in table is, the link to where to find your photos and password.

We Came to DanceVIP Shout Out!  I was thrilled to see that we have one of VIP Nation’s best hosts Anthony Jones for this tour!  He also did the Maks & Val Tour this summer.  He is not only a really nice guy, he gets it and works to post pictures as quick as he can (remember we all have to be patient), he checks the photos after he takes them and truly cares about the customers.  High-five Anthony when you see him in your city because he really is a rock star for the fan experiences!

Entering VIP:   We arrived about 15 min before check in and just waited outside the doors.  Right on time the doors were opened, they did the usual security checks at the door and then you went to the sign in table.  It took maybe 5 minutes to get checked in.  For this venue we didn’t know what seats we would be in until we picked up our envelope.  I was thrilled with the seats we had!  They are distributed in the order you purchase the tickets.  We also picked up our 1 drink ticket, the tote bag for this package included an umbrella, blanket, signed tour program (Note it’s different for each pkg).  When you check in you are given a laminate with a letter on the back and that is the order they call you for your pictures so there is not one giant line and everyone can enjoy the party until it’s their turn.  One other detail note that was different than past tours but, I am not sure if this was venue related or how it will be on the entire tour but, they took ALL gifts as you were checking in.  They said it’s because they had to check them before giving them to the dancers.  I understand both sides if it’s for dancer security by all means but, there were a lot of disappointed people so just expect that going in so you are not bummed out.

Now on to the good stuff!  After check in we were directed upstairs.  For this venue the layout was a bit odd compared to other venues I have been to but, they have to work with the space the building offers.  We didn’t wait very long at all when they started telling Group A to line up.  A few minutes later we saw Keo and Alan coming our way, it was their turn to do the Meet & Mingle!  It appears that it’s all rotating like last tour (2 in the Meet & Mingle and 4 in the photos with Val & Laurie being consistent ).   To give you an idea for our cast photo we had Val, Laurie, Sharna & Gleb.  I will update this after each show to give you all an idea:

DWTS Tour Cast Meet & Greet

The photos were wonderful as always, it was my first time meeting Laurie & Gleb and it was so fantastic to see Val & Sharna.  Anthony takes great care in taking the photos for us.  The staff is also very kind, nobody is yelling at you it’s a pleasant experience.  You do have to leave your purse, bags and anything else on you at the table and you cannot ask for autographs etc. at the cast photo portion.   This year too it was one professional photo taken by Anthony, no selfie options in the main photo.  You could however do selfies with the dancers in the Meet & Mingle.  The green screen operator for this city wasn’t the best at taking the shots and they were having issues with the Wi-Fi not being fast enough so the green screen pictures were very hit or miss on if you got them in your email.  However, Anthony with VIP Nation being the rock star host that he is, is already on it for us!  I noticed today in the photos link there is one for the Meet & Greet pictures and then one for the Photo booth.  That was smart thinking to just upload them all vs having issues city to city with Wi-Fi.  After the photos were done and the dancers all left to get ready for the show you could go to the merchandise stand and do some crowd free shopping which was also nice.

Please note on the pics:  the itinerary says up within to 2 weeks.  I know it’s super hard to be patient but, I know Anthony will post as quickly as he can.  He is one of the best in speed to get them posted.

 

 

 

 

Show time!  I am going to do a separate blog on the actual show after my next one in January.   I also do not want to spoil anything for those that haven’t seen it yet.  I will say this for now.  It is AMAZING and you should be very excited and counting down the days until you go!  It’s the best tour they have done to date.  It’s formatted a bit like the Maks & Val Tour whereas it tells a story in many segments which I loved.  It allows you to get to know the dancers better by hearing their individual stories.  It’s also very fast paced but, I loved the pace of the show this time.  You were on the edge of your seats the entire show wondering what was going to happen next.  The other difference from the past tour is there was no audience engagement like the kick off of the last tour and they don’t bring anyone on stage.

You will get to see a few of the best dances of our Mirrorball Champions Val & Laurie and a few other truly amazing performances by the cast from this season.  However, my lips are sealed on more details for now so you can be surprised and enjoy the shows in your city.

Bravo & Thank you:  VIP Nation you always put together fantastic unique experiences and it doesn’t go unnoticed! Thank you again for putting Anthony on this tour!  Mandy Moore, Supervising Choreographer Amy Tinkham, Creative Director and Guy Phillips, Executive Producer truly put together an amazing show that I think every fan should be sure they have a ticket for! The creative genius is obvious at every moment in the show.  The vision and layout for this tour is truly worth 10 Stars!  The crew and all the other behind the scenes individuals also deserve a shout out!  The Dancers (Val, Laurie, Sharna, Gleb, Artem, Lindsay, Keo,  Emma, Jenna, Hayley & Alan all truly leave it on the floor each night.  It’s emotional, it’s passionate, it’s raw, it’s FUN, it’s full of energy and I am so excited I will get to see this tour multiple times and have a new take away each night!

 

If you don’t have a ticket…Buy one today and if you are able to do VIP it’s worth the investment for this experience they have many different levels and price points too!  Here’s the link for tickets/VIP package! http://www.dwtstour.com/#tour

Want to see more photos?  For many more pictures from the tour, past tours please follow me on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook @lightscmemories!  If you have any questions that I can help with please don’t hesitate to reach out!

Until next time,

XOXO

Heather

Note:  I have been asked what I was wearing in the pics I posted.  Check out www.bebe.com for fun tops like the one I was wearing!