Thread For VIP Experiences

[JanBerryFarm]

Would somebody please describe what the 'host' actually does beside ushering you to your seat ?

Does every VIP ticket holder get their own host or do a few hosts cover all the VIP ticket holders?

How does that work? I don't want some philistine hovering over me for the whole show, that's for sure.

[Justin]

The host takes care of the entire group:  both VIP/Meet and Greet and Soundcheck Only groups.  After she checks you in and hands you your tote bag, she ushers you over to the soundcheck, when that's over, she asks the Soundcheck-only people to leave and then leads the Meet and Greet group over to the picture area.  She is the one who takes the picture and directs the line to keep moving.  Our host, Tara, ran a tight ship and kept it moving switftly.  After it's all over she escorts you out of the backstage area and she's done for the day.

[punkinhead]

What has been performed or ran-through at soundcheck that hasn't made it to the shows? I know that Runaway and Custom Machine were...did Al do the lead on Runaway and Mike lead on Custom Machine?

[JanBerryFarm]

The host takes care of the entire group:  both VIP/Meet and Greet and Soundcheck Only groups.  After she checks you in and hands you your tote bag, she ushers you over to the soundcheck, when that's over, she asks the Soundcheck-only people to leave and then leads the Meet and Greet group over to the picture area.  She is the one who takes the picture and directs the line to keep moving.  Our host, Tara, ran a tight ship and kept it moving switftly.  After it's all over she escorts you out of the backstage area and she's done for the day.

Excellent! That's precisely what I wanted to hear.
I didn't really think there would be one on one. That would be a bit TOO crowded....

[JanBerryFarm]

What has been performed or ran-through at soundcheck that hasn't made it to the shows? I know that Runaway and Custom Machine were...did Al do the lead on Runaway and Mike lead on Custom Machine?

I'll have a eargasm if they do the awesome 'Custom Machine'. If they perform 'No Go Showboat' my head will explode! (in a good way) 

[Justin]

They then rehearsed Sail On Sailor.  Brian was singing very badly out of tune.  They key part of the rehearsal was deciding how the ending would go.  I noticed that Melinda Wilson was pacing the aisle next to me.  Scott played his idea for how the ending should go.  There was some good-spirited arguing.  Al then said, "well, for those of you who paid to attend the soundcheck, I guess the majesty of the experience is starting to wear off, huh?"   Very funny line. Then Darian said, "here is how Brian does it", and he played the version he wanted.  I yelled, "do it that way!", and Melinda yelled, "thank you!"  One of the other fans yelled, "careful, you'll split up the band again!"  Well, Brian's version won out.  For the remainder of the tour, that's the ending they do for Sail On Sailor.  I guess I was the musical director for the Beach Boys for about 1 second!    

I've been curious about this since I read this post a while back.  In looking at a couple recent performances of "Sail On Sailor" I haven't noticed any difference in the way they end the song from before.  It still vamps at the end with "Sail on, sail on sailor" three times and then Scott Bennett comes in with the lead vocal with a soulful "Sail on, sail on, sail ON!" which signals the last time its sung and the song ends on a powerful "sail on SAILOR!" (sung by the group but led by Scott).  Just curious, could you describe the different ending that they tried in soundcheck?

6/24/12
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkwT9Uj4IXM

5/12/12
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=152c3XlHyNU

[Help_Me_Honda]

Has anyone received their VIP tickets for the UK shows yet?

[Justin]

If it's anything like how VIP Nation did it in the US...you won't be receiving actual tickets for the VIP packages before the show.  Print out your email confirmation for your order and when you meet up with the rest of the VIP group at the venue right before the show, you will then receive your gift package which also comes with your hard ticket.  Look out for an email from them about a week before the show for more specific instructions.

[roll plymouth rock]

what songs have been played at soundcheck?

Any rarities just as "one-offs" to warm up to?
Backing band play Pet Sounds or Transendental Meditation as a warm up jam?

Bruce play I Write the songs or anything?

Al sung Don't Be Cruel at the Calgary soundcheck..

[Jonathan Blum]

what songs have been played at soundcheck?

Any rarities just as "one-offs" to warm up to?
Backing band play Pet Sounds or Transendental Meditation as a warm up jam?

Bruce play I Write the songs or anything?

Al sung Don't Be Cruel at the Calgary soundcheck..

And the backing band played an awesome "Pinball Wizard" in Sydney.  If only they'd added that to the set...

Cheers,
Jon Blum

[JanBerryFarm]

I purposefully did NOT spring for the meet and greet. Why shell out an additional $125 to be hearded thru like cattle by some VIP hosts, who wouldn't know The Beach Boys from Iron Butterfly, to have a cookie cutter snapshot taken on an assembly line basis by a machine like crew?

At the show, they promised to send the T-shirt in the mail due to not having any at the show. Ok...fine.
Thing is, when the T-shirt arrived it was of the wimpiest fruit-of-the-loom wieght; so thin you can see thru it. Dopey '15 Big Ones' era graphics. YUK. Stingy short sleeves. Just crap.

The tote-bag? Gimme a break. What a totally useless product. Who needs it? Ugly black.......awful and useless.

The poster? Ho 'freakin' Hum. A poster. Paper and ink molecules. Dopey '15 Big Ones' style graphics.

What did I get that was worth the VIP cost? Not much.

Got to stand in line in the sun for 90 minutes waiting, and then finally herded like cattle into the so-called 'Sound check' which was a really poor excuse for a quality experience, mostly due to being scolded and warned about all the stuff you couldn't do.

The sound check lasted about 25 minutes and was not really a sound-check at all, since they failed to solve any of the P.A. issues that plagued the band most of the night. Mostly just a moment of frivolity by the hamster himself....Bruce Johnston.

I'm glad the rest of you relished that kind of treatment. They say you get the government you deserve (so true) and evidently the same thing applies to VIP and the Beach Boys.

I still love Mike Love and The Beach Boys, and Brian Wilson too, even though he sleep-walked thru most of the show.
VIP can go screw.

[Aegir]

if I had the money to blow I totally would've done it. why not?

[Mooger Fooger]

My VIP went like this: I was told, "you cant be here turn around and go back." I was subsequently escorted in the "turn around" direction to be met by the next set of mini-gestapo to be told, "you cant be here, turn around and go back". Thing is I wasnt in any area that was marked as off limits and as it was around 200m in front of the stage, could hardly be classed as "backstage". Concert security - you gotta love 'em. Especially when they sell clothes they "found" of the BBs on the internet from the same concert all the while telling you how much of a security risk you are.

[acedecade75]

Local security can be unecessarily nasty sometimes.  But out VIP host Tara was actualy quite nice.  She took her job seriously, but we were able to visit with her for awhile before the soundcheck.  She knew more about the band than I would have expected.  At out show, she did make a effort to see that everyone was satisfied.  Our VIP experience was worth every penny we paid and more.

[filledeplage]

Local security can be unecessarily nasty sometimes.  But out VIP host Tara was actualy quite nice.  She took her job seriously, but we were able to visit with her for awhile before the soundcheck.  She knew more about the band than I would have expected.  At out show, she did make a effort to see that everyone was satisfied.  Our VIP experience was worth every penny we paid and more.

Tara did do a great job!  She rocks!

And ditto on the local security.  But their job is to protect the band.  And see to any emergency health issues of the concertgoers.  Little true story from The Reunion...At one of the shows, a friend, had a heart attack, while coming back from intermission, and one of the "security/usher" types could see he was having some difficulty, and got him medical attention, thusly saving his life. (Now, doing very well.)  They were able to locate the people he was with and let them know what hospital he was taken to.  So, we might think they are stealing our fun,  but do serve a meritorious purpose.  In an emergency, they are on our side.

So, it is a balance of interests.   

[J.G. Dev]

If Tara's job was to rush everyone through the picture making sure you didn't interact with the Beach Boys, then yes, she did a great job.

[Justin]

If Tara's job was to rush everyone through the picture making sure you didn't interact with the Beach Boys, then yes, she did a great job.

Zing!

[JanBerryFarm]

Come to think of it, there was 'one' VIP item that is actually useful. It's a plastic strip about 1.5" wide and maybe 6" long. It's a fakey complimentary ticket replica.

It's worthless, but I use it as a bookmark while reading all the absurdly worshipful, factually inaccurate, profit-driven Brian Wilson Books written by all the absurdly worshipful, factually vacuous, name-dropping authors who dream them up.

Why do I bother reading them?

Amusement.

[punkinhead]

I was just at the Indy show for Jason Mraz and had the VIP experience that sounds a little similar but not really. We also got a tote bag for goodies (with the LOVE is a 4 letter word logo) with over 70$ worth of tour merch.

[ivy]

It's worthless, but I use it as a bookmark while reading all the absurdly worshipful, factually inaccurate, profit-driven Brian Wilson Books written by all the absurdly worshipful, factually vacuous, name-dropping authors who dream them up.

Why do I bother reading them?

Amusement.

[elnombre]

Can someone help me help someone out? A guy I know sprang for the VIP but has lost the email with details on how to pick up the photo Tara took of him and the guys. I know it involves logging into a website with your email address but couldn't tell him which one.

[drbeachboy]

Can someone help me help someone out? A guy I know sprang for the VIP but has lost the email with details on how to pick up the photo Tara took of him and the guys. I know it involves logging into a website with your email address but couldn't tell him which one.

Try this http://vipnation.smugmug.com/Other/Past-Tours/BeachBoys50thAnniversaryTour/

[elnombre]

Can someone help me help someone out? A guy I know sprang for the VIP but has lost the email with details on how to pick up the photo Tara took of him and the guys. I know it involves logging into a website with your email address but couldn't tell him which one.

Try this http://vipnation.smugmug.com/Other/Past-Tours/BeachBoys50thAnniversaryTour/

Much obliged! Will pass it on.

[donald]

sounds like getting your picture taken with Santa Clause only much more expensive.   Paying for it just ruins the fun of the experience of getting to meet someone.......sort of like going to a pimp instead of meeting a person in a bar......so, in a way, bands that do these things could be referred to as ............

You fill in the blanks......

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

I wonder if the meet and greets with Brian, Al, and Blondie are going to be the same on this tour?