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Authenticity is Everything
Meet & Greet Experiences
As far as autograph collecting and music fan experiences goes, I find the range of stories I hear about various meet & greets to be pretty fascinating. I've heard of people paying modest fees (or nothing) for wonderful, fun experiences - and other stories of fans shelling out large amounts of money for a massive disappointment. And, of course, everything in between.
I thought we should have a comprehensive thread on the topic. Have you been to a pre-show or post-show meet and greet or know someone who has? Was it a bargain or a ripoff? What was the mood - structured and hurried or casual and fun?
My favorite band does meet and greets at every headline show they perform on this tour, chosen at fandom by fans who sign up for their fanclub and enter the show-specific drawing. There is no charge, and (usually) I don't believe a show ticket is even required. They were asked about this in an interview early this tour, and the response from one of the band members, Martin, was pretty passionate about musicians who charge high prices for meet & greets. FYI: I get that this band isn't quite a household name yet, so there might be a sentiment of "Who are they to say . . ." However they have an interesting perspective as both successful musicians with Top 10 records and huge music fans themselves).
Here's that portion of the interview:
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Terry G. on
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I've never seen a meet & greet that is free! Who does this? I've seen events where bands or artists go to record or music shops and sign their new release or gear but to me, that's not a meet & greet either, it's a promo event. I guess there are more types of these things than I thought...
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Permalink Reply by Rich on
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FM 102 in Milwaukee does them pretty regularly, usually given to fans via call in contests or Twitter contests. Events are quick but include a quick chat, autograph and a photo op.
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My favorite band that I mentioned in the beginning of the thread does them for free via random selection for those who sign up for their online fanclub. Not the norm I don't think.
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Permalink Reply by Coachgd on
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A lot more artists do this than you think. Off the top of my head, just this year-
Buckcherry had a free meet and greet after their show- but you did have to buy something from the merch table. Billy Bob Thornton had a free M&G after his band played- signed everything. The Baby's also had a free M&G and were great after the show, Carl Palmer's M&G after the show was free but he did have a bunch of stuff for sale at the merch table, but you didn't have to buy anything to meet him. Felix Cavaliere also had free M&G after his show, he was great and also signed everything you had. Nils Lofgren, JD Souther, and Chris Hillman also had free M&G all after their shows.
So maybe not the biggest names, but still I got 3 hofers, and an Oscar winner. These were all at the merch table after the show and not out by the bus.
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I guess i just don't consider that sort of thing a "meet & greet" in the traditional sense. Many, many artists sit at their merch booths and sign after shows. Usually lower tier bands that don't sell out shows anymore, IMO. For me, a M&G is a separate event that costs money to participate in. Sure, pretty much the same exact thing happens at both versions, other than M&G participants usually walk away with some sort of physical souvenir from the band. The artists that sit at the merch booth usually do so to generate income off their merch- many fans have nothing to get signed so they buy a shirt, or a CD and get it signed, sales that probably wouldn't happen without the artists being at the table. The merch booth never comes into play at a paid M&G...
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I guess in my book, it's the exact same thing. In a paid meet and greet, you get some swag, the artist signs your item(s) and you get a photo.
If the artist goes to the merch table after the show, you can buy something or not, you still get to meet the person and get a photo, and they may or may not sign your item(s) if you don't buy something.
Either way, the artist is still making some extra money and you are getting that physical souvenir from the band (if you bought something). Personally, I would rather buy a $15 set of drum sticks or photo and get my other items signed then spend $100 or more for the exact same thing.
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Permalink Reply by Adam Halloran on
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I think you are basically splitting hairs at that point. In any case I would like to hear about these experience s because these bands have it set up that way Coach is speaking of, and is beneficial to know what to expect for certain artists.
When I met Mike Love and Bruce Johnston I didn't pay a thing. I emailed the venue asking if they were having a meet and greet. After telling them how I was a huge BB fan they slid me in with other people. Not sure if any of those people paid, I never saw a post on their venue for a paid m&g, I just took a shot in the dark (it wasnt sold through ticketmaster) there were at least 20 people too. We all got wrist bands (no extra merch included), went backstage, and got photos with them (I got autographs, no one else did because I broke the rules.)
So I think hearing about these different types of experiences are beneficial for certain artists or venues. Regardless of the terminology.
Also to your point about the merch table, some paid meet & greets list early access to the merch table in the offer as well.
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Permalink Reply by Ian Baldock on
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Keep em coming, I like to read all of the above!
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I don't think we're splitting hairs at all!! They are two totally different things that can have similar outcomes but different upsides.For me, the idea of being in a room with Brian Wilson and Al Jardine, meeting them, getting autographs, receiving limited edition merch or memorabilia, with proof of the event that provides informed COA, and not having to wait in line with hundreds or thousands of concert goers in various states of inebriation is pretty cool but at great cost. I think it's different because the bands that do signings at the merch stand almost NEVER do a separate meet and greet before the show- because that could piss fans off who pay a lot of money to meet them only to find out everyone gets to meet them anyways...
I'm not debating the benefits of relating these experiences, I'm just not wanting to see this thread derail into stories of events outside the venue.I don't think this was the intent. We get to see what happens when the artist signs at the merch table, we rarely get to see what happens at that M&G backstage or in a private room.
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I think we can just agree to disagree on the subject with no hard feelings (obviously since we are only discussing meeting are idols and such). I did decide to just google the definition of a M&G and this is what comes up.
meet-and-greet
noun
an organized event during which a celebrity, politician, or other well-known figure meets and talks to the public.
So it pretty much can be up to interpretation. I think that in an open discussion as this some might want to hear about certain experience s that some others have had. It is interesting (for me) to hear which artists might have an after venue signing and photo op that isn't necessarily paid for whether they are still a huge act or not.
It is beneficial to some to know what to look out for in the future when these groups are in town .
As using the same example again. Mike Love/Bruce Johnston/Beach Boys do normally have a paid meet and greet package. I contacted the venue because I saw no listing for the normal m&g package for the concert. I would have paid, but instead by contacting the venue I wss able to get in free with others (as I said I believe other free people roughly 20) to meet them. There was the tour manager handling this event backstage. She used my phone and my friends to take pictures. There was originally going to be autographs, but due to time she decided no autographs.
I decided to push my luck and ask anyways and Mike and Bruce both signed for me (which did make the tour manager a bit crabby) I would still had called it a M&G if I hadn't gotten their autograph.
Also with Brian Wilson, while I paid one couple got in free by winning an instagram contest that Brian has been running for each tour stop. Also there were others who went in before the VIPs to get only a photo op with Brian. (with a professional photographer) I believe these people were a few regulars or high rollers..etc from the casino venue he was playing at.
I would like to think the Beach Boys experience is beneficial to some as there was no official M&G listed (yet still one was organized) and I was able to get in on one there was no wide knowledge of (as there normal paid package wasn't listed for this venue) and also to let the artist make the final decision if they will or won't sign in these situations.
I think the thing that differentiates what a M&G really is, is the word organized. I agree waiting after show or before at a bus isn't quite a M&G.
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Permalink Reply by Paul on
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I think this is a great thread to hear about organized meet and greets also people asked all the time about artist signing habits, so they may be able to read through this thread.
Unfortunately most of my m&g's are informal, just sitting at the pub and having a beer with some artist. Meeting them backstage. Id say a most ip collectors aren't shelling out for paid m&g's.
Sometimes artist tweet lets meet at this venue, club and have a beer, or perhaps there going to announce something a day before I'm going to be at this Barber shop signing and handing out my new single. It's just fun, that's the way I look at it.
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Lol well a tweet may count as organized who knows anymore!:)
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