leonardcohenforum.com

My hypothetical question is, if it were available, would you pay 3 to 4 times the price of a normal concert ticket if there was such a thing as a "meet and greet package" for a Leonard Cohen concert. (so that could be anything up to $1000 USD or €450 ish) to meet Leonard back stage and get an autograph, a picture with him, plus a seat in the first ten rows of the concert? (the prices here exlude any flights/hotels costs also...!)

I just noticed this option available for certain performers and I was thinking firstly that paying to meet someone seems really daft and also would the 'meet and greet' not be/feel in some way awkward. (they have to be pleasant to you because you've paid to be there...mmh) What does anyone else think?

Hi burningviolin,

No. Such deals have a whorish/demeaning feel to them.

Yes it would be daft, yes it would be awkward, and yes I would.

Would it be different if the money was for charity?

burningviolin wrote:Would it be different if the money was for charity?

Yes, that would make it more palatable, but since to date I've been outbid on all of my attempts at buying LC's art in charity auctions, I''m all but guaranteed to lose this one as well

Probably, I would have to live on bread and water for a while though..

Interesting idea. I once tried to get meet and greet tickets for a Bryan Adams concert and failed. However these were priced at €130 which was only €40 more than normal admission and included a concert programme plus there were only a handful of such tickets so it wouldn't have been in a packed room. However my reasoning has since changed and not sure if I'd try for such tickets again as I do think those kind of meetings lack soul and as you say BV can be awkward. If the proceeds were going to charity though I would consider it once they weren't too overpriced. The meet and greets for Paul McCartney last year were over €1000 and while the people who bought them did get a hotel package and five course meal with champagne and a load of mechandise all the meet and greet involved was Macca coming into a room and posing for one photo with everyone together and then leaving without interacting with anyone. That is my idea of a complete rip off. I prefer being able to talk to the person in question and not just be a number in a room.

Although he was not my scene, a few years ago my mum went to a Daniel O'Donnel concert and after the concert she queued for about an hour and he gave every person in that queue over 5 minutes of his time to speak with him and have a picture taken with him. Apparently he was there till after midnight. This cost those fans nothing over what they paid for their tickets. No he is not as big as Macca or Leonard but this was at The Albert Hall for a full house.

He isn't my scene either but that is very impressive. He has a great relationship with his fans and even if I don't like his music I have to respect that.

That is impressive about Daniel O'D. Macca does sound like a bit of a rip off alright. I suppose you could turn it around and argue, why shouldn't the artist get paid to have to put up with folk 'drooling' all over them before they have to get on stage and give a concert?!! The slight awkwardness of the meeting and greeting being ofset by the nice little earner it is? Or maybe the extra money is going toward burly security people?! Should I even mention the other issue of paying to join fan clubs at this point? We're really spoiled here on the LC forum that it's all free.

Yes we are very lucky here as I am a member of U2.com and Backstage with Bonjovi and while the free merchandise more than covers the cost of the membership my reason for joining was to partake in fanclub pre-sales which we get for free here!

NO! NO! NO! The whole idea makes me cringe. We go to Leonard's concerts to listen to him..... he is an artist, not a prostitute.

Joy

burningviolin wrote:Would it be different if the money was for charity?

Hi,

If it was for charity, I'd find it less objectionable.

When, where and how much?

Hi Rain.

It sounds like you are getting desperate.