To thank you for getting me to 8000 followers on Instagram we will be doing 8 days of giveaways! Thank you for allowing me to share my passion with you! Day 6: Steven Tyler Hat and small drawstring bag from the VIP Pkgs at the Summer Steven Tyler Out on a Limb Tour. To enter: Go to my IG page @lightscmemories Be sure you FOLLOW the page, then comment below the photo and tag 2 friends inviting them to like my page. Bonus entry will be given to anyone that signs up for my newsletter on this website.
WINNER Via Random Draw: @jamieshimek! Congratulations!
Steven Tyler Out on a Limb VIP Experience Atlanta 2016
Where to begin on Mr. Steven Tyler! He is simply one of the kindest, more engaging down to earth rock stars I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. This was my 6th time meeting Steven over the years and he never ever disappoints.
I got the 2nd tier VIP Package which included:
MEET & GREET PACKAGE Includes:
– One (1) premium ticket
– Priority check-in and entrance
– Meet & Greet with Steven Tyler
– Photo opportunity with Steven Tyler
– Access to the pre-show reception which includes specially selected appetizer along with complimentary wine, beer, and soft drinks
– Merchandise item designed and created exclusively for package purchasers
– Collectible laminate to remember your evening
– Onsite check-in staff
We had a 2nd row dead center seat for the show which is why I went with the 2nd tier package vs the front row to save about $200 knowing these were very small venues 2nd row was great!
This is a solo tour Steven and the band Loving Mary did to promote his country album. This was the 3rd time I have seen Steven perform with Loving Mary and they are also absolutely fantastic and you could tell Steven truly was having a really fun time each night performing with them.
We received our check in info a few days prior which is always great so you can plan what time you need to arrive etc. We had to arrive at 4:00 this time. I thought the venue staff could have been a bit nicer at the Cobb Energy Center. I had a man trying to tell me I had to check my point and shoot camera which I later had corrected and was allowed to take it in and then we waited in an organized fashion by numbered bracelets in a nice climate controlled area. The staff came out and very kindly went over the rules with us and told us how we would receive our photos. So far this is the only negative, we still don’t have our photos and it’s been 4 days yet it is a holiday weekend so hopefully by tomorrow. Update: Photos came out 5 days after this show.
When we entered the room we did photos with Steven first. It was in a nice private box area which is LOVE when artists do that. He was giving each person at least 1 minute of his time as I timed a few which truly sets Steven apart from others. You were greeted very nicely by his VIP staff and they asked your name as you entered and Steven would then say hello Heather how are you today, he always gives you a huge hug and kiss and we would chat for a bit and he truly makes you feel like you are the most special person in that min. In my opinion he then gets back the mutual respect of each person and you rarely if ever seen him groped in photo and if he’s hugging you or kissing you it’s because that is what he wanted to do. It’s nice to have relaxed experiences and be able to say what you want to say. The photographer then would count down 4, 3, 2, and 1 so you were ready for the photo which again gets an A+ in my book.
After the photo then we had a few drinks, some snacks and then had to go back out and through security again. This was also not a great thing in my opinion, we had all already been checked but, perhaps there was no other entrance into the venue.
The show was absolutely fantastic. Steven takes that stage with such ownership, charisma and man does he blow the roof off the venues. He played a perfect mix of Aerosmith and singles from his Country record. He is one of the rock legends that every fan of rock music should be sure to see just once. However once you see him once you will be forever hooked.
My opinion is I did much prefer the meet and greets with Steven’s solo shows. It’s not that I don’t think Joe Perry is a great guitar player and member of Aerosmith I just think Joe doesn’t care for the meet and greets and it really takes away from these truly special interactions that Steven provides.
Also wanted to give a shout out to the On-Site VIP staff Tanya, she is very good at her job, treats everyone with professionalism and kindness!
Concert Wear:
I did wear my favorite off the shoulder Bebe top and black dress pants:
I also used my Coach Wristlet and cross body that I was given as gifts from friends for my birthday. They were perfect! The wristlet held my car key, ID, money and credit card and the cross body fit the wristlet, camera and lip gloss with room left over but, it was nice not to have to carry around a bulky purse with me.
This is a topic I have been thinking about for the last few years. It’s part of the reason for starting this blog. I never want this page to be a negative place but, rather somewhere to share information, experiences, value etc. If I could sit down with artist’s and their management teams to give them insight into what fans feel are best VIP practices this is what I would say:
Artists should keep their commitments. It’s one of the things that I think a pop star and his team did wrong earlier this year. If they didn’t want to do meet and greets anymore that’s fine but, finish the ones that you had committed to, implement rules to meet your needs in the interim and have your team enforce them but, respect that a good portion of your VIP attendees often are paying to travel for the experience.
Don’t do photo assembly lines. I truly wish all artists that did meet and greets would commit to an hour or so of their time depending on the #’s and do it right, treat each person like a human being, say hello, ask their name, ask where they are from (stars may be shocked how far some will travel to see them), have a genuine interaction, then take the photo. Let’s face it these meet and greets, photo ops, fan trips cost a large sum of money, show the fans you value and respect their time and money by giving them an interaction. When an artist’s team brags that they did 300 pictures in 16 minutes that truly is disappointing vs a recent event I was at they had about 200 people and they devoted a solid hour or more, it wasn’t rushed and everyone that walked out after was so happy, felt so special and most of all valued.
Make the interactions private. What I have been seeing quite a bit lately is a curtain box created and have thought that is such a great idea. You can step in, have your interaction and not have 200-300 people watching it. It helps with your nerves too, nobody wants to feel like they are in a fishbowl it also solves the issue of people taking photos of the entertainer/star as they approach. It will also help the genuine interaction because then they are not still speaking to the person ahead of you etc.
Make the rules clear, stick to them and let them know what will happen if they violate the rules. If you say don’t take your cell phones out and ask for a selfie and someone does don’t post the photo, if you say don’t hug, kiss and rub all over an artist and people do don’t post the photo. I would guarantee you would only have to enforce it once and word would travel. Too many fans will just take liberties, ignore the rules just to achieve their own objective and it truly does spoil the process for others in many cases and it’s disrespectful to the artist.
Post photos in a timely manner. The companies that have them posted same day or in 24 hours always get a WOW for service from me. VIP Nation events have been crushing it with this service the last year. All events I have gone to hosted by them they have been up during the show or the next day. It’s been nice to see many are getting them done quickly lately, people are always so excited to receive them so the faster the better.
Give organic genuine experiences. A few tours recently I have seen many people asking for kisses, hugs etc. You are putting the stars in an awkward position because if they say no then they can be looked at like they are being a jerk but, people have to realize in most cases you are a stranger or a familiar face in the crowd to the artist. Would you want a stranger walking up and asking you to kiss them, hug them etc.? It’s such a better experience when it happens organically and it’s something the artist initiates because it’s genuine and something they truly wanted to do. On the flip side though as the artist make an effort to say hello, ask someone’s name and go from there.
Please no gum or food in your mouth. I have a few photos with different entertainers with a wad of gum clearly seen in the pic and then recently had an experience where someone was eating a marshmallow. Again people pay a lot for these experiences, travel long distances and it’s just respectful not to have food/gum in your mouth and seen in the photos.
Respect the time of individuals paying for the VIP experience. Don’t make them arrive 2 hours ahead to just stand in line and don’t leave them in the various elements like extreme heat & cold. Be organized. Nobody likes to stand around waiting for hours.
For random interactions with stars I always like to see who puts in the extra effort with their fans. I can say after seeing it many times that Keith Urban is one of the best at this. Keith will stop and literally do selfies with 40 people and it takes maybe 10 minutes. Now in these random cases I think it’s fine to do a quick hello, photo and move on you are not paying for it.
I think the stars also need to be careful the way their team is representing them. At the softball game at CMA fest one of the entertainer’s boyfriend’s came out where fans were lined up after the game and was telling a guy to hurry up and have her car pulled around because she didn’t want to stop for fans. Another country star I saw three times at CMA fest once on the pink carpet, at Fan Fair X and then out and about and he could not be bothered to take a photo or have an interaction but as soon as a TV camera was on him he changed right away. I personally will not spend my money, pay to travel, attend a concert of anyone that shows such disregard for fans. It’s all in how the situation is handled. Like I said in my CMA Fest blog from Day 3 instead of responding “NAH” to someone, say sorry not today. Treat people like human beings and they will in turn reward you by devoting their time and spending their hard earned money to support your career.
One star recently said it best you always have to treat each person special because that may be your 1 time ever to meet that person that has supported you and you don’t know what they had to do to be at that show, if they saved for 6 months, flew across the country etc. Whether it’s a 30 second selfie interaction or a paid meet and greet it’s your chance to make and leave an impression both on the fan and star’s end. I will always support the ones that care and truly get it because that adds value to the experience. I also feel we all have to treat them respectfully.
I would love to hear more thoughts on this from those that read the blog…
I have been fortunate to witness some Master Classes by a few legends over the years. One day I will do a retro blog on the Jon Bon Jovi master class in Sydney. Tonight, I witnessed a master class by a true legend, Steven Tyler. I still have goosebumps from the performance that Steven did for Janie’s Fund.
Tonight was breathtakingly amazing! Steven Tyler you are such a special man and what you are doing with Janie’s Fund is a true blessing and will leave a positive impact on the world! You are beyond warm to everyone you meet, you make everyone feel incredibly special and I am honored to call myself your fan. You create value in your experiences and it does not go unrecognized that you take the time to make eye contact, to say hello, to ask our names and you make a positive impact on those you meet.
Steven Tyler launched Janie’s Fund in November 2015. The Mission per the website: http://www.janiesfund.org/
The Mission
Janie’s Fund is dedicated to providing resources to help put the pieces back together again for abused girls. Each year in our country, more than 68,000 children are raped or sexually abused. The number of girls experiencing this devastating trauma before the age of 18 is a staggering 1 in 5. This MUST change.
Janie’s Fund was created with two important goals in mind:
Bring much-needed awareness to the issue of abuse and neglect of children in our country. We’d like to create an army of voices for this important issue that often gets overlooked and is hard for people to talk about. It’s far too often considered a taboo subject.
Generate much-needed financial support to ensure that girls receive the most effective support available to help them overcome the trauma and pain of abuse.
The event was organized, they provided you with fantastic value for your dollar. The appetizers they offered were very good, the auction items were a wide range of items from donations from friends of Steven’s up to rare items from Steven himself including a stay at his home in Hawaii, concert attire he has worn over the years, paintings/photos autographed, the skittles microphone stand from the commercial and more. Our gift bags were really nice too! Everyone from the staff at Janie’s Fund, Twisted J Apparel, Youth Villages etc you did a fantastic job!
The photo and meet and greet was faster than past m&g’s I have done with Steven but, he was still very sweet, engaging and very kind. I will say as a note for next time, at an event like this it would have been great to have a min or two to say a few words when you were donating to such a special cause. So many have been impacted by abuse or would have to loved to share why this cause is also near and dear to their heart. They took several photos some with the mic stand, some without. I am really hoping they post all of them so we can download the ones we love. With any luck we will get a link in the next day or so as I know so many are looking forward to seeing them.
I do wish Steven had been able to mingle at the cocktail party. It’s truly unfortunate that people cannot give artists space because you are not only ruining it for yourself but, others.
The performance part of the evening was pure magic. It was one of those special nights that you were extremely honored to be there. Steven’s voice was amazing, he clearly was having a lot of fun with Loving Mary and you can tell he is giving his whole heart to this mission.
I will apologize where a few videos have movement or a lot of cussing in the background, we had a very intoxicated man two down from me that was a bit of a disruption. I will post pictures over the next few weeks on my Instagram/Twitter: @lightscmemories and on FB: https://www.facebook.com/lightscmemories/ and would so appreciate a follow/like on the pages.
Steven Speaking at the Janie’s Fund Event Part II:
Sweet Emotion:
Snippet Home Tonight & Full Dream On:
Steven just announced today that he will be doing a series of solo shows with Loving Mary this summer! More info here: http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/music/2016/05/03/steven-tyler-out-on-a-limb-tour/83703830/
JULY
2 — Las Vegas, Venetian Theatre
5 — Los Angeles, Dolby Theatre
8 — Seattle, Marion Oliver McCaw Hall
10 — Vancouver, Orpheum Theatre
14 — San Francisco, The Masonic
20 — Phoenix, Comerica Theatre
23 — Denver, Ellie Caulkins Opera House
26 — Austin, Bass Concert Hall
29 — Houston, Brown Theater at Wortham Center
AUGUST
1 — Dallas, Music Hall at Fair Park
13 — Chicago, Chicago Theatre
17 — Nashville, Andrew Jackson Hall at TPAC
23 — Washington, D.C., Warner Theatre
29 — Clearwater, Fla., Ruth Eckerd Hall
SEPTEMBER
1 — Atlanta, Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center
4 — Boston, Citi Performing Arts Center Wang Theatre
7 — Philadelphia, Academy of Music
10 — Providence, R.I., Providence Performing Arts Center
13 — Toronto, Sony Centre for the Performing Arts
I would tell my friends to all go to one of Steven’s shows. If they have the meet and greet options it is worth the money. If you have never seen Steven in concert he is one you don’t want to miss!
I have had the pleasure of doing two Aerosmith VIP Packages. The first one was in Bristow, Virginia in September 2014 and the second was in Las Vegas in July 2015.
Steven Tyler is without a doubt one of the best in the biz. He is so kind and welcoming when you met him. He will look you straight in the eye, ask you your name and you can just tell he genuinely cares about who he is meeting. Like I always tell people go into these experiences with the right expectations.
Entering the VIP: This is a photo opportunity not a meet and greet. You have very limited time however one of the positives for Aerosmith VIP is they don’t insanely rush you so you can say hello, shake hands, say a few words etc. They truly make sure each fan gets a good experience and VALUE for their money and you are not just a # in a 5-10 second assembly line. They also make it private so you are not being stared at by everyone else waiting in line, you step behind a curtain and have your moment, get your photo taken and then you step out.
Suggestions for the staff: Be aware of the set up and the weather. The Bristow experience was a scorcher. Everyone in the VIP was asked to stand in line for the Q&A portion under the hot sun. This left the majority dripping in sweat, and knowing the photo opportunity was still to come – not feeling very pretty. Slight cover of the amphitheater offered some resolve though a little too late. Dripping in sweat, not feeling very pretty, doesn’t feel very VIP either.
The other would be to post the photos in a timely matter. Let’s face it we all want to and are excited to see our photos. The Bristow event I was seriously so impressed and left with a WOW feeling because our pictures were posted while we were at the show. The Las Vegas show had a completely opposite experience. Photos took 11 days to post along with multiple calls from a variety of fans. Fans realize that VIP staff and photographers are busy but, when shows after yours are posted and you are still waiting for your pictures it takes away from the overall value of the experience. As someone who does a fair amount of these a year I would say 2-3 days max should be the norm. Many I have done this year have had them up within 24 hours.
Final Verdict: Overall, I recommend the Aerosmith VIP experience. It is a good value for your dollar, you get a great seat at the show, the picture, autographed photo and the usual merchandise etc. In 2015 they offered different VIP Packages which I thought was great, if you loved a different member of the band you could sign up for their event and each one was a little different.
In conclusion, Steven Tyler is one of the best and his kindness will truly make you feel so special.
For more pics from the shows visit my Instagram page: @lightscmemories.
hug and kiss and we would chat for a bit and he truly makes you feel like you are the most special person in that min. In my opinion he then gets back the mutual respect of each person and you rarely if ever seen him groped in photo and if he’s hugging you or kissing you it’s because that is what he wanted to do. It’s nice to have relaxed experiences and be able to say what you want to say. The photographer then would count down 4, 3, 2, and 1 so you were ready for the photo which again gets an A+ in my book.
ppetizers they offered were very good, the auction items were a wide range of items from donations from friends of Steven’s up to rare items from Steven himself including a stay at his home in Hawaii, concert attire he has worn over the years, paintings/photos autographed, the skittles microphone stand from the commercial and more. Our gift bags were really nice too! Everyone from the staff at Janie’s Fund, Twisted J Apparel, Youth Villages etc you did a fantastic job!
om me that was a bit of a disruption. I will post pictures over the next few weeks on my Instagram/Twitter: @lightscmemories and on FB: https://www.facebook.com/lightscmemories/ and would so appreciate a follow/like on the pages.
Final Verdict: Overall, I recommend the Aerosmith VIP experience. It is a good value for your dollar, you get a great seat at the show, the picture, autographed photo and the usual merchandise etc. In 2015 they offered different VIP Packages which I thought was great, if you loved a different member of the band you could sign up for their event and each one was a little different.