Backstage Passes ?

dreamweaver

Anyone ever been back stage or had back stage passes? a friend of mine says they can get passes for one of the shows I'm goin to. I'm wondering what that would be like?????

Wilds

dreamweaver wrote:

Anyone ever been back stage or had back stage passes? a friend of mine says they can get passes for one of the shows I'm goin to. I'm wondering what that would be like?????

I got backstage after an REM show. It was more like a roped off area with beer and people hanging out.

Mills and Buck came out and mingled with the crowd, about 30 people. Stipe never emerged from his private back stage.

I didn't interact with any of the band guys, as everyone was pretty chill and they were conversing with different people.

It was some John Kerry fundraiser though, so I don't think this was typical?

I'd love to hear stories from anyone who was backstage at a Pearl Jam show.

Wilds

dreamweaver wrote:

Anyone ever been back stage or had back stage passes? a friend of mine says they can get passes for one of the shows I'm goin to. I'm wondering what that would be like?????

Just remembered. I also got backstage in 1997 at The Great Went. A phish festival.

Again there was a super restrictive backstage for the band and families, and then a backstage area for VIP types.

I worked for Magic Hat and we had a small sponsorship thing going on.

So my twin and I went backstage and drank Blind Faith out of a keg. Mike Gordon came out and drank, and I think Page might have been floating around.

Once again, we didn't approach them, but could have.

It was more of just chilling drinking Beer and taking in the vibe.

rattzey

I was back stage for Rush it was frekin awesome

red mos

Been backstage at a few Toadies and Burden Brothers shows. Like an above post said, just pretty much hanging out and drinking beers and chiliing with the bands.

Got backstage at Cross Canadian Ragweed/ Black Crowes. Didn't get to stay for the Crowes (Friend had another gig to work at 4 am and Crowes went on at Midnight. Tons of free beer at this one and got to talk to Cody from Ragweed for awhile. Also ran into Stoney Larue, Gary Allan milling around back there. Black Crowes don't seem to be very fan friendly though, they stayed in the bus and were not coming out till they had too.

Got into Soundcheck For Def Leppard, and got a free poster but didn't get to meet the band.

I'm really hoping to meet PJ at ACL or at least a member if not the entire band. If it happens, it happens if not that's cool too.

PJ Fan est. 1990

rattzey wrote:

I was back stage for Rush it was frekin awesome

one of them contest winners? their shows last tour were pretty good...went to two...my first two so i have nothing really to compare too

Pushin Forward Back

I worked for CC Concerts for 3 years and if you ask me Backstage is over-rated and there is no such thing as Backstage passes for sale- You must be a guest(VIP) or a worker or know someone to get a Guest pass- it is totally over-rated, everyone has a job to do back there and unless you are friends with an artist or thier MGMT you are not partying...




Its a job to everyone... you can very easily be dead weight too, (some moron in the hallway while everyone is in secure dressing rooms)


not the coolest artist from public perception but a total down to earth person and southern man I worked with Edwin McCain for a couple years and his response is " Its the huge night of the week for the locals you meet and they wanna get all fucked up but for you (the artist or band) its just another day at work and you have to be ready for tomorrow so everybody wants to party balls to the wall but you cant"

red mos

Pushin Forward Back wrote:

I worked for CC Concerts for 3 years and if you ask me Backstage is over-rated and there is no such thing as Backstage passes for sale- You must be a guest(VIP) or a worker or know someone to get a Guest pass- it is totally over-rated, everyone has a job to do back there and unless you are friends with an artist or thier MGMT you are not partying...




Its a job to everyone... you can very easily be dead weight too, (some moron in the hallway while everyone is in secure dressing rooms)


not the coolest artist from public perception but a total down to earth person and southern man I worked with Edwin McCain for a couple years and his response is " Its the huge night of the week for the locals you meet and they wanna get all fucked up but for you (the artist or band) its just another day at work and you have to be ready for tomorrow so everybody wants to party balls to the wall but you cant"

I agree with you. Backstage really is kind of overated. There are certain areas guests can and cannot go depending on what type of pass you get. I had "All Access" once at Toadies and still was not allowed in the dressing rooms (that was venue security's policy). I've felt like dead weight before cause you are right everyone back there, minus band members wives or girlfriends had a job to do. Also not everyone in their party may know you. I remember one particular show, the sound guy tried to have me thrown out cause he didn't realize that the stage manager had let me in. It can be unorganaized sometimes cause not everyone knows who is who and what they are back there for, so you are definitely right about the working part.
Def Lep- I volunteered to help hang banners cause the station was shorthanded.

demetrios

The 10club lottery seat's are great & all. But what about, lottery seat's that get you .. BACKSTAGE PASSES TO SEE PEARL JAM?? :shock: :ugeek:

Get_Right

Ive been backstage a few times
once for pearl jam at randalls island 1996
granted this was a larger outdoor show, but the band had its own tents within the backstage area and vips were not allowed in. only those with all access passes

but watched the band walk right past us to go on and off the stage-pretty cool
and the free food, booze and bathrooms were nice

but unless you are a friend of the band, or someone very close to the band, its really just a cocktail party thrown by the promoter

at least in my experience

mfc2006

red mos wrote:

I'm really hoping to meet PJ at ACL or at least a member if not the entire band. If it happens, it happens if not that's cool too.

that would be cool to meet one of the guys & just say thanks. my wife is determined to make this happen...she's been reading up on their favorite bands & wants to make sure that we go see those bands b/c they might be in the crowd. long shot? yup! will we have fun trying? damn right!

genevieve

I went backstage for PJ in 2005.
It was pretty cool to see what goes on back there.
I got to hang out with Mike but it was an invitation and Im not sure if I would have seen anyone else if I was just given a pass. But still worth a peek back there to see whats set up.

Gmoney

i was back stage at lolla when pj played, pretty cool, although they were there for like 5 minutes...

CJMST3K

dreamweaver wrote:

Anyone ever been back stage or had back stage passes? a friend of mine says they can get passes for one of the shows I'm goin to. I'm wondering what that would be like?????

I've worked backstage for several hundred shows, including a number of PJ shows at MSG, and have worked personally with Metallica and Madonna, so hopefully this will explain it...

If you had backstage passes to a PJ show, that means you know someone seriously high up, like you are Kelly Curtis' son or something, or your friend knows someone really high up. PJ shows (at least the one's I've been backstage for) have been in "lockdown". That's more or less the tightest it gets. There's only three bands out of hundreds that I remember "lockdown" for. Pearl Jam, The Who and Marylin Manson (not the same event). It means there's limited stage hands allowed around, no non-staff at the soundcheck, and NO party room or any guest hospitality. (but for all I know, PJ may have have done this at the shows I was not at)

If you had backstage passes to a Rolling Stones concert, you may actually have an awesome time... I remember we had several old-school video games and tapestries everywhere when we did them at MSG, and many hospitality rooms and other areas for guests. Did these people meet the band? Probably not... mostly record company people I believe. They were making sure at least 100 people were having a good time.

I was backstage at MSG '08. There was no one who was not working around.

For a PJ show, you're probably not missing anything, except a glimpse of a band down a hallway walking from one room to another. But, hey, keep your hopes low, and take your friend up on his offer and see what happens. Knowing what goes on backstage, and having managed backstage for a number of years, when I go to a PJ show, I enjoy being in the crowd... but not as sexy to say "I went front of stage".

Stoney.G.Girl

I was granted a VIP pass at the 3rd Melbourne show @ Rod Laver back in 1998..wasn'y planning on it happening, but Pete (PJ's head security guy) gave it to me after seeing an incident that I was a part of even before PJ had hit the stage.

He took me into a corridor, made sure i was ok, we walked around the back of the stage and he told me that i could either stand in the lighting stage in the middle of the floor or on the side of the stage ( i chose side of stage) but before i could make it there, he informed me that I was NOT allowed to take ANY photo's otherwise I would get kicked off.

Anyway I stood side of stage next to Stone , I was introduced to Smitty and a couple of other people, cause I guess Security had to let them know it was ok for me to be there.

After the show I went to the backstage area again, I have to admit i felt REALLY uncomfortable though, mainly cause i didn' know ANYONE. I managed to say hello to Mike though and we talked for a few minutes. But it wasn't exactly glamourous. I think i stayed for a couple of hours.

Was a night I will NEVER forget though, Cause I know it's NEVER gonna happen again.


http://www.flickr.com/photos/29026310@N06/3482882280/

InMyTree4

in high school i had a marine bio teacher who said she partied with the band after a show in 2006 in boston...one of her really good friends owns zilligen cymbols so they go to go meet the band and apparently hung out with them all night

Nossie

It's not backstage, but when the boys are in Adelaide, they've been known to go to this little pool hall down the bay. There's a good chance they'll appear each time they're here....

Side stage of their concert would be awesome though...

dougiejam

I have worked backstage at many shows, been at sound checks for many too, It really depends on if you like the group still. and truthfully if your not working really your getting in the way.

Meet and greets would be better than back stage passes (if you got them) at least everyone would be prepared to meet you, if you get back stage you contend with everyone A-list and people who the band have to meet, and you will fall to the bottom of the priority list anyway.

blacked out

I’ve been “back” at least 2 dozen times, prolly had actual passes for maybe 5. After seeing 300+ shows, I starting figuring out “ways” to make it happen.
Lots of different bands, PJ once last year, no pass. Talked to Jeff for a few, nothing special. Everyone else was already on the bus. The Grateful Dead/Dead side projects backstage is always a good time. Plenty of free booze and good smoke. Backstage at a House of Blues show is always fun, they put out a nice spread of food and drink. In my experience though it’s mostly a group of people who are clueless about the music in question, they just happen to know someone that got them back. I’ve overheard some dumb ass questions and comments. The LAST thing a band member wants to talk about is his music because that’s all EVERYONE wants to talk about. (Although it's tough not too). I’ve struck up some cool conversations by talking about anything but.
Depending on the venue, band, and what's going on, it can be a great experience.