Why should we pay to meet the band

[Guest]

...of course there will be people who will give the last money for 5 or even less minutes to just take a picture?

And then there are those who make a fool of themselves, crush all the other fans under their feet, do whatever they can to get a 20th photo with a band member, and do the same for all 5 of them
Something´s not right...

Sorry, I don´t want to sound snobbish or "riding on a high horse" here, I am simply much too down-to-earth to understand all these phenomena

[fos daddy]

... well, for me it's really sick to ask such money to meet few people, even though they are Scorpions. Yes, there are plenty of other FREE ways to meet the band and if it doesn't work... so what, it doesn't make you or your life better. That's my 2 cents...

I really don't get this way of management and of course there will be people who will give the last money for 5 or even less minutes to just take a picture?

my meet and greet comes with tour of city and dinner

[skorpsfan1]

.....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.

[Guest]

Thank you so much for writing about the "other side of the coin", too !!! I can understand you completely, since you put it this way. After all, it´s about the personal preferences and priorities, but I think somehow people should have a choice between your experience and the "self-made" one with less cost.

[ScorpfanUkraine]

There's also a third side of the coin (gurt): if you don't like something (in this case is cost of meet and greet) you just don't buy it. Nobody forces you to do it. You always have other ways to catch the band.

[Guest]

There's also a third side of the coin (gurt): if you don't like something (in this case is cost of meet and greet) you just don't buy it. Nobody forces you to do it. You always have other ways to catch the band.

Well, this was actually my "other side" of the coin I mean , either to have a complete package like Mary did, or just to pay for a (normal price) ticket and do the other stuff by yourself.

[Miklos]

I think everyone should boycott this whole 'meet & greet' thing ...... don't pay it!!!
As Lennu said it is unethical that we, the fans, who have put the band where they are today, should pay good money to meet them.
Too many bands are exploiting this and it is wrong!

£30, £40 or £50 for a concert ticket fair enough, but and extra £100 on top of that just to have a picture taken and exchange a few words Far too many important things in life require my hard earned cash I'm afraid

[Alizee]

I will never pay such tickets. I'm a fan, and I'll still being waiting since 7 am in the morning to see them play. I don't belong to this kind of people who's going to pay to see something and have some signatures.( I'm not criticizing pple to whom it's important to meet and exchange words with their band though) I prefer meeting them 10 seconds in a street than 2 hours because I paid 150€. Do signatures and photos mean so much ? much more than moments during a concert ?To me, Scorpions are not merchandise to be sold. I respect them too much to consider that.

The best thing I can do as a fan is to be here at the first row at every concert I can, and thank them for what they "give" us on stage.

Looks like another way of making money after all. But I still think dreams aren't to be bought to become true.It makes me sad to know that meeting and greeting someone have a cost today. Sad business.

[Daniel Gartsman]

Sorry, but when they play the same setlist for so long, where is the art?

Plumb to the centre! And it's not about set-list only. Even for "live 2011"... Where's "Up to sting" title? Or "Make it real" - a special edition for US' blu -ray devices

[Daniel Gartsman]

Back to the thread, i'd like to say that it's much warmer and such a pleasure (if showbiz still knows words like these) to meet them suddenly walking down the street and do the same then - take photos and have your min to speak to each other.. That is the memory. In other way, all you'll remember is lots of ppl, artificial smiles and mechanical signing of autographs... But for someones it may be a real pleasure... i think, autographs are worth if you have something special and personal to add to them..

[Invitado]

i think, autographs are worth if you have something special and personal to add to them..

I couldn`t agree more .

[skorpsfan1]

I will never pay such tickets. I'm a fan, and I'll still being waiting since 7 am in the morning to see them play. I don't belong to this kind of people who's going to pay to see something and have some signatures

Hi, sorry to invade your topic again. I was just trying to explain the US version of the VIP package, nothing more. It seems that yours is much more expensive and is only for the signature and picture, am I right? And before I get classified as "this kind of people" here are my statistics - I've been to 3 "VIP" Scorpions concerts, but I've been to 16 "regular" ticketed concerts. And out of the 19 Scorpions concerts I've been to, only 3 have been general admission, where you could get there early and get in the front. The others were all specific seat ticketed events, and the closest I ever got in 20 years by buying tickets the normal way, the second they went on sale, was 11th row. So I think we seem to have a different way of doing things in the US. Just saying. I wish it was so easy to get in the front row here - seems like all you have to do in Europe is get there early and wait in line. (I'm jealous! )

Anyway, good luck to all of you getting in the front row, and I hope you all have the luck to find the Scorpions on the street or at the hotel. (Another thing that doesn't happen here.) Sounds like you will all have a great time together!

[Alizee]

I will never pay such tickets. I'm a fan, and I'll still being waiting since 7 am in the morning to see them play. I don't belong to this kind of people who's going to pay to see something and have some signatures

Hi, sorry to invade your topic again. I was just trying to explain the US version of the VIP package, nothing more. It seems that yours is much more expensive and is only for the signature and picture, am I right? And before I get classified as "this kind of people" here are my statistics - I've been to 3 "VIP" Scorpions concerts, but I've been to 16 "regular" ticketed concerts. And out of the 19 Scorpions concerts I've been to, only 3 have been general admission, where you could get there early and get in the front. The others were all specific seat ticketed events, and the closest I ever got in 20 years by buying tickets the normal way, the second they went on sale, was 11th row. So I think we seem to have a different way of doing things in the US. Just saying. I wish it was so easy to get in the front row here - seems like all you have to do in Europe is get there early and wait in line. (I'm jealous! )

Anyway, good luck to all of you getting in the front row, and I hope you all have the luck to find the Scorpions on the street or at the hotel. (Another thing that doesn't happen here.) Sounds like you will all have a great time together!

I'm not classifying you or anyone... The ticket system I am criticizing is abusive here in France, because of all the things you explained to me here. I don't really know how it works in the other countries so I wouldn't let myself establish wrong statements. The fact in France is that we have "small" venues in small concert places ( most of the time around 10 000 people), in small towns. And here, even small towns have concert facilities, and this is why the tickets for these small venues are expensive, especially if you add the hotel price. I usually spend around 1000€ in my own country for one trip which is not a big one. For many French fans it is a big deal to simply go to a concert. And our way of doing things is to be here early and run the faster we can when the doors open. It has always been this way for years and I always meet the same people waiting early at the gates, the same big fans who's been following the band all the way from the start.
My intention wasn't to criticize a similar system somewhere else.I'm sorry if it sounded so to you. I was just saying it is not good here in France and maybe in other places in Europe. These differences are due to our ways of doing things and ways of seeing things as well. Here, paying to have an extra other won't have, is very badly seen, especially when it is paying to have the chance to meet and greet someone. This way of managing ( which is not necessary in France, because of what I explained above) is unusual and chocking, to me.

[ScorpfanUkraine]

I usually spend around 1000€ in my own country for one trip which is not a big one.

It is really a lot of money just for one trip to a show. I can come to any European country from Ukraine spending this amount of money (including Schengen visa, round trip flight, room in a 3-4 star hotel for some days, food, concert ticket, souvenirs etc). I thought if you live in EU zone it's easier and cheaper to travel (including visiting concerts).

[Alizee]

I usually spend around 1000€ in my own country for one trip which is not a big one.

It is really a lot of money just for one trip to a show. I can come to any European country from Ukraine spending this amount of money (including Schengen visa, round trip flight, room in a 3-4 star hotel for some days, food, concert ticket, souvenirs etc). I thought if you live in EU zone it's easier and cheaper to travel (including visiting concerts).

Isn't it Depends where you go, here in France, the motorways are not free, and even worse, are damn expensive. To go from the south west to the north of France ( to go and come back) it's around 500€ of motorway + fuel. Plus the tickets (3 tickets =175€), plus the hotel ( 180€)( it is not a 5 stars hotel), plus the parking (because when your park your car, you pay )( 20€), plus what your going to eat- I promise you don't eat much ( 20€). Here you go you have 900€ ( You keep 100€ in case - your car broke down, you got caught for speed excess, you decide to go to the restaurant with your fos friends and so on ....

[ScorpfanUkraine]

Depends where you go

Sure. But as I read from your post and heard from my friends who travelled to your country France is very expensive.
Concerts in Ukraine are usually cheaper for me. I spend about 150-200 € for one trip (including round trip ticket for train, rent appartments for some days, food, concert ticket). Sometimes it can be even cheaper.

[Alizee]

Depends where you go

Sure. But as I read from your post and heard from my friends who travelled to your country France is very expensive.
Concerts in Ukraine are usually cheaper for me. I spend about 150-200 € for one trip (including round trip ticket for train, rent appartments for some days, food, concert ticket). Sometimes it can be even cheaper.

That's also a reason why, it makes me so angry to know, we can create such expensive tickets, not especially for me, but for all the long time fan friends, always present at every concert for so many years.What about all the people coming from other countries ? It's already a big trip to come to France, and especially to afford it... It's a honor to welcome the Scorpions so many times in our country in 2011 and 2012 and we will be there to thank them as they've never be thanked. But I really would like to see the boycott of these tickets. It's against some of my principles. I'll have a meet and beer with all my foreign fos friends instead

[Guest]

I had no idea your motorway fees are SO expensive, Alizée !!! I guess they have a good reason, but still !!

[Alizee]

Well I'm not a specialist, but I think it has something to do with the fact the governement sold some parts of their motorways to private companies to pay back a part of the French debts some years ago and because it costs a lot to take care of it. The governement wins a percent on these parts.So it's private but not totally private. The fact is everything increases, the price of things to build good roads, and the debt which exploded so you can imagine the consequences. In brittany, motorway are free though. Only good point.
but you know that's nothing compared to the fact I have to pay 120€ per month to park my car at 200 m of my flat, but I think we're getting off topic.

[skorpsfan1]

Hi Alizee, my intention wasn't to criticize you either, so I apologize as well if I came off that way! I was just explaining the US system because the US VIP packages kept on getting referred to in various topics....but this probably wasn't the place for it. Anyway, I totally understand what you are saying. And to be honest, I wasn't thrilled about having to pay the money here last year either, I just didn't see any other way to get the good seats.

Moving on.....that is unbelievably expensive to travel on your roads! I had no idea.

Like I said earlier, I hope you are all able to be in the front where you belong on this tour and have the time of your lives! (I hope the same for me next year. LOL)