Why should we pay to meet the band

[panpan01]

Non , il ne faut pas payer, mais essayer de savoir dans quel hotel ils descendent, et attendre! ça a marché pour moi...

[fos daddy]

Someone took this picture of management backstage
http://touchingbook.files.wordpress.com ... begger.jpg

[pierre]

[Adrian]

Someone took this picture of management backstage
http://touchingbook.files.wordpress.com ... begger.jpg

[blackbeauty]

ha ha h a
hey you can go to an meet an greet without to pay......
example... in bordeaux many crazyscorps were in without to payed 150 euros...ask magali from crazy she was.
second . were living in an hard rock band not by telletubies....a beautiful girl can acces backstage without to payed 150 euros. many man around the band rready to.........
but ONE RULE WHAT HAPPENNED BACKSTAGE STAY BACKSTAGE

[jewwlsdream]

I wouldn't want to pay to meet the band. That is like buying my vote as a fan. And didn't I just pay money for the concert ticket to begin with? Just the same, I wouldn't pay to join a fan club either. Many official sites want you to buy a package to be on their official site... NO WAY!

[alwaysrocking]

I don't mind so much if you join a fan club and you get few goodies and get entered in a drawing to meet the band, Such as what Metallica does with there fan club, but all this paying hundreds of dollars to meet a band is just a money grab to me. I use to stay after shows outside the venues and I meet many bands. If it was some nominal fee like an extra $20.00 or somethn and there was a limited amount of tickets available for that now that might be an option, but all this paying hundreds of dollars is just getting out of control.

[alwaysrocking]

.....but I still think it´s wrong or even unethical to ask money for it !!!! Especially when it all happens the way it did in USA, like in a factory, in a steady stream.

Just for discussion, I'm going to respond here with the other side of the coin, as someone who attended 2 meet and greets last year in the US. First, I have no idea how the seating is in Brussels - are there assigned seats, or is it a "run for the barrier" type of show? It seems that from the European reviews I read, you all try to secure your spots at the front. Well, for many of the shows here (including 3 that I attended last year), you have to buy your specific seats, and there is no way to get up front unless you buy from a ticket broker, which can cost a fortune. I also wanted to secure my spot in the front.

In the case of the VIP packages last year, although it was great to meet the band and get a photo (and gift bag as well), the main reason I got the package was for the tickets. The VIP packages were not strictly a purchase of a quick meet and the photo - you were purchasing the tickets as well!I had front row both times, and the last show in Chicago was especially worth it, since I don't know if I"ll have the chance to see them again. This was the show with Michael Schenker, and my seats were in the front row, center, with no barrier, leaning on the stage. After seeing some of the videos, I even remember Len commenting on how she couldn't believe the amount of space that I had at my seat. I don't know how I'd feel about it if it was general admission seating, but for me, it was a fabulous night. Fun with fans before the concert, a quick meeting with the band, some "souvenirs" (including a t-shirt that my son wears all the time ) and great seats for the concert, up close and personal. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and for me it was a completely positive experience. I think it's been portrayed by some on here as completely negative (like Cristy who kept calling it a travesty) but I didn't feel that way at all.

Thats great if you have that kind of money to spend. I love music and I like Many bands. With the Scorpions being near the top of the list. Why should I have to spend a ridiculous amount of money to even get a decent seat. It's not like the scorpions are some young band that isnt able to sell many albums anymore because of the interent theivery of music. Will I pay $100.00 or a little more to see some of my favorite bands Certainly but to have to pay hundreds and hunrdreds of dollars to get a good seat and a short meet and greet is highway robbery. Just because you have extra money to afford a vip package doesnt make it right.


But as long as people like you shell out the money you'll keep doing it. Between ticketbastard, Scalpers, Ticket brokers and vip packages the average joe big fan gets screwed out of having any chance to get a decent seat. I am glad there are still a few bands out there such as Iron Maiden where the real fans have a real chance to get good seats. For $55.00 I joined the iron Maiden fan Club I get 4 magazines a year some pictures a keychain and some other stuff plus best of all I was able to get right up front pit tickets for $83.00 for the Milwaukee show and $112.00 for the chicago. In addition on the days the tickets went on sale to the general public there were pit tickets and other good seats available and not at some jacked up vip price. Metallica is another band I can think of that does things in much a similar way as Iron Maiden. I always am able to get a very good seat for Metallica shows, why because they look out for there fans. I really look at all this VIP stuff as a giant money grab and even look down at it more for long established bands such as the scorpions.

[scorps27]

I can't see spending big dollar seeing any band for a m&g. I've spent plenty of money for tickets to see various bands. You get raked over the coals as it is for tickets and shirts and whatever else. M&g's are just way over priced. I'm amazed how people can go see scorpions in Reno then the next night in California. That's great they can do it and they have money to burn.