Who does the best meet & greets?

[cowpins]

Just went through all of the photos/comments of the KISS cattle call. So, in the days of bands doing what they can to get that extra dollar, whether a cattle call M&G, roadie for a day, sound check exp, etc.., who does it right and who does it wrong?

[sicktwistedfreak]

I paid for my son to meet BuckCherry and it really was a great experience. They hung out with the entire group for about an hour and just chatted the time away. They all couldn't have been nicer and since my son had never met any bands at that point, it was a super cool experience for him. If I remember correctly it only cost $75 and was well worth it.

All meet and greets back in the day were like the above, but back then you had to know someone or work for the label for that type of access.

[krisholmes]

I've been to a handful and the first one was the best: Black Star Riders (original line up).

Warwick/Mendoza/Johnson played some acoustic songs, and afterwards give away their guitar picks, Gorham and DeGrasso weren't part of that, but when they showed up a little later, everybody signed everything.. And with Mendoza and Degrasso that was quite a lot.

Eric Martin did an acoustic solo tour a couple of years back, he came out to meet everybody after the show for free! Also signed everything.


Most of these things are too expensive for what you get. A picture with the band and max three signed items: $ 150 ? I think I'll pass.

[Black Stuff]

Took my wife to a Foreigner one for her BD. The guys were great, but it was during covid, so no 1-1 interaction, but it was a cool experience.

[TooOldToCare]

I get that it is another income stream. I've never been to one, but nothing compares to the days of being able to wait out back of a club or arena and possibly interact and get an autograph with a band. In fact, in the old days of the 1-day festival, bands would often come down to the fence (side-stage) and shoot the shit, sign something, and allow pictures while other bands performed. Ah, the good old days.

[Wednesday 13 Fan]

The only one I've done was Wednesday. The guys were great, and even played a few songs.

[Whatever Happened To…]

Your mom.

[Mister Freeze]

I paid for my son to meet BuckCherry and it really was a great experience. They hung out with the entire group for about an hour and just chatted the time away. They all couldn't have been nicer and since my son had never met any bands at that point, it was a super cool experience for him. If I remember correctly it only cost $75 and was well worth it.

All meet and greets back in the day were like the above, but back then you had to know someone or work for the label for that type of access.

I worked for Musicland in the '90s and we'd occasionally get offered stuff like this. I remember hanging out with Edwin McCain and Jewel, who were touring together, in the basement of the Cabaret Metro in Chicago (1,000-seat club). This was before Jewel blew up, and there weren't a lot of people at the meet-and-greet, so it was more like industry people mingling. (If you count a part-time Musicland employee "industry".)

I remember talking with Edwin McCain about how cool Jellyfish was. I also recall Jewel touching his knee when asking about something. They were probably fucking.

Usually, though, the perks were free CDs and concert tickets. Got to see a Skid Row "warm-up" show in a club before Subhuman Race came out. The idea was they'd return and play a bigger venue on the proper tour. They never did.

[sicktwistedfreak]

@Mister Freeze.....those were the good old days. You had to really be plugged in to hang out, and the artists were all a lot more laid back and easy to talk to, except for Geoff Tate.

Before STP broke, we spent the day with them and had a great time just chatting and hanging out. Had the same experience with Hootie and The Blowfish. Darius and I talked everything Miami Dolphins football for a majority of the day while we visited record stores in the Houston area.

Those are the days I miss the most.

[sicktwistedfreak]

I paid for my son to meet BuckCherry and it really was a great experience. They hung out with the entire group for about an hour and just chatted the time away. They all couldn't have been nicer and since my son had never met any bands at that point, it was a super cool experience for him. If I remember correctly it only cost $75 and was well worth it.

All meet and greets back in the day were like the above, but back then you had to know someone or work for the label for that type of access.

I worked for Musicland in the '90s

I worked for Sam Goody in the late 80's, which got me my first label gig.

[Mister Freeze]

^^^^We were one of those malls that had one on the first floor and the other on the second floor, and the employees would alternate shifts at both.

The fun part was playing DJ. I remember cranking Tesla's Bust a Nut in the store quite a few times.

[Playboyliquor59]

I was with a band opening for the B-52s on a tour and Fred does a cool meet and greet after the show, I think it’s only for about 10-15 people where he has some bottles of his wine and tells stories and chats with people/photos etc He gives half of the $ to local charities which was confirmed. The other members don’t participate.

[HueyRamone]

As far as paid M&Gs, im sure the bigger the band, the shittier the experience.

With someone like Jovi or GnR or Metallica, you pay through the ass, and instead of meeting the members, you get to take a pic with the mic stand or something.

A blue collar band, they really need that extra income to keep on tour, so work hard to make it worthwhile, and nurture their hardcore fanbase.

[Turner Coates]

I paid for my son to meet BuckCherry and it really was a great experience.

I met Chuck Berry and it really was a lousy experience. He was buzzed and very rude.
I post this because I just realized where Buckcherry's name came from.

[Hellsinkey]

Nothing compares to the days of being able to wait out back of a club or arena and possibly interact and get an autograph with a band. In fact, in the old days of the 1-day festival, bands would often come down to the fence (side-stage) and shoot the shit, sign something, and allow pictures while other bands performed. Ah, the good old days.

Krokus did that when they played here. Not a stadium show though. Voi Vod also.

[DonJuanDeMarco]

Move this conversation over to the Groupie Board! I'm sure they would have better stories!

[MotleyKaos]

I hear Stonebreed does an excellent meat and grate.

[VincentVanWinger]

On the Sound of Madness tour Shinedown was selling the cd at the merch stand for $20. If you bought it you got to hang out after the show and get it signed. No photos but you got to shake their hand say a few words and get the cd signed by all 4 guys.

[VinceVanLane]

The Darkness. It's around $125 US and you get:

Access to the soundcheck
Chance to play a song on stage with the band at soundcheck*
Q&A
Photo with the band
Signed tote bag
Exclusive VIP Laminate
Early access to merch
Guided tour of the stage
Early venue access for the show
* If you would like the chance to sing or play a song with the band on stage at soundcheck, details of how to enter will be included in the email confirming your purchase.

-----------

If you want to play a song with the band, you send the song in and then they pick it out of a hat at soundcheck, and that's the song you do. You can play an instrument or sing. The entire experience is about 2 hours. $125 is pretty reasonable compared to other bands where it's over $200 and you get a photo and that's it.

The list of songs you can do are:
• Black Shuck
• Bareback
• Get Your Hands Off My Woman
• I Believe in a Thing Called Love
• Love is Only a Feeling
• Friday Night
• Bells End
• One Way Ticket
• Barbarian
• Solid Gold
• Rock and Roll Deserves to Die
• Nobody Can See Me Cry
• Heart Explodes
• Welcome Tae Glasgae
• Motorheart
• Jussy's Girl
• Sticky Situations
• Eastbound
• It's Love, Jim
• The Power and the Glory of Love

[MetalSludgeCEO]

The only one I've done was Wednesday. The guys were great, and even played a few songs.

"""""""""""""The only one I've done was Wednesday. """"""""""""""""""

Based off your signature here, we would have never guessed...

$tEvil

[HueyRamone]

• Jussy's Girl

This sounds like it's funny! Is it about Jussy Smolett? And why would he have a girl?

I love me a good novelty song!

[LAglamrocker]

Female porn star at brothel
Female porn star at strip club

No wait..it’s Wednesday 13

[VinceVanLane]

• Jussy's Girl

This sounds like it's funny! Is it about Jussy Smolett? And why would he have a girl?

I love me a good novelty song!

It's about Justin Hawkins, who people call him Jussy for short!
Here's the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hr-42-4w2mQ
The video kind of reminds of something Van Halen would have done back in the day, and the song is a bit Def Leppardish. Not really a novelty song but definitely humorous.

[tooth]

I recently saw "The Baseball Project" (Peter Buck, Mike Mills, Scott McCaughey, Steve Wynn and Linda Pitmon) & after the show they set up at the merch table. They said they would talk/take pics/sign stuff free of charge & you didn't have to buy anything. The guy I went with is a long time fan (he went to Georgia & after lived in Athens right when REM was coming up) & had some REM & Dream Syndicate records & old pics. Legit, he/they bullsh*tted for a half hour.

[HueyRamone]

Female porn star at brothel

This sounds pretty expensive, but I hear it's very hands on.


Whenever these fat idiots buy a $2500 "experience" with some old boring cranky shithead like Paul Stanley, my mind always goes to... "Sheez, they coulda used that $2500 and got their minds blown (as well as other thugs) by some of porn's finest..."

[LAglamrocker]

Last air plane I was on around 2002
Last air plane ride I enjoyed was Air Force Amy

Thank You MTV 87-1992 for great life coaching

[ijwthstd]

The only major event M&G I ever did was Miranda Lambert at the Forum.

In 2018 at least, a $30 fan club membership got you unlimited first presale codes (the reason for purchasing), merch perks as well as enter a lottery for a M&G (limited to one a year) which as far as I could tell everyone wins. Seems to me though she loves meeting fans and a $30 add on for a quick photo op with 50 people or so a year also seems like gravy on top of everything else she is making.

It was total assembly line but fun to do it and nice of her to leave all that money on that table when she could easily charge $500 or whatever.

[HoldenSSV]

Haven't done many but I was in the Ryche fan club way back in the day and got to hang out for a bit pre- and post- show.

Y&T was free after their show, and they signed stuff and said a few words to everyone that stuck around.

[rockker]

Shit on Blackie all you want, but the one with him was pretty good.

I did the Saxon one 5 years ago or something, it was to support them more than anything. I saw it like buying a shirt to support them since it was like $75 or something. Meet sign as much of your stuff as you wanted, pictures and a signed photo and set list.

[Charles Bukaki]

it wasn't a meet an greet, but the only "extra/VIP" experience I've done was for Clutch last year. $99, limited to 50 people, access to a three song soundcheck of songs that weren't going to be in the set that night, followed by a Q&A which lasted about 20 minutes, then first crack at the merch booth and a signed poster which I think was gig specific but I'm not 100% sure, and front of the line access for the show. Within a week I had a couple people offer me $100 for the poster so I could have pretty much broke even if I wanted to.