FAQ – Can I Meet The Band?
“Can I meet the band?”
That is probably one of the most frequently asked questions we get in this industry. Here’s the short answer – No.
Here’s the longer answer – Most likely no.
Ok, that was an admittedly flippant answer. But there are thousands of people at events and it’s just not realistic for the artists to meet everyone. Sometimes opening acts will sign autographs after their performance. If something like that is occurring there will typically be a sign posted where merchandise is sold. But for the headliner that’s just not pragmatic.
Occasionally a headliner will do an autograph session after the show (Kansas and Cinematic Titanic come to mind). But it is admittedly a fairly rare occurrence. It can be a logistical nightmare for larger acts and it’s not uncommon for the artists to be in route to the next city within an hour of having finished their performance. But people still dream of scoring that backstage pass.
Truth be told, backstage is pretty boring. The people you want to meet are typically either at the hotel or on their bus. In reality, backstage is wretched hive of scum and villainy. No, wait…that’s the Mos Eisley Cantina. Backstage is actually a bustling hive of activity in which you would quickly feel out of place and in the way. Heck, we work here and we still feel that way sometimes.
But you want to meet your favorite performer. And we get that. We have favorite performers too. A few we’ve even met. And even fewer we still like. (We kid, we kid.) So the question is how you can make that happen. Here are your best options (none of which you’ll probably like very much).
- Win a Contest – Sometimes radio stations or the newspaper have “meet & greet” passes to give away. It’s a dicey proposition to be sure. But it can (and does) happen. You just can’t really bank on winning a contest.
- Dress Sexy – It’s not as effective as pop culture has led you to believe. And that goes double for you, sir.
- Know Somebody – Do you know the bass player? Of course you don’t or you wouldn’t be reading this. But the simple fact of the matter is that some bands just don’t do meet & greets and those people you see wearing passes actually know the band. Like, they go to their house and stuff.
- Sneak Backstage – I’m sorry. That’s actually a tip for a blog post in progress called “How to Meet a Police Officer”. Ignore that one.
- $pend $ome Money – This is your best bet. Many artists actually grant access to themselves through special ticket packages. These are typically sold through their websites. While they’re not cheap (prices can vary significantly so we can’t even really ballpark this for you) a participant typically (keyword: “typically”) gets premium seating, some sort of merchandise and a chance to get their picture and an autograph with their favorite artist.Now, your experience can differ drastically depending on the artist in question. Buzzfeed recently ran this article highlighting the disparities between meeting Avril Lavigne and meeting Rhianna. (Warning: Rhianna can get a little, um… “handsy” but there’s nothing officially NSFW.) It’s safe to say that Rhianna’s fans probably felt like they got their money’s worth. (Or should we say “felt up”.)
Either way, if available, this is the easiest way to be assured that you’ll meet your favorite artist. While it can be pricey often times it’s a pretty good value if you can swing it. You get premium seating, cool souvenirs (typically), a once in a lifetime experience and a picture that will make all your Facebook friends insanely jealous. But be warned – VIP packages of this nature can sell out quickly. The venue (that’s us) doesn’t usually have much information about these sorts of offers. Your best course of action is to check the artist’s website and/or join their email list.
Ok, so we know it’s not really the answer you were looking for. But everyone would like to meet the band and unfortunately that’s just not possible. However, while costly, it’s never been easier thanks to VIP packages.
So if you really want to meet your favorite band or performer then keep an eye on their webpage. If they’re available, all the info will be posted there.
Coming Up: How do I get the best seats?
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