Bands are Ripping You Off...and You're OK with it 🤷‍♀️

Bands are Ripping You Off...and You're OK with it 🤷‍♀️ #bands #celebrities
Meet and Greets need to be better, if you're gonna spend your hard earned money on something and you get crao in return.. You need to demand better from your favorite artists, musicians, athletes, or any celebrity.
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[@satoricrush]

Ronnie James Dio said it best. "On tour I meet thousands of people. And I will forget 99% of the names and faces. And that's not being mean, but the beast of the tour. But to that one person, he/she will remember meeting me for a lifetime"

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

Exactly. Dio was amazing

[@BlueRivers]

Dio treated fans with respect. RIP Dio we miss you man!

[@SPY1964-LL]

A patient of mine was a Dio fan and lived in Alaska. Dio came to play and was doing a talk at the local radio station. My guy climbed the fence to get to the radio station in the snow, and was found by the personnel. Dio was informed and he had him come in. He got tickets and other stuff and got to listen to the interview. Dio saw him backstage and hung out with him even more. That is a cool guy. He really appreciated the fans and took little for granted. Some people really do have good hearts and it becomes evident.

[@GoregeousLey]

Ronnie James Dio absolutely adored his fans, and I will forever mourn that I never got the chance to see him perform before his death. 😔

[@radiosygnal1782]

The one real artist that was honest about his short comings yet he remembered more fans than he gave himself credit for. If I remember correctly, he actually rememebered more intimate facts about his fans. That's what I & and all the other people loved about him besides his killer musicianship & voice. \m/\m/

[@GBCR]

I read or heard somewhere that Lemmy of Motörhead was going back to his hotel with another band (I forgot whom - maybe Scorpions) and that band was complaining about all the fans waiting there to see and greet them - to which Lemmy allegedly quipped "I'm not worried about the fans waiting there for me - we should worry about the day the won't be there!" - now THAT's a gentleman!

[@vicbaca6907]

I worked for Live Nation for 8yrs and was physically present for MANY meet and greets. The one thing I’ve learned and what I continue to tell people is that they are an absolute waste of money. Over those eight years I saw so many artist spend little to no time with their fans. I was able to interact a lot with the fans, and I could see their excitement and hear their discussions about how excited they were, only to see all of that disappear once the meet and greet was over. I understand this is the major revenue source for bands when they tour because record sales are just not existent at this point in the industry. Everything you said in your video is what I’ve been telling people since I stopped working for live nation and it’s spot on. I would never pay for a meet and greet, and to be honest with you, I don’t even go to shows anymore because prices are ridiculous. Great video!

[@jacobkubacki2719]

@@vicbaca6907 I’ve found that waiting outside by the tour busses, if possible, is a better way to get an autograph or a quick selfie. Not for every musician. I watched Kid Rock go out & sign autographs for thousands of people before departing while Limp Biscuit treated their fans like shit & even threatened to beat some of them up. Hell, I was guarding them & got switched to Bob’s dressing room because I wanted to smash the drummer’s face in. Fuck that band but anyhow…. musician’s are people & like everyone else, they can be cool as hell or complete narcissistic pricks. Like the lead singer of the Cranberries. She got pissed at me for not knowing who she was but instead of just me, she became a huge bitch & tried to get me fired from the show. I was guarding Collective Soul’s dressing room & didn’t know anything about the Cranberries, I was a thrash metal guy back then & my musical tastes hadn’t broadened then🤷‍♂️ So, instead of being nice & maybe earning a new fan, their band was actually pretty good, she turned me off to them all together. She’s dead, I know but its the moral of the story. Celebrities are just humans like you & I.

[@beckyboo1433]

Prices are absolutely ridiculous yes!!!! I remember scalping used to be illegal but that's exactly what these online ticket sellers are doing and it makes it unaffordable for most normal people. Gotta take out a loan practically to go to any popular concert.

[@beckyboo1433]

I'm glad my teenage years were the days of $20-50 tickets and some even general admission lol

[@mermaidheather]

@@beckyboo1433 A group I have been wanting to see for a few years now was finally going to be in town this year. I was excited about getting the chance to see them until I saw the $120 price tag. There was no way I was going to pay that for a general admission ticket so I canceled the order. I got an email from the venue offering a 30% discount and I still refused. It did make me wonder if they were having trouble selling tickets so they offered the discount, but I'm sure there were plenty who shelled out the cash. This will be the first year in a long time I haven't gone to at least one concert.

[@reenabearkitty]

Thanks for sharing brutal honesty

[@zilla66]

I met Megadeth in 2010. Back then it was $250. As I worked my way down the band line, none of them would say a word to me. When I got to Dave, he was really nice and would answer anything . He also would not let you go until he looked you in the eye and shook your hand. Really cool experience with Dave and i am glad all the other dopes got fired.

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

That's interesting. I heard he is hit or miss! Glad you got the good Dave

[@zilla66]

@@ZachAdkinsGuitar yea for sure. The crap your dealing with would infuriate me. My god …these guys don’t understand this is the memory of them we take to the grave while it is a snapshot in time for them flashing a stupid thumbs up.

[@blazingstar9638]

That’s really dope. Yess Dave!!

[@jacobkubacki2719]

I had a bad experience with him in 1990, a good experience with him at the first Gigantour & a great experience bodyguarding him years later. Dave can be a cock bag but if you’re a professional, he’ll let you know that also. He earned my respect. Jr.’s(Ellefson) is pretty cool too. I bought a bass off of him & he reached out himself in an issue I had with it & fixed it.

[@floydburney6060]

..... That's because Dave was making all (or most of) the money?

[@louisborselio8608]

I've learned long ago. Never leave the drive-thru til after you inspected the contents of the bag.

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

That was definitely my take away from this. 🤣🤣

[@m.malina6797]

This taping up the top of the bag BS has got to end.

[@joemartucci4786]

Joe Pesci said it best forget the movie name.." they fuck you at the drive thru"...lol

[@weavercattlecompany]

The people that work the drive-thru even admit that you're more likely to be screwed

[@brendanoneil3489]

Most of these misdescribed no-show cattle market meet and greets could be chargebacks on the credit card. That would soon get the message across.

[@BigDemz]

I did a Down meet and greet. There was a good bit of people there so it was kind of rushed. They gave us a poster to get signed and some swag. I was super pumped to meet Phil. I seen an interview he did at Loyola talking about addiction and it really helped me along with Downs music in general. So when I walked up to shake hands I told him and attempted to walk off as to not hold up the line, he grabbed me by the arm as I walked away and gave me a bear hug and said "congrats brother, keep it up" May not sound like a big thing but for me it meant the world!

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

It definitely meant the world to you, and you'll remember it forever. That's what we need more of

[@blazingstar9638]

That’s super cool

[@randycape8706]

That's awesome, you met person that day/moment not a rockstar. He my just remember you/that moment for a lifetime.

[@BigDemz]

@@randycape8706 I got to meet Phil several times after that. I used to do a channel where I interviewed people. I went down to Texas to film a show with Warbeast. He said he remembered me but he could've just been being cool. However I got to smoke a doobie with Phil!!! A dream come true!

[@glerp10000000000]

The guitarist in my band made me very jealous when he told me he met Phil Lynott of Thin Lizzy - one of my heroes - just the once. It was my mates birthday shortly after. Phil asked him for his address, and sent him a birthday card. Cool right ? What is better, is that Phil sent him a card every year after that until he passed away.

[@ryanabitz]

I’ve met Zakk multiple times now and is absolutely true. He is such humble great human. He’s even starting to remember me. lol He meets so many people, that’s pretty frickin cool!

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

Hell yea!!

[@christopherbaker9676]

Zakk wylde

[@nigel_saxon]

I hate meet-and-greets. You're paying thousands of dollars and most of these guys won't even talk to you. I remember Seeing Tim Owens playing at some bar gig a few years back when the first KK's Priest album came out. I was waiting for my ride home after the show and Tim Owens walked out and I got to take a picture with him and do some small talk and it only cost me 20 bucks for the show. That's a real meet and greet.

[@Theosis78]

In a nutshell: Hey celebs, work for your money, just like everybody else. Good job, Zach.

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

Ex-zach-ly!

[@bdso9593]

The old saying "Never meet your heroes" is true. Most famous people don't want to meet you and just want your money. Make sure you read and understand what M&G's are offering. Many times you don't get what you think you're getting. As in you're not always going to meet the band and get a pic or like you envisioned. The descriptions can be "legally" misleading. It can be an expensive misunderstanding. At the end of the day, enjoy your heroes by their craft. That's all you really need.

[@TarnishedViking.]

Kinda like, after she puts the condom on you then walks away?

[@michaeljjt1976]

Yeah this. When I was 20ish, I would sneak back stage at shows, or I knew people who could get us back there. Constant disappointment. Learned that lesson early to separate the art from the artist. I recently paid 70$ to get a meet and greet with Dashboard Confessional, solely because I had a guitar question about a particular song only Chris (the lead singer) could answer. I actually got my question answered, but was still horribly disappointed by the whole experience. A lot of phony BS, not coming through on the conditions of the ticket I bought, and so on. Would never do so again

[@HunnysPlaylists]

@@michaeljjt1976 Why would you expect to be treated well when sneaking in?

[@waynewilcox444]

I did the BLS m/g in Chattanooga a few years ago. I think it was $100 and Zakk shakes your hand as you walk up, introduces the whole band to you, talks to you like your an old friend and you get a photo taken. Signs your item, jokes with you and then takes a huge group photo after he moves people around like he's the cruise director. yep-fan for life

[@Eccentrics]

I completely agree with you. As a musician one has to remain humble and actually give the fans what they paid for. If you feel that you're too damn good to meet people, then don't do Meet N Greets, it's that simple.

[@roberthetfield126]

Thank you for posting this. Do NOT a take it down. I spent $500 for Slayer Meet and Greet…turned out I paid $1000 for my son and I just to take a picture. You weren’t even allowed to talk to them. Literally 5 seconds. You wait in line, they say next, you walk up in the middle. Take a picture and yell next!!!! Waited 3 hours for that as well. I LOVE Slayer but will never do again

[@jackluminous6024]

Oh how I hate slayer... Satan's little assholes yankin everybody's Rope! 😳

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

Perfect example of value not meeting the price. They lost recurring income

[@ronsdrums]

I purchased a m&g for the last tour and was so excited to be able to get Tom to sign an album that had been signed by the other 3 originals. When I found out they would not be signing I fought with the VIP company to get downgraded (and partially refunded) to merch VIP where I was able to get front row for the show.

[@carrielu98]

That happens with author book signings too. If there's a lot of people, there's only a few minutes for you to talk to them. I met Anne Rice (Interview with a Vampire author) at a bookstore about ten years ago, she was very gracious & as she was signing one of the first books I got of hers, I asked if I could take a picture of her, she said yes, but I only have a few minutes and smiled kindly, she was in no rush herself and loved talking to her fans, but the bookstore staff were required to keep a timed schedule so she could sign enough books for everyone. That day it was 4 or 5 hours of hand signing books! Musicians encounter the same thing, if they set up the meet & greets themselves they can spend however much time they want with fans but if they have to leave to fly out for a show the same night, sometimes they can't make the time to do that but other shows they might be able to earlier in the day before a show. As a fan, I like to be respectful of their time as a working musician. I have spent over two decades interacting with musicians (I am a music journalist plus I have many musicians friends) and I understand very well their personalities, their personal challenges as a musician etc. Some will go above and beyond to do something for a fan on the spur of the moment or if you're lucky to connect with them in advance of a show they might invite you backstage. I don't mind paying a modest amount for a meet & greet but I agree that $1000-5000 is way too expensive but for those people who can afford it, lucky them! However if they get something equally valuable in return such as photos, music memorobilia signed by the musician all that could be monetarily valuable but it's mostly sentimental value of meeting the musician that matters more.

[@gentelmanjunkie542]

God Hates Us All tour in Dallas, they all came outside by their bus and hung out for like 20-30 min, signed stuff and let people take pictures, totally free. It was the Bronco Bowl 3,500 capacity venue, but there was maybe 20-30 people that wanted autographs. Another time after that, but before the next album, my cousin saw them at a small club in Dallas, he hung out with them for like an hour outside the club after the show, he got Tom to personalize an autograph for me cause they're my favorite band. So I know they're cool and appreciate the fans, but these legacy bands are so huge now and they've played so many shows since those days, also I gotta imagine management has a lot to do with over scheduling stuff like that. I mean they shouldn't take money and not at least give as much as they used to for free, there must be more to the truth of it than just that they're jerks though.

[@alexanders562]

Especially when we remember the easiest commodity for them is some time. A "hello" and handshake, a moment to say thank you was once an easy thing for an artist to give a fan.

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

I think that it depends. If they are at a restaurant with their family or in a private moment or event. That's different and fans can overstep. However, in this instance of meet and greets. You're getting paid, and if you dont treat your fans better... They won't keep paying

[@mancuniancandidatem]

​@@ZachAdkinsGuitarI think one of the problems is that many bands go into a tour not even knowing that the said promoter has sold meet and greets. I agree that it is a complete rip off, but often, the bands will not see all (or in our case any) of the money from a meet and greet. In many cases the promoter and management take the lions share and the band can end up feeling like yet again we're getting screwed. The ground rules should be explained by the said organisers of these event but often they will be just happy to take your money and often will have it written in small print that the meet and greet pass is non refundable and that any the nature and conditions of the event are subject to change or non refundable cancellation. I seriously doubt that any band preparing to tour are even thinking about meet and greets. They are just an obligation to managers and promoters .

[@Tearpt]

Most of the bands promote vips on their IG and their personal IG ( band members) youre probably talking about low % of bands/artists.

[@BenjaminDaCunha-ys8ty]

The Flaming Lips did a free autograph signing and meet and greet. And Wayne Coyne not only signed my cds and did a photo, he was very genuinely thankful I was a fan and asked questions about myself. It was only a 5 minute conversation but he totally made my day. If they ever did a concert near me again and had VIP I’d gladly pay it for them now.

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

Love that. Value met or exceeded the price

[@Blackhalo1]

I'm 58, so I come from the era when M&G's were free. Record store signings, etc. Even had backstage passes many times. I met sooo many rockstars. So when this whole paying for m&g's came along, I was like no thanks. I got to do a few for free thankfully, but as far as actually spending my money on them myself, no not doing it... except once. I decided to do The Struts m&g on their first tour. It was only $60. I knew that was going to change eventually (and it has) so I'm glad I did it when it was cheaper. I even made Luke laugh. It was fun but I'll probably never pay for one again.

[@tinman1528]

Zach Adkins, I agree with you 100%. You are correct on all points. Side note: A refund for not providing the service that was promised would be in order also. If you were promised two Big Macs (for example) and they did not provide what was promised, your money should be refunded. They should provide exactly what is promised. If you took an automobile to a place (business) that is suppose to change the oil, but they changed the window washer fluid instead and charged you for an oil change, they would be sued. It is very bad business practice to not deliver on what is promised. I tip my hat to you, sir.

[@blazingstar9638]

$75 usd to meet Kim Dracula a couple of months ago. a very chill person, who is always smiling and looks you right in your eyes. Will sign anything, and was giving out hugs. Interacted with each person and was humble and kind.

[@DarknessFlameMedia]

I feel like the less popular a band is the better value there is in meet and greets.

[@joemartucci4786]

Great video. First things I'm a musician from Buffalo NY & have opened for a bunch of bands. Most were great most surprisingly was KISS. Heard a lot of bad stuff. We show up for the show tour manager meets us tells us park your truck by the stage the crew will take care of it. Theres your dressing room right next to Gene & Pauls we got a soundcheck, fed, tickets for the show. Pauls late guitar tech introduced us hung out with the band before they went on. Class act all the way. I'm 65 & have never paid to meet anyone. I listen to alot of 60s acts... Association, Cowsills, Grass Roots etc. these bands are so greatfull to meet their fans & when my wife & i go to see them the following year they remember us & talk to us like we've known them for years. If I ever made it that big i wouldn't charge people to meet me. Hell they're paying my salary....but that might just be me lol

[@carrielu98]

I totally agree, charging money for meet & greets especially alot of money is not very respectful or appreciative of the fans who have already spent alot of money over the years on the band's music, concerts, merch, travel to the shows, etc. However when bands have very large numbers of fans in the thousands showing up at shows it's physically impossible for them to individually spend much time with even fans who do pay for backstage passes or meet & greets thus offering people a way to pay for a meet & greet makes it easier for musicians to connect with some of their fans one on one. I consider the money paid for meet & greets to be like a donation to the band, you can choose to pay that much or not as much. Anyway it's nice that there is the option to do that affordably with some bands. I have noticed this year not as much huge draws of fans for some very well known 80s and 90s rock bands so they have joined together to do double or triple bills which makes practical sense. Together they can draw larger numbers of fans so they are able to make some money from their shows. Concerts are very expensive to produce nowadays. However the 80s & 90s bands are not as much dependent on expensive show production so they dont need to charge as much and they are surprisingly keeping concert prices reasonable. Besides there is a benefit to seeing a band like Judas Priest or Def Leppard at a smaller venue with cheaper Tix prices, you are more likely to be able to get a meet & greet with them at a more casual venue than an arena size venue that draws ten or 20 thousand people. In the mid 90s, I saw Ace Frehley play the Mason Jar bar in Phoenix, AZ for free! Plus I was right at the front of the stage. It was a very small venue compared to most. Maybe only 200 people could fit in there at the time. I think there was only 50 people there. I definitely got lucky timing wise with seeing him play there & I did not pre-plan it, he just happened to be playing at a bar that was very popular in Phoenix during the 90s. Alot of rock stars at that time, during that era liked playing impromptu shows & that sometimes is the way to get the best personal experience with them.

[@thebrodwarrior_xi6515]

I agree with everything you've said on this topic. Back in 2019, I paid around $400 for a King Diamond VIP/ Meet and Greet. In my opinion, that experience was worth every penny. Sorry to those who didn't have a great experience during their M/G experiences with other bands.

[@rottingcorpse6002]

Yep, the v.i.p. video was the first time I'd seen you. I definitely dug it. Never thought about a meet and greet, but I get it because I know someone who loves them. There should be a bang for the buck.

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

Thanks for coming back! Definitely subscribe. I'll be posting more :)

[@raymondabell8976]

Zach you’ve opened up our eyes to what’s going on in the music industry. Keep making more videos.This makes us more Knowledgeable about what’s going on in the Music world. This is great because we’re not being kept in the dark anymore about what’s going on. Thank You for posting this video.

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

Much appreciated 🙏🙏 I want people to make money and I want fans to get great experiences. But, highway robbery is a no go! Charge a fair price for good experiences and they will make money 10 times over.

[@JoeyRapps1]

You get the most flak when you're over the target. 100% on point, dude.👍

[@R3TR0R4V3]

Fuck that dude.. You're allowed to have an opinion and voice your complaints & concerns, as well as praises about their "services". They're clearly not hitting the mark with what they're offering and I would absolutely refuse to take any video down pertaining to this subject. Nothing you said was out of line. 👌

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

Much appreciated 🙏🙏

[@Sithman1776]

The only VIP I’ve ever done was Stryper in 2019. I loved it. It wasn’t super expensive, got to chat with each member, autographs, and a great personal photo with the band. The band seemed genuinely happy to have us there. Overall, I thought it eas a great experience. So when I heard about these bad VIP experiences, I was like WTH… I wonder if there’s a correlation with the bigger the band, the worse the VIP experience.

[@jackluminous6024]

💛🖤💛🖤💛🖤💛 Stryper is and always has been a true class act. Professional musicians who truly love and respect their fans. 💛🖤💛🖤💛🖤💛

[@DaveDowning]

I saw stryper 4 times and did the meet and greet 2 times. Not expensive compared to say kiss or mettalica. The one I did with stryper in 21 I was a bit disappointed because it was COVID time couldn't shake hands or get a good picture with the band. I do plan on it next tour. Stryper is a class act

[@jeffsherman2990]

THE GOD SQUAD!!!!!!!777✌️💙🙏✝️👍💯😇

[@Pamplemousse82322]

Stryper rules

[@HunterTalbot]

Back in the 80's when I managed a music store ...the labels would get us backstage...most of the time the bands were nice ...and there was none of the pay to meets that is required today...and this was the period of original members and low ticket prices....of all the bands I have to say Def Leppard was the most down to earth, genuine, and friendly...2nd would be Night Ranger....Van Halen- Sammy era was great as well....and Belinda Carlisle and Charlotte were as beautiful as they were nice...Jeff Carlisi and 38 were awesome too....Pat Benatar and Myron Grombacker went above and beyond...Man-I could go on...but enjoyed your video :-)

[@johnnysnowbird826]

Cool thanks for sharing

[@danhughart]

Zach; You are 1000% right! I am a professional musician, and is our responsibility to present a good product, whether it is show, or a personal interaction with people who come to see us. It's really hard to get people to even come out these days to even a bar or restaurant gig, let alone something that costs a lot of money. They're not going to do it if they are disappointed by what they are met with.

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

You're absolutely right. Take care of your hands they will take care of you!

[@toddlewis334]

I saw the previous video and now this one. To me it all depends on the price and perks. I recently did the VIP meet and greet for BEAT (the super group of Steve Vai, Adrian Belew, Danny Carey and Tony Levin) and it was great. It was $365 and there were about 30 total. That price included a seat with in the first 1-3 rows (I had 3rd row center), swag bag with a few items, autographed poster, lanyard and the meet and greet with band and the photo. All 4 shook our hands, except Levin who did fist bumps, and we got to talk to them for a minute or so then take the picture. The picture was WITH them, not them behind you like they were in a photo bomb. All 4 guys were nice and seemed really into it. Amazing experience and low cost for the monster musicians those 4 guys are. I saw others for other artists I like, and it was like you mentioned in your video. $500 or more and not much to it. In short, some are amazing, and some are awful. Up to us to make that choice.

[@DKStanford]

I'm a big fan of Beat and your post caught my eye. I saw Adrian and Tony play a double-trio gig about 12 years ago (when Markus Reuter was serving as Tony's guitarist). The venue had 700 seats. The bands just hung out in the lobby after the show to chat with fans & sign merch. The entire crowd seemed AARP - eligible (i.e. mature) and seemed respectful of the musicians time & personal space. It wasn't a m/g, they were just taking time to engage with fans. Tony was extremely sweet and was really connecting with everyone. Adrian was polite but I could tell he was tired. Markus, who is an AMAZING musician, was virtually ignored but I chatted him up briefly and have been a fan of his ever since. I don't know if m/g's were as common back then. I suspect the Beat tour is playing much larger venues so it probably isn't feasible for that crew. But my "free" experience was positive and left me with the feeling both Adrian and Tony are just regular guys who are happy to meet & interact with people. Its when bands start packing in venues with thousands of seats that organizing the chaos into a m/g becomes the only way to pull it off.

[@charlielack8359]

Bro, paying $ to go to the doctor or dentist or buying groceries, IS NOT the same as paying to go to a meet and greet. Stay grounded and rock on.

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

I disagree. When you are paying for any service or product, you demand your money's worth. If you go to a grocery store and they give you rotten food, you demand better or don't shop there, if you go to the dentist and they do a terrible job you can demand better or go somewhere, same with a doctor. We are talking about value meeting or exceeding price, and in this instance it doesn't.

[@negtype13]

Spending money for a horrible experience that could have been better spent and, or used for something important IS EXACTLY the same! You’re expecting to get your moneys worth and in any other situation, if you didn’t, you’d feel ripped off and complain to the customer service/ BBB!

[@InhalerOfTheRifftree]

Thank you for posting these videos man! This is very needed. If you want money, it's a service. If you don't provide that service, without any refund or discount, it's fraud.

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

Bam. Value must meet or exceed the price!

[@drop830]

I dont understand why bands dont just start putting cool merch within their albums to sell. You know, stuff you cant get from the internet. That would drive record sales for the band and they could make money as well. I mean how much would it cost a band to ad a autographed poster on the inside of an album. Like real autographs. They might have to do a little work, but they could break it up between band members, each copy gets one band menbers signature. That way people would buy four or five of the same albums, just to try to get the whole bands real autograph. Im aware that album sales arent what they used to be, but this could bring it back

[@SPY1964-LL]

Good incentive! Collectors dream and much better than the M&Greeds. It is just rude.

[@blazingstar9638]

Absolutely

[@drop830]

@@SPY1964-LL people just want to feel like they have a unique piece of the band. So give it to them. I don't think that would be all that hard to do

[@SPY1964-LL]

@@drop830 It is a good idea and makes revenue in an honest way. Cheers

[@charlesbolton8471]

If Taylor Swift sell multiple versions of the same album just because it has different cover art something like that should work great for other artists.

[@markydee4683]

I wanna go to a Jane's Addiction meet n greet. Now that's entertainment!

[@svs5221]

Thats a beat & greet

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

That would be awesome

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

Hahahaha

[@steakfrank6895]

Don't get to meet the band unfortunately, just watch the show from stage left.

[@madjock-ig5bv]

😂😂😂😂

[@IanTolliver-up1zg]

Zakk Wylde IS the coolest person you will meet in one of these things. Super cool and down to Earth. I'll definitely get another meet and greet at one of his shows.

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

That's awesome to hear!!

[@Metaldad87]

I also think a lot of musicians when they hit it big forget where they came from. They forget that they were fans once too wanting to go see and meet their heroes. How would they feel if they finally got to meet someone they look up to and they were an asshole or blew them off completely? They should remember that when doing meet and greets, not everyone but there's a lot that could do with remembering that.

[@NoelHaven]

It must have hit the glorious algorithm cuz that was my first video of yours I watched … then got recommended this one 😅🤓🤘🏻

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

Awesome! Welcome aboard 🫡🫡 Definitely subscribe for more :)

[@HuffDuster]

Same lol. I'm tapped in now.

[@Batlizard74]

I recall the Kiss Konventions back in 1995 which was 100 bux a ticket. Back then that price was pretty crazy for the time. Especially for someone in their early 20’s. Turned out to be a fantastic day. They signed everything multiple times, we got an unplugged show, all kinds of displays. Years ago I went to my first and only meet and greet to meet Ace. I figured it wouldn’t be great. Ace really doesn’t give af about fans and never has. I even get that he doesn’t enjoy it. I probably wouldn’t either. Ace was over an hr late. I was first in line waiting as he was in there signing guitar for the high dollar fans. His bodyguard said he’s late cause “he’s playing rockstar” We finally get in to meet him and the first thing I thought was he looked like “Weekend at Bernie’s”. I met him, he barely said a word, put his thumb up and we took a picture. I asked if I could put my arm around him for the pic. He mumbled something. It wasn’t horrible, but it wasn’t worth driving for hrs and waiting that long. I actually felt embarrassed about even doing it. The one thing he did do as we walked off was called my wife (who couldn’t give a shit less who he was and didn’t want to talk to him). He called her a couple of times. I told her “Ace is trying to get your attention!” She walked back to his table and he reached his hand out to shake it and said something to her. I asked her “what did he say to you?” She said, “he was sorry for being so late”. That made me feel like he wasn’t that bad of a guy possibly. He sucks at M&G and really should never have been doing them imo.

[@trelard]

I stopped going to Ticket Master/Live Nation shows quite a while ago, due to their monopoly and abuse of the system. That means I don't get to see live shows very often these days. I'd love to, but I don't live in a hub (hive), so live music is a rare thing anyway. I'm not sad, I've seen my fair share of epic concerts over the years, I just yearn for the electricity of the crowd that a live concert brings.

[@rubberlover666]

I'm with you. I'm weird enough around people as is so paying for a meet and greet would be something I'd never personally do, but for the people who do do it, the experience should be what was advertised. Language needs to be more specific (i.e. "you will get one personal photo" or "a photo with the band and ALL the other VIP purchasers will be included") and artists need to be held contractually accountable if they're too hungover or whatever to meet what was laid out. AND artists need to pull their head out of their asses and show up for the fans if if they're going to continue to offer meet and greets. If they don't like doing them then find some other way to get the fans money!

[@ronsdrums]

I think John 5's is the best value and he genuinely seems interested in the fans. Nita Strauss and Faster Pussycat were also very good experiences. Mastodon is pretty good but you're instructed not the bring anything to get signed. When I did it for the current tour the coordinator said "good news, the band has agreed to sign things for you". Cool but we were told we couldn't bring anything so we didn't. But after the photos are done the band members scatter and hung around for 10-15 minutes to actually talk with people.

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

That's badass. I've heard John 5 was a good experience when meeting him

[@ghettostreamlabs5724]

Maybe a video on the bands who do awesome meet and greets would be in order? I have only done one meet and greet and it was an awesome experience - Dream Theater in 2010 before Portnoy left. There are very few musicians I would pay to meet - but they were one and it was the best $300 I ever spent. Came with early entrance access, a place to store the stuff we wanted signed, tons of swag, tons of pictures AND they limited it to just 20 meet and greets per show. Really felt like we were hanging out after the show. Clearly, your videos highlight that not every meet and greet goes so well or provides the correct value for the cost.

[@roguerecordmusic]

I had a great VIP with Sevendust this past February, shook each of their hands and had a decent conversation with each of them. My wife even told them it was my 50th birthday and that I was a drummer myself. Morgan and Clint both said dude you chose to spend a big birthday with us that means a lot. That was a great time and was about $250. I’d do that all day long! We got soundcheck access, lanyards and a signed photo and got a personal photo (with our own phones) and talk time with them. There were about 20 people. Again a great experience.

[@hell1515]

Can't wait to meet them! Get to see them in a week. This comment gives me hope 🤘

[@thejakefromstatefarm6768]

That small reasonable list you mentioned was not too much to ask of an artist in comparison to what they charge. Also what you enjoy spending your money on is your business. If i could afford it i would definitely do it. I want to talk to certain guitar players for a couple minutes. So i would definitely do it.

[@toddmoore9138]

I refuse to even buy concert tickets. I enjoy seeing a local band performing in a small club way more than the 'concert' experience. They've all ruined it for me.

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

Probably live nations and ticketmaster giving the orders. Bastards

[@1978garfield]

I miss live music. The smoking ban in my state pretty much killed off the last few bars that actually had bands.

[@sullyb23511]

The quality or value of the goods or services meets or exceeds the price. Brilliantly put, sir.

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

Thank you!! 😊🙏

[@mikebradford7780]

This is exactly why i go to very small venues. Cavelera, Sepultura, Exodus, all very small venues ive see this year. It was awesome and the bands were great!

[@johnnysnowbird826]

Good point- find new bands, support local music!

[@GC-bk1mv]

Love the statement value should match or exceed the price being paid (however you said it lol). It’s so true. The reason why these musicians have the careers they do is because of their fans. I get the whole notion of “well they are tired…probably caught them on a bad day…”, we all have bad days, I get it; however, the fans shouldn’t have to have a bad experience simply because an artist is having a bad day. Put on a smile even if you’re not feeling it. It’s not the fans fault you’re having a bad day. If anything, this should put a smile on your face because there’s people taking time out of their day to come say hi. That’s very humbling to me. 100% agree.

[@mammothenterprises2921]

Also word of mouth is best promotion. If someone has great experience they will tell other people, if not the same.

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

You're exactly right!

[@NealVio]

A great experience is memorable, for a lifetime. One time at a Savatage concert, at the end I got on stage and shook Jon Oliva's hand and Chris Oliva's right before they left the stage. I was stress free for a week. That meant the world to me.

[@brendanoneil3489]

Jon Oliva is such a charming guy, one of my best meets.

[@colonelhstinkmeaner8547]

I'm with you man. Tbh it's no excuse for someone who you pay $200 plus to meet and they don't bother being nice or takes pictures on the stage. I've been to metal concerts that I've paid $100 or less for a vip and those artist are actually happy to see you and will even ask you questions about the music.

[@Sithman1776]

I agree with you 100%. I would be pissed if I went to that Vai\Satriani VIP. I really appreciate you making this video because if I ever do VIP again, I’ll be mindful to not get scammed.

[@leftctrlgaming]

I agree that's bullshit for the price they charged.

[@apexcmc]

I've been able to meet a number of artists in smaller venues, a notable one is Bjorn Gelotte from In Flames. He was just randomly outside and was super cool about taking a pic with me and was just a genuinely nice person. All it cost was the ticket for the show. Another is Tuomas from Wolfheart, just another right place at the right time thing, also super cool and down to earth guy. Great video, thank you.

[@ozzlayer]

Value has to meet or exceed the price. Right into the point. 👉👉

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

Boom 💥

[@andrewsparrow6350]

Spot on video great stuff.... Myself I have only had great M&G's this year we did Judas Priest in Leeds this was ment to be a back stage tour of the show, we met four members of the band and members of Saxon as well very cool for my grandson... The year before we did Behemoth as met them for free at Bloodstock festival, again amazing time and spent time with grandson talking about his fav bands excellent.... I know Kiss gets heat over the cost but we paid for a sound check in Manchester on their last tour in the UK for me and my wife outstanding time lots of cool fans and something to remember.... Also some bands do free M&G's I have meet Metallica five times and even been to the stage with them at one show, Steve Harries when he was touring with British Lion gave my grandson a free M&G and let him watch the sound check as he was too young to go to the gig that night,,,

[@echoman1975]

Man I really like your channel. Your speaking on things that need to be said. Your solo album is pretty kick ass as well. Keep up the good work dude.

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

I appreciate you listening to my album! What's your favorite tune?

[@tanyapizzolattoshimmerngtarot]

I am happy you made these videos. I won't waste my money on anyone except Alice Cooper, he is so nice.

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

Alice is super cool, I've heard.

[@tanyapizzolattoshimmerngtarot]

​@@ZachAdkinsGuitarAlice is super cool ❤🤘🎸

[@brandonryce6801]

Watched an interview or two of Alice Cooper's and man he really does seem like a genuinely nice guy. Like he actually gets interested in talking to people.

[@thecorrected7401]

Simply put, I have never paid more than the price of a single/album to meet a band. Every time I’ve had something signed, or got a photo with someone, it’s either been free or I’ve had to buy a copy of whatever they’re promoting at the meet and greet. And not one of them has been a poor experience. Every single time I’ve listened to someone tell me about their VIP concert experience, they’ve always told me that is was a waste of money they have regretted. I think signings are always the way to go if you want to meet a band because it’s something the band are focused on. The VIP experience will always be rushed because the band and management are going to be focused on the gig itself.

[@ArtHoward]

Saw Jane's Addiction in 2012. Dave Navarro and Perry Farrell came out to the fence and shook hands and took pictures with fans. Perry really took a couple of minutes to talk to some of them. ZERO DOLLARS CHARGED! Also saw a Guitar Clinic with George Lynch. Lynch chatted with everyone, and even recognized some people from his previous appearances. ZERO DOLLARS charged. Some guys are doing it right.

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

George is super cool!

[@djacobmadrigal]

Neil Peart’s take on meet and greets: “I can’t pretend a stranger is a long awaited friend.”

[@jackluminous6024]

Many journeys end here But the secret's told the same... Life is but a candle And a dream must give it flame... The Fountain of Lamneth 1975, Caress Of Steel Neil Peart

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

Luckily rush never tried to sell that Neil was part of the meet and greets. They were pretty open about that. Respect

[@fumanpoo4725]

Then again, is it really so difficult to be nice to the people paying your bills?

[@AB-ou8ve]

@@fumanpoo4725 Yeah it is, especially for retail workers. The only difference is, for the likes of Peart, they don’t have to pretend or put on a fake face. Sometimes, it’s the fans who have the ego.

[@mhmrules]

A lot of times, it's the fans that have the ego, and they're not willing to admit it.

[@DarknessFlameMedia]

I had a VIP for Avril Lavigne and she also had a stupid thing you could take a picture in front of. Yeah no Thats' trash It would have been super worth the money to me if I got to take a picture with her. We got a seperate lounge and a bunch of things. But most people I talked to didn't think it was worth it. Even the guy that actually got the best vip which only gave him an autograph poster. Because meeting her was what everyone really wanted. During the concert she pulled several people from the pitt up on stage and hugged them and gave them a skateboard. Like they paid hundreds less than people that bought VIP and they got to meet her and get something none of us got. Would have been better for us to just get a Pitt ticket and take our chances at getting picked. After that I went to see Falling in reverse. For the same price. I got to meet Ronnie. I was so shy to say really anything to him but he fist pumped me said hello he was so glad i was there and could meet him and got a picture with him. Even that quick interaction with him was awesome for me. Got autograph and a patch it wasn't as much random merch as avrils but he was there even if it doesn't sound like much effort to just stand there say hello and take a picture. It was what people went there for. Back in the mid 2000s almost all of the bands i listened to would just hang out after their set and talk to people for nothing. Those days seem to be gone for the most part. However I did see Hawthorne Heights a few months ago. And they went out to their merch table and signed anything you brought them and talked to people who wanted to just meet them. Didn't have to buy anything.

[@DarknessFlameMedia]

I still love avril just fyi I just wish the vip experience had her actually involved

[@Century_Road_Official]

I had 2 fantastic experiences this past year with Extreme and Nuno Bettencourt. While I did not enjoy the photo in front of stage for both experiences, I will say that the band great and chatted with everyone during and after soundcheck. Plus all items received were exactly as described. I did get the feeling that management set the parameters BUT the band seemed like they were going out of their way to attend to the fans. One of the band managers saw I brought an N4 with me. He allowed me to stay AFTER soundcheck, waiting for Nuno to finish his stuff on stage. Nuno came down, chatted a bit, signed my N4, and took photos. Such a nice dude and great experience. $200 well spent.

[@Alkahest1982]

Meet and greed ! I never understood that thing! I was fortunate to meet a couple of people as a music journalist or through some promo stuff. Some people were cool some weren’t but no way to give money for a picture!

[@knavekid]

I believe that bands that fill arenas or stadiums (or used to fill arenas and stadiums) are not the ones offering the meet & greet or VIP packages. Their handlers and promoters put these things together and then try to minimize the artist involvement to avoid upsetting them. There are great bands that might not sell out a 3000 capacity venue whose meet & greets are fairly inexpensive and a much better value. A great example is band like "The Warning". Their meet & greet tickets aren't too expensive and they sell out in minutes. They really care about their fans.

[@phillipmarlowe0525]

Some few years ago Don Dokken said he would never charge for a meet and greet. I think that is awesome. Granted people need to make a living but not charging for meet and greet is a great way to say thank you to the fans.

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

Sure. Or charge an amount that makes sense for the value you're gonna give back

[@metalmamamichele]

I've noticed people will justify why they do VIP's that are outrageously priced. In doing so, they are marketing for the bands free of charge. I guess many are okay with being ripped off. This has been a great topic that needed to be addressed in your videos. I appreciate you. Hopefully, some positive changes in the VIP industry will come from it.

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

I have no problem spending money, even if it's expensive. But, the value must meet or exceed the price paid. And unfortunately, it usually doesn't :(

[@nicthelic8600]

I'm new to your Channel, I just wanted to say I really enjoy it and appreciate your thoughts. And I agree with you on all points. Good for you for speaking up for yourself and fans in general.

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

Thank you for being here. Welcome aboard 🫡🫡🫡

[@horatiohooligan1706]

I saw Nicko McBrain and his band Titanium Tart the show was free to get in compliments of the venue and he sat there for an hour after the show for free signing everything and shaking hands. Class act!!!!

[@thenerveensemble7810]

Great video Zack. The only shitty part about this video is that it didn’t come out sooner. Like 20 years ago. I’ve met cool people and I will name them. The Cool? John Corabi. Met him twice and he was so down to earth and appreciative of me being a fan. Took a photo with him too. Nuno Bettencourt. Met him on three occasions. 2004. 2018 and 2023. Was super cool in 2004. Spent more than twenty minutes with me at an instore appearance and wanted to give me free tickets to his gig which I already had tickets for. Took pictures with me. 2018 met him with Extreme and took pictures and talked to me about the 2004 meet up. 2023. Little different similar to your Vai and Satriani meet and greet but this time I brought my 12 and 9 year old sons who are also fans and Nuno couldn’t ask them enough questions about music and the whole band followed his lead. My kids hijacked the meet and greet and they loved seeing them at an Extreme show. Now the not so cool? KISS. Long story but I was going to watch them play in another state and had to fly out spending thousands of dollars to see them. I bumped into Paul Stanley who was on the same flight and I was shocked to see him. I just hey Paul I’m flying because I’m going to watch KISS perform. Not only did he not look at me but the only response I got from him while he was looking at his magazine was “cool”. I felt so deflated that the band that influenced me as a kid to be a musician had no interest or time for me. Sure it wasn’t a meet and greet and it was in personal time but still it was a once in a lifetime chance and to say I felt deflated on that flight is an understatement.

[@m.malina6797]

Paul Stanley a tool? Wow, I'm shocked. Consider yourself lucky it wasn't Gene.

[@nicthelic8600]

Kiss are posers FACTS

[@thenerveensemble7810]

@@m.malina6797 Gene wasn’t there. Eric Singer and Ace Frehley were. You could tell who was keeping them in order. ⭐️

[@Music-qt3ok]

@@thenerveensemble7810 What year did you see Paul? Ace and Eric Singer never played America together.

[@thenerveensemble7810]

@@Music-qt3ok this was when they toured Australia in 2001. I was on a flight from Sydney to The Gold Coast. I joked with my brother “hey imagine if they are on the same flight 😂….😳I even said I’ll just wear a regular t shirt and took my kiss shirt off. Anyways I never intended to ask for a photo or autograph because I understood even then it was private time but I just said “hey Paul so cool to see you. I’m flying up to come watch KISS play.” All he had to say was cool

[@JasonBournewrong]

Spot on. I've had several great MGs before, Buckcherry, Sebastian Bach, Cooper. I'd do again every time. In fact i have came back and brought a printed picture of myself and the band to sign from the last one. Others are not so great, but as long as i have a better seat or early entry I'm ok paying the upcharge. Like you said, if its what you like, spend your money on it. I'm not paying to go to the super bowl, but I'd gladly pay that price or more for my favorite band who doesn't actually don't do MGs. When I go to shows im not afraid to pay for the pricier ticket. But 100 percent if the value isn't equal to the price, hard pass. Subd.

[@DecapitatedPlaythings]

I totally agree my friend. My meet and greets go as follows.. Tool, Lynch Mob, Stryper, Candlebox, Metallica, Bon Jovi, Skid Row, and Poison. ALL OF THEM WERE A COMPLETE NIGHTMARE AND SHITSHOW! I'm never doing one again. The risk to reward ratio is too unpredictable for me.. Most of the above bands wanted NOTHING to do with this event. I could pick out specific assholes from these bands and really drive the point home, but why bother?

[@whysoblutube]

10th time’s the charm! 😂

[@DecapitatedPlaythings]

@@whysoblutube 🤣😂

[@joeljukus9129]

Zach- you are 100 percent correct. I remember reading years back that a VIP package for ZZ-Top where fans were told not to talk or interact with them when they got their picture taken.

[@GamingManual]

You're correct about the free market. The problem is people correctly complain, but then continue to validate the entire system by continuing to spend their money on it lol. This communicates to the marketers that these are the prices the market will bear, because for all intents and purposes, that's correct. People keep paying them, despite the terrible experiences, so marketers have no incentive to change or increase quality; the "demand" is constant, despite people's complaints about it. THAT'S the problem.

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

Yup. That's why I said in my first video "you need to demand MORE for your money. And say THIS VIP ISNT GOOD ENOUGH"

[@GamingManual]

@@ZachAdkinsGuitar Right on dude great vids!

[@WGKPodcast]

I work at a music venue and have been privy to many meet and greets and talked to plenty of people that payed to be there. As an old dude and musician myself, I don’t get it myself personally as an adult. But the majority of the people paying to go to these meet and greets seem stoked to be there, get their swag and talk to the artist(s) for a minute and get a picture. Most (if not all ) of the bands I went to see as a kid and into adulthood even, were approachable and you could meet or get an autograph from if you tried hard enough. Times have changed though obviously, especially with bands music streaming for free, lack of record sales etc.. so from a musicians standpoint I definitely get it and get it as well from a fan that wants to pay to get that service.

[@edgybarbie77]

💯 gotta give people what they paid for with no excuses. TY for speaking up & letting people know. Nowadays people can't be wasting 💰 like this. And people like me wouldn't know any better ❤

[@jamesj3395]

You’re 💯 spot on. Glad you are speaking up about this. If any band or industry folk takes “offense” to your honest feedback on underwhelming paid meet and greet experiences, then they need to take a long look in the mirror and make some changes. Sometimes the truth hurts. Hopefully this is a wake up call to the prima donna’s out there.

[@keithhughes3419]

The best 'meet and greets' for me, over the years, have been the ones that happened organically, randomly, and were totally FREE ! These would include members of Metallica, Slayer, Anthrax, Motörhead, Exodus, Iron Maiden, etc, and all cost a grand total of ZERO! These make for better stories down the line, compared to some contrived, overpriced meet and greet, where you stand in a queue, and the artist pretends to be interested in you. That's my experience.

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

Yes, there's something to be said about having an impromptu instance with somebody that you appreciate as a musician or artist. I had that with Paul Gilbert, where we went to the zoo together and it was totally random and awesome HowEver, they did a VIP before the show. And it was a really great VIP and everybody left feeling like they got their money's worth. So two things can be true at once

[@davidstonerook3868]

This year I had a great time at The Alestorm with Elvenking and Glyph show. The night 🌙 Started out great when I was at the Elvenking merch booth looked over and saw Alessandro Jacobi the bass player for Elvenking. I Introduce myself.He saw I was wearing a Alterium band T-shirt and said to me " I have to take a picture with you and send it to Nicoletta Rosellini" , the lead vocalist of Alterium and good friends with members of Elvenking. Later on I meet the members of Elvenking and Glyph. After the show Christopher Bowes of Alestorm came out and met with the fans, took pictures and signed autographs. Later on, I meet rest of members of Alestorm and party with Christopher Bowes, Gareth Murdock, and Peter Alcorn. Recently I saw Mac Sabbath. My daughter was supposed to go to the show with me but she was sick and couldn't go. The Cat Burglar from Mac Sabbath sent a personal video to my daughter. Then the members of Mac Sabbath gave me an autograph poster to give to my daughter since she could not attend to show. By the I know you A righteous dude since you are friends with members of Fallen Reigh. I'm planning on seeing you show on September 28th🖤💣💀🦇⚡️

[@Stonky77]

I've done Cruise to the Edge four times, and most of the artists roam the deck and are glad to take pics and chat. None of it cost extra.

[@Tjhx1138]

I had a great experience at a behemoth meet and greet. Met the band, quick chat, signed stuff, photo with the band. we got to watch them do soundcheck where they played 3 songs. I knew before hand that sometimes they invite fans up on stage to play a song, so I was very much ready for it. When nergal asked, I threw my hand up so fast. He picked me !! It was sick, he put his guitar on me like I was being knighted . Haha They let me pick the song I knew best , and we played it at soundcheck. I loved it!! It was only a couple hundred bucks too! Nothing crazy

[@skywalker72465]

George Lynch several times,the coolest signed my guitar photos everything,hung out with him in VIP back stage I always buy a six pack for the band and he hangs talks and drinks with me, its a tradition now the beer thing LOL,but he will bust on you big time,LOL,to be honest though I grew up with Anthony his first bass player Lynch Mob when he knew that I think it became a more and more familiar interaction.

[@ronniepatterson2827]

When my Father told me in 1978 I would never meet my heroes KISS, I told myself he was wrong. Now that I can actually afford thier meet & greet prices, turns out he was right, seeing my 2 favorite members Ace & Peter left long ago, & I wouldn't walk across the street to meet wtf is left.

[@vistalite]

I paid for a meet and greet only once. It was for ZZ Top a few years ago. It was only a couple hundred bucks. This included a live CD, a laminate, some picks and a photo with the band. No autographs - which is fine by me. It was well worth the price. It also included a second row seat for the show. We all lined up after the show, had a brief question/answer period, and had our photos taken with the band - which we downloaded from their website a day or two later. We could talk to the guys - and they were really cool, but we were shuffled along quickly. Everyone was nice and the event was well organized. I’m just happy to have experienced this great band up close and have my photo with them - especially since Dusty passed a couple of years later.

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

Sounds awesome!

[@ChadAV69]

It never ceases to amaze me just how many complete simps there are out there. You could make a video saying “Van Halen murdered a puppy” and there would be 5 guys in the comments saying “well Van Halen hates dogs. The puppy should have known that.”.

[@nathaninostroza7655]

Hahahahahaha🤣🤣🤣

[@sole__doubt]

Yeah it also has to do with the wealth polarity in the current US. I know people who are broke and people who are flush, theres really no middle anymore. Someone who is flush doesnt care about spending $3500 on a meet a greet, I couldnt afford a tenth of that.

[@mattdylan664]

it doesnt matter how well off you are financially spending $3500 to meet anyone makes you the simp

[@blazingstar9638]

Lolol

[@sole__doubt]

@@mattdylan664 Would you spend $35 to meet your favorite player?

[@CDR7474]

100% agree you are helping people chose who not to buy m&g or vip from thank you

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

🙏🙏🙏

[@AndoSan69]

You were spot on dude. I agree with you

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

Much appreciated! Hopefully bands and artists get their minds together. They will lose money faster than they can say "meet and greet"

[@randycape8706]

Dude I couldn't agree more... PRICE and VALUE. In your other video you may have not said those words word for word but that's what I heard. You spent some money and you wanted an experience... me too. Keep doing what you do my friend

[@damiangrimm1430]

I have never paid for a meet and greet or a V.I.P package. But I went to an Ian Paice drum clinic In Adelaide and it was fantastic. Ian did some drumming and then a microphone was passed around the crowd to ask him questions. He really took time to answer questions and he was great to listen to. Afterwards he signed autographs and photos. I got my photo taken with him. It was great 😊

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

That's badass!

[@damiangrimm1430]

@@ZachAdkinsGuitar Indeed 😊

[@Lighttech9]

I attended the VIP for Vai's Story of Light tour. It was great, he talk for about 30 minutes longer than the allotted time answering questions until he got the hurry up as they were waiting for soundcheck, everyone got a photo with him and he signed anything he was asked, plus he took the time to chat and took an interest in everyone who attended. We all then got to go to soundcheck and all of the band happily interacted with the people there between songs and became very professional when sound-checking. I had a cool chat with Dave Wiener about his tour pedal board and Thomas Nordegg (Steve's tech at the time) gave me some advice on an issue with I was having with one of my Floyd Roses. Was sad to hear you didn't have a good experience on the Satriani/Vai tour. I too would have felt ripped off at that.

[@EricFDrums]

love this follow up. As for your equation of Value must equal Cost, I would even be happy with Item delivered should equal what item is promised at time of payment...BTW new subber here.

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

Thanks for the comment, and thanks for subscribing! :)

[@harrygoldsmith6792]

We did VIP with American Aquarium and was awesome. I think it was only $50 more and included: -A laminate -signed poster -individual photo with the band -Q&A Session (and everyone got to ask whatever they wanted) -3 song acoustic set -seat in the first 3 rows

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

Sounds like the value met or exceeded the price you paid. 👍👍

[@davidcarter1157]

I have been going to shows since I was 14 (Sacred Heart tour for Dio 1985 R.I.P.). We had killer shows that pandas actually played their instruments, and a lot of them could actually sing WITHOUT using auto tune 🙄. I have met A LOT of musicians and never once have I paid for a VIP bundle. Got autographs, guitar picks, other souvenirs, hung out and talked to the band members, and had a great time… the best guys that I met were probably the guys in Buckcherry, all the guys in Steelheart and Mark Slaughter… all very approachable guys, that you could tell loved their fans…. OH! And the singer of theory of a deadman (Tyler Connolly) he was trying to get on the bus, when I asked him… “Hey man.. my girlfriend couldn’t make it tonight… you think you could autograph the shirt I got her?” He replied with “Sure man” and then he went to get on the bus when I said “It was an awesome show man!” He came right off the bus shook my hand and said “Thanks man!”… he didn’t have to do that, but the fact that he did… I respected it. With Mark Slaughter there was a big crowd there and I was waiting to meet him when something hit the back of my leg, when I looked back I noticed it was a girl in a wheelchair that was excited to have the opportunity to meet him, I tapped on Marks bodyguard’s shoulder and then showed him the girl that was in the wheelchair, he turned back around, whispered in Marks ear and then Marc turned to her and ignored everyone else and gave her about 5 or more minutes of personal time with her. I have a handicapped sister myself, so I respected him A LOT after that. He is a cool guy to meet. The guys in Steelhheart and Buckcherry are just cool guys that put on great shows. I understand them making a lot of money when they play live, well… as long as they PLAY, and don’t lip sync 🙄. I am a musician myself so I fully understand. But to charge for a VIP package, when your fans are who buys your tour shirts, they buy your OVERPRICED (for the most part) tickets to come see you basically lip sync when you are playing LIVE .. nah! If you don’t enjoy playing music anymore… go do something else. IMO they should not charge to allow us to meet them for a minute and maybe get an autograph for all the money that we have spent on them, we have spent enough already… do something to show US, YOUR appreciation for US!

[@archieguitarz4700]

Finally someone had the guts to say it. You totally rock Zach!! 💯💯

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

Thanks for the comment! 🙏🙏

[@AirKuhl]

I want 2 things out of going to see one of my favorite bands. I want to get up close and I want to buy a t-shirt. That's pretty much it. Unfortunately, these days, the only way to hit the merch before normal sizes sell out and get on the rail, is if you buy the VIP package.

[@philipeager6188]

Great video! Luckily I’ve met a few great rock stars in person and they were kind and thoughtful experiences. They dislike the meet n greets as well.

[@djacobmadrigal]

Take it down? Hello: Free speech!!!!❤

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

Correct!

[@MetalEsquire]

Watched both vids and im so sorry bout yr experience with Ace and Vai. Agree that paying more $ (should) raises your expectations. For paid VIPs id spend maybe like $30-$80 on TOP of my ticket, for con-autographs maybe the most id go is $100 bc i know im getting the same experience with the band/celeb whether i fork over $40 or $400. Concert VIPS ive done, coming to mind, is Devin Townsend (funny history with Vai, lol) he did full Q&A, spoke with everyone & photos- very very nice guy. Bloodywood photo & they signed my CD- guys were very cool and it was like $35. New Static-x was doing a really cool super VIP where you bought a guitar through the VIP, you bring it to the show and you get to take home the guitar used that night. i think the package cost like $800 or $1,249.99 depending on whose guitar you buy. i did the basic VIP super excited all the guys were super cool. many good experiences meeting bands free post-show at small bar venues or if they do buy-and-sign-the-CD offers at shows.

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

Love that story!!

[@blizainewizaine]

I’ve paid for one VIP M&G experience in my life and that was Ghost. Before the actual event I questioned my decision because I know how disappointing meeting someone you’ve admired can be (Tommy Lee, Vince Neil) but it was absolutely a great experience. Tobias (as Cardinal Copia) was super nice, it was a one-on-one meeting with a photo included, he shook my hand and didn’t seem the least bit annoyed or dismissive and all the swag was just as promised. All around a great experience.

[@lastdimestudios]

I kind of thought a meet and greet would be how you described in your first video - that’s why I’d never pay for something like that. But bravo on the video, let’s hope someone takes notice. At a guess - a high price keep a certain demographic out! However if someone really struggles to put the cash together to meet their hero and it’s a lacklustre experience then that’s bad, really bad. It’s a big topic, some of these artists probably don’t even know what the cost was - they only know what they are getting. I could go on and on with theories!

[@violetdream5335]

I do have to agree. The vip or the meet and greets should be at least the ticket price. I worked at many concerts. I feel like 90% of the vip aren’t worth it. But I seen a artist to get creative with the VIP packages which I love to see that doesn’t include the merch and pictures and pictures with the artist. I would love to get to meet and greet but the price is too high or not worth it.

[@JoeW08]

I've done several meet and greets. The best ones were usually the shedders. MAB had us on stage with our guitars giving lessons and advice. Signed my guitar and was impressed by the other signatures i had on it, let my wife sit in on it who didn't pay for the VIP and let her record it. He's a super nice guy. Jason Richardson was waiting on us to show up in a private room. No one could steer us in the right direction because we were actually the only ones to sign up. I had an hour long private lesson with him, super cool guy. Angel Vivaldi had a few with him. Every time he was super nice, even remembered me from the other times. Let us bring our guitars, sign, and jam along. Another one was with Nita and Angel. There was an error in our VIP booking. Nita said after the show i promise go get your guitar and I'll let you skip the line, get sign, and photos. She was true to her word. Marty Friedman brought us on his tour bus and hung out for half an hour. Signed, photos, and even let me record him playing my guitar. Brought a random guy from the crowd on stage to jam the last song. Super cool dude. Andy James is cool cat. John 5 is cool. Eluveitie were really awesome. Gus G is a saint. And Guthrie Govan was the absolute best. I didn't get a VIP with him but ended up hanging out with him and The Aristocrats the entire night at the bar. Just chilled with us like a regular dude didn't mind that i asked for a picture either haha. Polyphia, Vai, and CoB were probably the most disappointing ones i saw. Vai pretty much went exactly how you said it. Polyphia were a bit egotistical and off putting. CoB the rest of the band was cool but Alexi you could tell just wasn't in it. Overall I'd stay away from the bigger bands. And even some like Arch Enemy, Trivium they'll be cool and nice but all you'll get is some merch and a pic. The best ones are usually your guitar super nerdy shredders like MAB, Jason, Vivaldi, Govan, etc. They're all still very down to earth and deliver for sure.

[@ZachAdkinsGuitar]

Hell ya! Since of those guys are just cool dudes that wanna chat