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Author Topic: Going to see Brian (For the first time!)/autograph session!!  (Read 10990 times)
BiNNS
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« on: October 03, 2008, 07:41:42 PM »

I was eating lunch with my girlfriend today when out of nowhere she passes me two tickets for the Brian show on Nov 12 in Ann Arbor Michigan. I almost choked on my burger.
This will be my fist time seeing Mr. Wilson live and i am beyond excited.
Anyone else planning on going to this show?
« Last Edit: October 15, 2008, 06:20:05 PM by hutchings » Logged
The Heartical Don
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« Reply #1 on: October 05, 2008, 04:55:14 AM »

Now that is great news! Having had the privilege of seeing BDW three times (1 x Pet Sounds, 2 x SMiLE) in the years 2002 and 2004, in Europe, London and Amsterdam to be precise, I can promise you the time of your life.
And hey, I am envious of you. 49% because of that Brian show. And 51% because you must have the girlfriend of a, no, make that several lifetimes!
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BiNNS
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« Reply #2 on: October 05, 2008, 05:19:07 AM »

Yes, i'm a lucky guy. She completely supports my BW obsession. She's planning on making a shirt for herself on the night of the concert that reads: "My boyfriend loves Brian Wilson more than he loves me". Ha.
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BiNNS
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« Reply #3 on: October 15, 2008, 06:19:06 PM »

Am i dreaming? I just found out on Brian's official site that he will be doing an autograph session the day of the concert. (My FIRST Brian concert!). This is amazing. I'm definately going to wake up early that morning. Actually, i probably won't be able to sleep the night before.

Has anyone been to a Brian autograph session before? If so, how does the whole thing work? (Yeah, i've never done it before.) 
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The Heartical Don
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« Reply #4 on: October 18, 2008, 04:34:37 AM »

Am i dreaming? I just found out on Brian's official site that he will be doing an autograph session the day of the concert. (My FIRST Brian concert!). This is amazing. I'm definately going to wake up early that morning. Actually, i probably won't be able to sleep the night before.

Has anyone been to a Brian autograph session before? If so, how does the whole thing work? (Yeah, i've never done it before.) 


I have. It depends on his mood of the day. Bear in mind: if he comes across as a bit wary, reluctant, that's just his then state of mind, never something personal towards others. In my situation he limited it to just one autograph (on my SMiLE programme), and did not really want a chat. But on another occasion, a Dutch fan approached him when he left the tour bus, and got several photos taken. Brian then signed multiple times, even the guy's Fender Stratocaster, with a real complete autograph (lovely!). On other days he just does his initials, not too legible.
Perhaps if one catches him by surprise, he's much more spontaneous and communicative then on occasions where he knows in advance that he'll have to sit for half an hour; and maybe gets worked up over it beforehand.
So:
1. Watch carefully for when he visits the toilet.
2. Wait outside.
3. When he opens the door, pretend to be just wanting to take a leak.
4. Then, look up, and exclamate: 'Why, it's Brian! Brian Wilson himself! How you doing? Want to join me for a hamburger?
5. Success guaranteed. Mission accomplished.
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BiNNS
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« Reply #5 on: November 02, 2008, 04:58:44 PM »

Just a little over a week now until the big show! I haven't been this excited for anything since the official release of SMiLE in '04.
My girlfriend made me a shirt for the autograph session that reads, "Solar system brings us wisdom". I initially wanted to have one that read, "Barnyard Billy loves his chickens", but thought that may be a little too obscure.
So is anyone else here going to the show on the 12th in Ann Arbor?
I'm usually a quiet guy in person, but i'm looking forward to meeting other Brian fans while i wait in the freezing cold at night, outiside of a bookstore, in another country, for the chance to meet Brian.
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variable2
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« Reply #6 on: November 05, 2008, 08:40:51 PM »

 Smiley

i'm going to the autograph session that Brian is doing here in NYC on the 21st of Nov.!  I'm really damn excited! 
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Aegir
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« Reply #7 on: November 06, 2008, 01:50:05 AM »

I really wish I could make it to the NYC autograph sessions. If only I hadn't cut my Friday class five times already...
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DonnaK
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« Reply #8 on: November 06, 2008, 05:41:18 AM »

Lucky you!!! I'm going to the South Bend show, which is the day after your concert. I'm traveling over 100 miles to attend, so I have to stay overnight. I am meeting up with some fellow fans that I've never met, but chatted with, so it will turn out great. I have a fantastic seat as well! There is no autograph session in SB, so we'll have to hope that somehow, someone comes through with some backstage passes. You never know!!!

That following Sunday, I'm also going to the Chicago show with my sister in law. The SB show was posted before Chicago, so I ended up buying tickets for both. You never know if and when he will be back in our area, so go for it!!

You will LOVE the show, and follow the above advice regarding the autograph. Don't expect him to chat tho.

ENJOY!!!
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BiNNS
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« Reply #9 on: November 06, 2008, 09:53:29 PM »

Have fun at BOTH of those shows, DonnaK!

Yeah, i don't expect Brian to chat, i'll just be more than happy to be in his presence and to thank him for all of his great music.

Here's a question to people in the know. Brian will be signing autographs at Borders. I already have a copy of TLOS (With a receipt, which i did not buy at a Borders store). Now am i going to have to buy another copy from Borders in order to get a wristband, or will i be able to get one by just showing them the old receipt?
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variable2
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« Reply #10 on: November 09, 2008, 05:37:11 PM »

Have fun at BOTH of those shows, DonnaK!

Yeah, i don't expect Brian to chat, i'll just be more than happy to be in his presence and to thank him for all of his great music.

Here's a question to people in the know. Brian will be signing autographs at Borders. I already have a copy of TLOS (With a receipt, which i did not buy at a Borders store). Now am i going to have to buy another copy from Borders in order to get a wristband, or will i be able to get one by just showing them the old receipt?

wait, I have to buy a cd in the store to get his autograph?
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BiNNS
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« Reply #11 on: November 10, 2008, 05:48:55 AM »

Well i've been trying to get an answer to that for awhile now. I called Borders yesterday in Ann Arbor and i talked to the manager. He informed me that as long as i have a receipt for TLOS then i don't have to buy a copy there.
You should give the venue you're going to a call before hand. Hopefully you'll be fine with the copy you already have.
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miamidan
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« Reply #12 on: November 10, 2008, 01:14:59 PM »

I don't know if the rules and setup will be the same at all the signing sessions, but yesterday in Nashville Brian would sign 2 items (no guitars or instruments, though), and one of them had to be purchased at the record store where the signing took place.  People who had previously purchased something at the record store were admitted without making another purchase if they had their receipt.
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BiNNS
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« Reply #13 on: November 10, 2008, 07:42:49 PM »

My girlfriend called Borders (once again) this morning. She told one of the other managers that we will be coming in from Canada and asked if it's alright if we can just show them the recipets from here, he replied with "Well then, we'll make an exception for you".
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jbaker
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« Reply #14 on: November 11, 2008, 08:17:15 PM »

I made it to the Nashville signings too.  The record store (Grimey's) had the rules to the game posted before hand....at that time signing only one item and had to purchase at store or have receipt of earlier purchase and no pix.  By the time I am waiting in line the rules changed to where he would sign two items per person, but no instruments.  Then they expanded the pix rule to where you take pix OF Brian, but not posed WITH Brian. 

Jeff Foskett was with Brian and seemed to be there to engage the purchasers.  Brian did not appear to be in a talkative mood and no reason to look a gift horse in the mouth, was appreciative to get a chance to see him up closeand get a sig.

The Monday night show was great.  First chance I have had to see this band in an extended format (Brian played a few songs for a July 4th show in Nashville a few years back but nothing near a full set). 

I have no idea how ticket sales work, but the night before, online, the best seat I could get was last row on the floor (the Ryman is a wonderful theater, but the balcony support posts make anything past the first 10 or so rows a crap shoot if you will have a good view).  I show up ticket office about 3 hours before showtime and get offered my choice of front row floor or balcony seat??  go figure.  I took the balcony so I could get a clear view of the stage and all players.
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BiNNS
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« Reply #15 on: November 12, 2008, 10:30:16 PM »

OK so i just got back from the ann arbor concert. I'll get more to the actual concert later. I'm beyond tired so i apologize for any possible spelling miskates.

I drove 2 hours from canada in order to wait in line outside of Borders (Where Brian was to sign autographs). Not knowing how crazy the line was going to be, my girlfriend and I arrived there at 1am. Of course, no one was there. We parked infront of the store and slept in the back of the van until 5am. When we woke there was still no one to be seen! We parked the van in the parking garage and went  back to borders and camped out in front of the store. We really overpacked. It wasn't nearly as cold as i had intended. shortly after that people started to arrive. Before i knew it I was "that canadian guy who got there at 1am".

We received our wrist bands at 9:00am. I was so intent on being the first person in the line to meet Brian in the store. Hell, i was that canadian guy who arrived at one am, i deseved it! Ha. Well it turned out i was first in line. Brian came out around 12:30pm and looked pretty sad and afraid. The first thing that came to my mind was sad, lost puppy dog.  He signed my vinyl of TLOS and my smile cd booklet but didn't say a word to me. (which i completely understand and am not mad about at all). I did say hello to Jeff who was standing beside him. I must say that Jeff is really nice guy. If it wasn't for him being there and incouraging brian and making him feel better about the hectic situation, i don't know how brian could have done it. Next in line was my girlfriend. She says hi to Brian. Brian doesn't respond. jeff tells brian to "say hello to the nice young lady". At that point brian looks up at her and GENUINLY smiles and says hello. He almost gave her a look of "Oh, well hello there sexy lady". it was quite the moment.

After we got our autographs we stood outside of the line and continued to snap pictures of him. This guy is my musical idol, i might aswell milk this moment for aslong as i can. It was kind of depressing to see him looking in rough shape. He clearly did not want to be there. The facial and body expressions were a dead give away.

Now onto the concert. I had never been to this venue before and i thought that our seats weren't going to be that great. When we get there we're about 22 rows back but right in the middle and we could see everything perfectly. I didn't expect to be that close to the stage. The show itself was just fantastic. The crowd wasn't really into the first few tunes, so jeff gets on his mic and jokingly says, "what's wrong with this crowd, did you all take sleeping pills before the show?" It didn't take long for them to start standing and dancing around. It was a really cool atmosphere.  The band were lively and Brian did his usually dancing with the bass guitar and sending of vibes trough his fingers. Ha. When it came to Midnight's another day, everyone just locked completely into it. We all knew that was a special moment. During the break after the first set, my girlfriend and i went down to the stage where i took a pic of Brian's keyboard and stool and one of Darian fixing something on his keyboard. By the way my girlfriend thinks Darian just looks "f-ing cool".

I just thought i'd share my experience with you all. This was my first Brian concert ever and it's safe to say that it's been a day i'll never forget.
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Roger Ryan
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« Reply #16 on: November 13, 2008, 10:56:30 AM »

I guess I'll add my own two cents here regarding the Ann Arbor show. It was a superb performance by all including Brian. I was quite happy to hear at least some of the more obscure material return to the setlist including "Add Some Music...", "Marcella". Brian was in excellent voice for THAT LUCKY OLD SUN with many of his leads being as strong as on the studio release. I was surprised from time to time when Brian would deliberately change his phrasing and register on certain lines from the old classics to bring something new to them. Not significant changes by any means, but enough to make me think that he was interested in wanting to keep the old material fresh. This was very true on the set closer "Love & Mercy" which he fiddled with the words and meter to the verses to come up with something different ("A lot of people out there are getting shot..." Shocked and "...some of them are feeling so lonely and I don't think that's fair to them."). The only time Brian blew a line was coming into the third verse of "Fun, Fun, Fun" because he was actually playing a keyboard part alongside Darian during the instrumental bridge leading into it.

I overheard one concertgoer complain that Brian looked scared to death on stage, but I thought he was as relaxed as could be expected. His deliberately comical walks across the stage and using his bass guitar to poke Darian in the side during "Surfin' USA" suggested he was having a good time. Jeff acknowledged that the Michigan Theatre had been the location for Brian's first show of his first solo concert tour back in March of '99 and it's hard to believe that this band has been actively touring for a decade now. I brought two friends along to see the show last night (one had seen Brian only once before; the other had never seen him) and both were thoroughly impressed with the band and with Brian's performance. If it's the last time I see Brian in the midwest, then it was a great show to go out on.
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BiNNS
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« Reply #17 on: November 13, 2008, 09:48:14 PM »

Hey Roger Ryan, i'm wondering if you'd happen to have the set list from last night's ann arbor show. My girlfriend is scrapbooking our trip and i'd love to know every song that he played.
By the way, she LOVED Mexican Girl, where as I highly enjoyed Sail on Sailor and Love and Mercy.
Thanks.
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Alex
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« Reply #18 on: December 02, 2008, 09:57:58 AM »

Hey Roger Ryan, i'm wondering if you'd happen to have the set list from last night's ann arbor show. My girlfriend is scrapbooking our trip and i'd love to know every song that he played.
By the way, she LOVED Mexican Girl, where as I highly enjoyed Sail on Sailor and Love and Mercy.
Thanks.

Have you checked Eric Anniversario's BB setlist site?

http://members.tripod.com/~fun_fun_fun/setlists.html
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