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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

Contests/Giveaways

Day 7 of the 8 days of Giveaways!

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 7: The Brand NEW This House is Not for Sale CD and a Journal from the VIP Pkgs from the Because We Can 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:  @tonydovolanious!  Congratulations!

#bonjovi

Entertainment Blog

Bon Jovi ‘This House is Not For Sale’

Bon Jovi ‘This House is Not For Sale’ Album Review

#THINFS

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I have been a fan of Bon Jovi since my early teen years, they were one of the first concerts I ever attended and I am proud to say I am still a fan today.   Over the years I have been to 150+ Jovi shows all around the world.  The last tour ironically was what I called my “go big” tour.  I went to over 40 shows in the US, Canada, Ireland, England and Australia and it was truly a difficult and special tour to be able to attend that many shows.  As everyone knows Richie Sambora stopped showing up for work one day and truly left the band in a very tough situation.  It’s true that Jon and Richie created a lot of magic together for many years but, that start of the last tour Richie’s heart didn’t seem in it anymore.  The last night I saw Richie perform with the band was his 2nd to last show in Oklahoma City, my friends and I were in the front row on Richie’s side and he never looked down or made eye contact with anyone and it felt different.  I am not here to trash Richie in any way, the chapter is closed, I don’t respect the way he handled it but, I am proud of who the band is today.  I think Phil X was the absolute perfect individual to step into that position in the band.  Phil is a true professional, a fantastic guitar player, a really great guy, he has such a genuine down to earth nature and truly enjoys interacting with the fans.

14606468_10154170919683978_5697857292941078621_nThe final night of the tour in Brisbane in 2013 was one of the most emotional concert experiences I have ever had.  At that time so much was unknown.  JBJ gave the speech towards the end and said this is the last time for a long time and we really were not sure when or if we would see our band perform again.  I can remember us all swaying arm and arm during I’ll Be There for You, tears streaming down our faces we felt like we were on an emotional journey with the band on that tour and it’s a night I will remember for the rest of my life.  I was glad that was my “go big” year.

 

img_6895As a fan I was thrilled to hear that the album was done, that they would be doing special Live Listening Parties and really building major excitement behind this album.  As the singles started coming out I was pleasantly surprised by everything I initially heard.  ‘This House is Not for Sale’ is raw, it’s emotional, and it’s a rock record with some of the most beautifully written and inspiring lyrics.  For me it closely measured up to ‘These Days’ which is my favorite Jovi record.  I was only able to attend one of the Live Listening Parties but, I walked out of the theater that night in Toronto blown away and beyond excited for the tour.  Many of the songs sounded even better live and the biggest take away for me was how happy the entire band was on that stage, it was a lighter feeling, the smiles were endless, they were all having fun and the heaviness that you could feel last tour was completely lifted.  Our band is back and better than ever!

img_6154I have listened to the album many times preparing for this review and unlike a few past albums there were no songs that I just felt were ok or I was tempted to skip over.  Every song on this album deserves its place on the album.  If I were to pick my two favorite songs I would say hands down “Scars on this Guitar” makes me stop and fully listen each time.  The lyrics are some of the best and most beautiful JBJ has ever written in my opinion.  As a fan it speaks to my heart, the music is what I turn to get me through hard times.  My other favorite has been Roller Coaster.  I love the lyrics, the beat and I will say this is one of the songs that blew me away when I saw it performed live in Toronto.  Both of those songs I am hoping we will hear a lot on tour.

img_6151The album has a lot of great rock songs  including “This House is Not for Sale”, “Living with the Ghost”, “Knockout”, “Born Again Tomorrow”, “New Year’s Day”, “The Devil’s in the Temple”, “God Bless This Mess”, “All Hail the King” and “We Don’t Run” which was also on the Burning Bridges Album.

JBJ has always written amazing ballads and this album is no exception.  In addition to “Scars on this Guitar” there is “Labor of Love” & “Real Love” which are also both beautifully written and the lyrics and emotion pulled at your heart.

Songs like “Reunion” will have staying power with a great message.   “Come on up to Our House” reminded me of the movie New Year’s Eve that JBJ was in a few years ago.

img_6805It’s great to have John Shanks & Everett Bradley join the band on the tour.  JBJ and the entire band should be incredibly proud of this album.  It’s an absolute hit and one of the best albums to date.  I am so glad that they continue to work hard to develop new music and are still willing to get out and tour to support it.  There is nothing like being at a live Bon Jovi show its magic the minute those lights go down.

Thank you to JBJ, David, Tico, Phil X, John, Hugh & Everett for pouring your heart, your feelings & emotions into this album and the special Live Listening Parties.  This tour will be special and I could not be more thrilled to see the happiness and energy radiating from all of you on stage.  See you in February!

If you want to see additional pictures from the Toronto Listening Party, the Q&A and of course when the tour begins please feel free to follow me on instagram, twitter and/or Facebook:  @lightscmemories

For more information on tour dates etc please go to: 

TOUR

Until Next Time,

xoxo

Heather

Entertainment Blog

Review: David Bergman live concert photography workshop with Andy Grammer

#andygrammer

What an opportunity to photograph Andy Grammer with David Bergman!

Ever since I was a little girl and we still used film in our cameras I have always loved taking pictures and most of my friends will tell you I am the one getting pictures of vacations, events and special moments because I love to have them for memory sake.

img_5539The last few years I have really been working on my photography skills and truly love concert photography.  It’s a challenging environment at times because you are battling with others taking pictures on their cell phones and iPad but, for me I like to capture the emotion of a moment you are sharing not only with the artist but, all the fans in attendance at the shows.

When David Bergman posted that he was going to do his first ever live concert photography workshop I thought wow what a great opportunity but, I wasn’t sure if I had enough experience or knowledge of the high end technology to attend.  At a friend’s encouragement I sent an email to David and was so thrilled to receive notice that I was invited to take the class.  David provided us with very detailed instructions and outlined all the specifics we needed etc.

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For those of you that do not know David Bergman is a world renowned photographer.  He has had 13 Sports Illustrated covers, been Bon Jovi’s tour photographer since 2010, and covered 5 Olympic Games, 11 Super Bowls, and multiple World Series games, NBA Playoff, Stanley Cup Finals and Daytona 500.   David also created a GigaPan photo of President’ Obama’s first inaugural speech which was viewed by over 30 million people and named a Canon Explorer of Light in 2015.  To learn more about David you can visit his website at:  http://www.davidbergman.net/index. He is extremely talented.

The event I attended was held at Wente Vineyards in Livermore, CA.  We were photographing Andy Grammer who is currently on a dual headlining tour with Gavin DeGraw.  This venue was absolutely beautiful and allowed for a lot of creativity.  The workshop was excellent.   There were 5 attendees all of various degrees of experience and technology levels and it was the perfect size for effective learning.   David was extremely patient and covered a wide range of topics from what makes an ideal photo, the ideal settings for various lighting situations, etiquette, what to look for to make unique pictures and so much more!

img_5537I have always had Canon Point and Shoot cameras and truly love the brand.  We were loaned some fantastic high end equipment from Canon including Canon 1DX and 5D3 bodies and two different lenses.  We were also given gifts from Tenba and Adorama which was really nice!

Andy Grammer is a fantastic performer and I cannot tell you how much fun I had when it was time to photograph the show.  We were allowed access to photograph the entire set vs the usual first 3 songs.  I enjoyed working from different angles, moving around the venue and especially using the great equipment that Canon loaned us.  One of the hardest things in concert photography is gaining experience because 99.9% of venues will only allow you in img_5554with a point and shoot camera.  I have really worked hard at the craft of getting good shots on my high end point and shoot but, it’s a totally opportunity to shoot with the types of cameras we were using.  The colors are much richer, enhanced zoom options, angles and shots you can get are just in a league of their own.  I made sure to get around the venue the like I mentioned but, found myself really working on my style of photography, looking for the emotion, the art of incorporating the background and environment etc.  It was such a privilege to shoot alongside David, hear his live tips and be able to take action on them in the moment etc.
The night absolutely flew by but, it was truly one of the best experiences I have ever had and I am extremely thankful for the opportunity.  I included a few of my favorite shots in this article.  For more keep an eye on my IG/Twitter/FB pages: @lightscmemories.
img_5553Thank you so very much to David Bergman for sharing your time, knowledge, experience and patience with us!  Thank you to Wente Vineyards (https://www.wentevineyards.com/) & Andy Grammer ()  for the beautiful location and opportunity to cover your show!  If you have not seen Andy on tour yet go buy your tickets (http://andygrammer.com/tour/), he is one not to be missed!  Thank you to Canon (http://global.canon/en/index.html ), Adorama (http://www.adorama.com/) & Tenba (http://www.tenba.com/) as well for the equipment and gifts!

For more on Andy Grammer, tour etc:

TOUR

Until next time,

xoxo

Heather

Entertainment Blog

Ideal Meet & Greet/Photo Op

Ideal Meet & Greet/Photo Op

If I could sit down with celebrity VIP teams…

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:

  1. 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.

 

  1. 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.

 

  1. 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.

 

  1. 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.

 

  1. 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.

 

  1. 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.

 

  1. 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.

 

  1. 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…

 

Until next time,

 

Xoxoxo

Heather

Contests/Giveaways

Spring/Summer Giveaway #1 Jon Bon Jovi Signed Photo

JBJ

Spring/Summer Contest Kick Off

For this first giveaway of the Spring/Summer I wanted to give you a signed photo I received as a part of my package with Runaway Tours.

Giveaway period 5/6-6/3 (Winner will be drawn via: random draw on 6/4)

To enter you must:

  1.  Like one of the social pages: (Instagram/Twitter:  @lightsCmemories.com) and Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lightscmemories
  2. AND sign up for the blog newsletter on this page (don’t worry I won’t spam you or email you daily).  On computer it’s on the right side of the screen and on mobile devices on the bottom of the page.

Good luck everyone!  This will be the first of a fun series of giveaways from various artists!!  Thank you all for your support.

 

Entertainment Blog

Jon Bon Jovi Nashville 3/19/16

Jon Bon Jovi Nashville

Runaway Tours Trip

I was so excited to be back in one of my favorite cities this past weekend.  It was great to see so many friends from around the world that I have met over the years through Bon Jovi events.  Crazy it had been almost 5 months since the last time we were together.

This was my 19th Runaway Tours trip.  They have improved so much since my first one back inBlog1 (2) 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 grouped by room, a great signed photo that I will treasure which looked like it was from last fall’s mini tour and a small zip up bag with the Runaway Tours logo on it.

The welcome party was a lot of fun and I noticed they definitely improved the food spread for this trip.  The 1st night parties are always a lot of fun, everyone is so excited for the next day, gives you a good chance to meet new people and we dance/sing all night to Jovi music.

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The next day we were on our own to explore the city.  We went down and did some shopping and had lunch on Broadway and I purchased my first pair of cowboy boots.  I couldn’t get over how comfortable they were.  One personal wish of mine on the trips would be instead of or in addition to doing the 2nd night party, organize a tour of the city all together or in Nashville the Country Music Hall of Fame or something like that as a big group.  That would allow more time to get to know people instead of just being off in your groups of friends and it would be better for new trip people to meet others.

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We met up at meeting time to board the buses to the venue and of course everyone was excited as usual.  I decided to dress down and be casual this time as it seems I am always in a dress.  This time I wore a plaid shirt   http://www.nordstrom.com/, jeans  http://www.luckybrand.com/ and boots http://www.bootbarn.com/.  It was quite cold and windy in Nashville that day and I was wishing I had my winter coat.  We got there and all were told to line up.  Problem was it was freezing & the wind was going right through you and we waited in that weather for a good 20-30 minutes.  That is my one personal pet peeve as you will see in other posts.  When you either buy a VIP Pkg or spend the kind of money you do for these special trips I wish we were not left out in harsh weather conditions whether it be extreme heat or cold.

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Another small comment to make which is not the fault of Runaway tours is a small group of us arrived and were not sure where to go and we went up to stand near the wall outside to try to block some of the wind.  This was at the Cannery Ballroom.  I am not sure if he was the owner or maybe head bouncer, but he was beyond rude to a friend of mine.  Instead of being considerate to the weather conditions he said either you go out there and wait by the fence or you will not be allowed in my establishment.  My point on this is, these are new customers to your venue that paid a substantial amount of money to do this trip.  He would have gotten a lot further with a comment like I am very sorry, I understand it is freezing outside but, if you can go line up we will get you inside as fast as possible.  Kindness goes a long way.

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Once we got into the venue the excitement really grew.  This event included a special acoustic performance and Q&A with Jon Bon Jovi, Lorenza Ponce, Bobby Bandiera, Carl Gentry and one new musician that I didn’t catch his name.  Jon was in such a good mood and it was great to have some new questions instead of the typical boxers or briefs type.  Jon did let us know that the record is done and is currently being mixed and should be released in the fall.  It looks like as of now the tour will start early next year!  That was exciting news and for many a relief as it gives more time to save money to do the shows they want on the tour.  There is seriously nothing like a Bon Jovi concert.  The energy is palpable but, more on that in future blogs.

 

The set list was great and I included an image of it for you all.  I love the version of Bad Name JBJ does at these events and Livin on a Prayer gave me goosebumps it was so amazing!  I love hearing the ballads too.  I have been lucky enough to hear one of my all-time favorites on a few trips (Never Say Goodbye), this trip we were treated with Superman and Blind Love.  Just breathtakingly beautiful.

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Video Link(s)

Snippet of songs from Nashville:  https://youtu.be/Z0rG1CrEU50

Superman:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZ8-FHeGXdQ

Bad Name:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rt1cVUWnCeA

It’s My Life: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygZsTjb-e7M

Destination Anywhere:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WI0bDki3IQ

Blind Love: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGVdqWZH8jM

Seat Next To You: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2YzBg9IyPY

When the performance ended we all line up for our pictures with JBJ.  This is where I always tell friends or people that ask me to have the right expectations.  This is a photo op not a meet and greet and they do go rather quickly.  Every artist varies in the time you get with them in photo op.   Jon is always so kind and I will admit this interaction made me smile and I am still smiling today.  Usually the photos are posted in 3-5 days after a Runaway Trip.  As soon as they get posted I will add it.

Once all the photos were done there was the after party at the venue.  The food was very good that they had out this trip.  We didn’t stay long at the after party but, it was pretty typical to past parties and the night before.

Jon Bon Jovi

The next day we all sadly said until next time and flew home.   I originally wasn’t going to go on this trip and I

changed my mind when I realized it was a good friend’s birthday and I wanted to be there to celebrate with her.  I am very glad it worked out and I did attend.  It was a one of those truly special trips that I will forever keep engrained in my memories.

Rob Fuzesi and his team truly did a great job on the Nashville trip.

They have two more trips currently on sale if you are interested http://www.runawaytours.com/

Don Henley in Dallas (April 30-May 2)

Florida Georgia Line & Jon Bon Jovi along with the iheart Country Festival in Austin (April 29-May 1)

JBJ in Dublin Ireland (July 21-23rd)

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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 50 trips you get something like a meet and greet or x period of time with JBJ, at 100 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.

 

Until next time,

Xoxo

Heather

JBJ Nashville

JBJ Nashville

Entertainment Blog

Runaway Tours Jon Bon Jovi & Kings of Suburbia

Hard Rock Rivera Maya Mexico-May 2014

This month I will be going on my 19th Runaway Trip. I wanted to share my thoughts on the best Runaway Tour trip to date in my first blog. The trip to Mexico was the absolute best value for the money and the most fun for everyone that attended.

Cost included: Four nights hotel at the all-inclusive Hard Rock Rivera Maya hotel. Extra nights were optional at an added cost. Two concerts, welcome party, Cinco de Mayo party, pool party and a photo with Jon Bon Jovi grouped by room. The all-inclusive portion added a ton of value for your money.

I felt like I was on a trip with my big extended worldwide family and we were all interacting the entire trip. Many times on Runaway Trips you are off in your group of friends entertaining yourself during the day. This trip we were doing music trivia in the pool by day, singing Bon Jovi songs at the top of our lungs together, soaking up the great weather & poolside drinks. The welcome party was a lot of fun, we danced to our favorite Bon Jovi tunes all night and caught up with our friends from around the world.  The pool party was SO much fun! We literally took over the main pool for a few hours and had an amazing time. Having a large group all belting out “Livin’ On a Prayer,” “It’s My Life” and more was just a priceless memory.

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Photo: By Rob Fuzesi Runway Tour Facebook Page

Picture2We had two concerts included in the package. This is the only part that we had some issues. Some of it I believe came from the language barrier and the fact it wasn’t just a private concert for us but, also for the hotel guests. The hotel was still in the grand re-opening stages as a Hard Rock when we were there and organization definitely could have been improved. The actual concerts were great as Jon Bon Jovi and Kings of Suburbia never disappoint. For those of you that have not seen them perform they typically do a mix of about half Jovi hit songs and half popular cover songs like “Under Pressure,” “I’m Your Man,” etc. The first night things went fairly smoothly at the venue. The second night we had our photos with JBJ before the show and the Runaway team had communicated with the venue staff ahead of time. After our photos when we went down to our seats there were hotel guests etc. already in our seats and they would not move and due to the #’s of people the hotel security staff didn’t have any success in moving them. Somehow the communication broke down and the hotel guests were told to sit anywhere and a few handfuls of people on trip decided they too would sit anywhere to say it was chaotic would be an understatement. It made for a huge mess before the show and unfortunately there was not enough time for the Runaway staff to get it straightened out before the band took the stage. It’s a draw back when the events are not private just for us. When they are just for us things typically run very well organized.

 

JON BON JOVIThe photo with JBJ in Mexico still remains one of my favorite experiences. We were first in line and he was in such a fun mood. We were greeted with a big Welcome to Mexico! I always tell people to know what to expect this is a photo op and not a meet and greet, they are very quick but, sometimes they are very special. It’s often all in what you make of it. The trips have come a long way from the old days of a group of 8-10 people per photo, that wasn’t a value because you never knew if you would get a picture standing next to JBJ. Now you do and the trips are more popular than ever.

Mexico will be one of those trips I will never forget. The memories are permanently sealed in my heart. I had such a great time with my friends from around the world and made many new friends on that trip. Always fun to know others that share your passion from not only U.S. & Canada but, Australia, Brazil, Italy, Sweden, Finland, Spain and more just to name a few. We may all be from different parts of the world but, we share that same passion for music, adventure and live entertainment.

Want to learn more and check out JBJ and other trips: http://www.runawaytours.com/

Until next time,

xoxo

Heather