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!
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!
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.