Sonic Boom Meet & Greet Reviews

[starchildmark]

Ross awesome post mate, Posted from the heart and well worded i loved it

[kissmad76]

Oooooook before I write my review of my Birmingham M&G just wanted to sum it up first......F*CKN FANTASTIC!!

I hope I don’t bore you, but here it goes.........

All up there was about 12 of us and we all met at the box office at 6pm. Dean who runs it all gave us our laminates and told us to meet at the side of the stage (Tommy’s side) at 7:45. At about 7:50 we all made the walk backstage.....I was nervous as F*ck......the guy in front of me was repeating “oh shit oh shit”......he was quite nervous as well. As we are walking through, I saw Gene just standing at a door way......he is so intimidating in his full gear!! Just being backstage for me was something else. It’s an area of always wanted to see what it would be like. Dean gave us the sonic boom tour book and picks (in the package they sent us by mail had the old ALIVE 35 tour book and guitar picks). We were told as soon as Taking Dawn finish, thats when we start taking photo’s followed by autographs. Dean mentioned we shouldn’t take our own photo’s but said let someone else take them while you are getting your stuff signed....I didn’t care coz I was gonna get an individual pics with Gene and Paul no matter what!!

Anyway....Gene, Tommy and Eric where chattin with random ppl backstage waiting for Taking Dawn to finish. It was great just seeing them walking around casually chattin away (I am sad I know). The support band finished and it started. I walked up and there they were............... in all their glory. When Eric saw me he said “I’ve met you before”. He had not said this to anyone else in the group. I said yes it was in Melbourne 96 at the airport (I had sat with him & Bruce for about an hour at the airport and also met him when he was touring for ESP a year later in sydney). I couldn’t believe he remembered me. He told me later on that he has a very good memory. It was either he really did remember or he just said it randomly and he ended up getting it right. Either way, it made my day!
Got my photo and lined up again for autographs.

Paul was first...he said hi...I asked him if he was sick of the cold and wet weather yet. Surprisingly he said not at all and that he likes colder weather.

I then went to Tommy.....he was kool.....but then I asked him whether he was going to sing When Lightning strikes and that I thought it was one of the best songs on Sonic Boom.....well....his whole body language changed and his reply was a stiff “Oh well...maybe sometime during the tour but for now its Shock Me!!!”. He seemed annoyed and I kinda don’t blame him. He later came over just before the session ended and said “I hope you enjoy the show”!!

Next up...Gene. He was his usual smartass self. He asked me whether I agree that is a good looking man.......so I told him if I was gay I would hit on him, he smiled and signed my tourbook. I then asked him to sign another poster but address it to me and he f*cked it up. He put it on my head and it came out so bad that you wouldn’t be able to read it. That was annoying but I didn’t care too much coz I had got all 4 of them sign my tour book and got individual photo’s which will be framed and hung up on my lounge room wall.

All in all it was an amazing experience but way too quick. To be honest any amount of time would have been too quick.

[summerhill1]

Hi KissMad...

Thanks for your detailed analysis of the M&G, It must have been a great experience. I hope it was worth the price...

As much as I really like Kiss, my favourite band is actually Kings X, You are probably saying who? Anyway there are a Blues Rock Trio from Houston Texas...Last Year I saw them in Wolverhampton and London...After the Wolverhampton show the band set up tables in the back of the hall and signed anything that you wanted signed free...I brought them a bottle of single malt and said you can keep the whisky, I just want the box back signed...Dug Pinnick (The singer / bassist) said come on and help us drink it...And I was invited to the dressing room area to sit and chat with the band and smoke some refer with them...That was a meet and greet I hope I never forget...

Wouldn't it be nice if Kiss gave that kind of access to their fans...

[Maverick]

I'm sure that when they were same level as Kings X they probably did!

[acesmiddlefinger]

Hi KissMad...

Thanks for your detailed analysis of the M&G, It must have been a great experience. I hope it was worth the price...

As much as I really like Kiss, my favourite band is actually Kings X, You are probably saying who? Anyway there are a Blues Rock Trio from Houston Texas...Last Year I saw them in Wolverhampton and London...After the Wolverhampton show the band set up tables in the back of the hall and signed anything that you wanted signed free...I brought them a bottle of single malt and said you can keep the whisky, I just want the box back signed...Dug Pinnick (The singer / bassist) said come on and help us drink it...And I was invited to the dressing room area to sit and chat with the band and smoke some refer with them...That was a meet and greet I hope I never forget...

Wouldn't it be nice if Kiss gave that kind of access to their fans...

KISS have done and still do give this kind of access without having to pay for it,they made my daughter's 20th birthday just unforgettable.Once again KISS and their management have reminded me why i love this band,theyve given me way too many good memories and yet i know over the next week im going to get a few more for the memory bank..
No band will ever come close, just my opinion mind!!

[kissmad76]

I agree with acesmiddlefinger....I saw several ppl backstage taking pics with Gene, Tommy and Eric. Good luck to them if they have the contacts to do it or if they get lucky on the night to experience it. This tour I witnessed about 4 ppl (all female by the way) who got backstage passes. Also if you met KISS at a hotel or out and about, they would take a pic and probably sign something as well. KISS don't need to do this especially when they charge through the nose for the M&G but they do. We can't expect KISS to give out backstage passes to all their fans?

[RippingFleshFromBone]

kissmad76...so just how long did it last from meeting the band to finish?

I'm glad you had a great experince but I really don't think for £900 the price can be justified...

[kissmad76]

Time backstage about 40 mins...actual meet about 25 mins.

I understand it costs a fortune and all that but everytime I stalked them back in the 90s i never ever got to meet Gene or Paul. Got Bruce, Ace & Eric but never Gene & Paul. i woiuld lawys levave just beore it or have to work that day but my mates always were lucky. I do feel guilty for paying that much but whenever I look at the photo, it puts a huge smile on my face!!! I don't spend much on merchandise so I spend it on the tour and stuff like this. I know I don't have to justify it but it is a lot of money and a part of me feels guilty but hey......I would probably would do it again if they came back to the UK!!!

[kissmad76]

I'm doing Glasgow M&G on Sunday.

So how did it go? I think I walked past you when you were standing at the box office and was going to come over and say hi but I think you were receiving your
pass and stuff so i went to get a drink and you were gone by the time i got back.

You gonna post a review? Would be good to compare my review with someone else's.

[Karl]

I'm doing Glasgow M&G on Sunday.

Ross, just seen your M&G photo's. All three pics that are online are awesome!!!!

[RippingFleshFromBone]

Time backstage about 40 mins...actual meet about 25 mins.

I understand it costs a fortune and all that but everytime I stalked them back in the 90s i never ever got to meet Gene or Paul. Got Bruce, Ace & Eric but never Gene & Paul. i woiuld lawys levave just beore it or have to work that day but my mates always were lucky. I do feel guilty for paying that much but whenever I look at the photo, it puts a huge smile on my face!!! I don't spend much on merchandise so I spend it on the tour and stuff like this. I know I don't have to justify it but it is a lot of money and a part of me feels guilty but hey......I would probably would do it again if they came back to the UK!!!

25 mins isn't that bad as long as there wasn't hoards of you at the M&G!!!! From what I've been told they seemed to average around 10 people per show at the M&G, roughly? haven't met anyone who did the London shows so not sure about numbers there.

And as long as you enjoyed it that is all that matters...and it sounds like you did!!!!!

I guess it is a gauranteed way of meeting them and assuring you get something signed and to meet them suited up must be pretty cool, tbh. My stalking on this tour was fairly mixed. Newcastle was a success other than Paul and elsewhere was a partial success but overall kinda disappointing. Still, that's life...

If I win the lottery I might do a M&G...you never know!!!!...

[AxeBass]

25 mins isn't that bad as long as there wasn't hoards of you at the M&G!!!!

There were about 30 when I did it and my first thought was 'oh sh+t, Ive pick the wrong one' but it doesnt actually matter that much because when they stand and chat to you its kind of down a queue so its all 1:1 without people crowding around. It works well. There are 4 band members so plenty to go around and on top of that you need a few little time outs to let those paint pens dry!

[RippingFleshFromBone]

25 mins isn't that bad as long as there wasn't hoards of you at the M&G!!!!

There were about 30 when I did it and my first thought was 'oh sh+t, Ive pick the wrong one' but it doesnt actually matter that much because when they stand and chat to you its kind of down a queue so its all 1:1 without people crowding around. It works well. There are 4 band members so plenty to go around and on top of that you need a few little time outs to let those paint pens dry!

So there's no mingling afterwards to get a few more things signed anymore or get pictures with them? I was under the impression that still happened? If not how many things would they sign when you met in the queue?

[AxeBass]

So there's no mingling afterwards to get a few more things signed anymore or get pictures with them? I was under the impression that still happened? If not how many things would they sign when you met in the queue?

Yeah there is a chance for a second chat/photo after the queue. I went back up to Paul and he signed a couple more things for me and had another chat with TT.

[RippingFleshFromBone]

So there's no mingling afterwards to get a few more things signed anymore or get pictures with them? I was under the impression that still happened? If not how many things would they sign when you met in the queue?

Yeah there is a chance for a second chat/photo after the queue. I went back up to Paul and he signed a couple more things for me and had another chat with TT.

You know it may be bloody expensive but it actually sounds pretty cool!!!!!

Hope you got some pics with them too...that's what I'd like more than anything!