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September 3, 2007 8:16 PM

Music industry insight-filter: Help me get backstage? Identity withheld to protect people I know in biz. TMI within.

I'm trying to put myself and a friend in a situation at an upcoming show where we will be as likely as possible to meet the band.

The show is at a Hard Rock. I've met the Special Events Manager through previous dealings with the venue and plan on contacting him and using my feminine wiles to try to obtain some sort of press pass (I am a photographer and cute enough and want it bad). Also have a friend in the industry (not THAT in, unfortunately) who is trying to get me a working pass for the event. I imagine the working pass will get me more access, but I'm not sure.

I'm no groupie slut and this isn't a Van Halen show so shaking my te-tas at security staff isn't going to do me much good. I've been backstage and had passes at major shows before so I know how to behave in the situation when I get there, but my connections in this case are tenuous.

Any insider advice? If possible, I'd like to appear like less of a stalker in this attempt than I probably have to you readers in the preceding paragraphs.

Thankyouhaveaniceday. Also if anybody cares to privately respond, leave a message and I will e-mail.

posted by anonymous to Media & Arts (9 answers total)

I've had some moderate success with similar adventures; email me if you'd like.
posted by pineapple at 8:46 PM on September 3, 2007

Find out who the band uses for PR represenation. Contact them and say you are a phoographer and want to take pictures. They'll set you up.
posted by ludwig_van at 8:54 PM on September 3, 2007

Much of my photo work is music industry related so I may be able to help - who's the band? where? And I suppose more importantly, why? You've said its not a groupie slut / stalker thing, which is good... but I'm curious about your reasons. Feel free to email if you want to discuss it further!
posted by blaneyphoto at 8:55 PM on September 3, 2007

Volunteering as an arts reporter at my student newspaper was enough to get me into most gigs back in the day (I had a lengthy interview with They Might Be Giants), so surely you must have enough pull as a professional photographer to get in somehow by "covering" this as a story for a local newspaper or something. You might even get paid. However, my thirty-something self kind of wonders what all the fuss was about, trying to get backstage...
posted by KokuRyu at 9:18 PM on September 3, 2007

You can meet bands without getting backstage; in fact, it's usually so crowded backstage that you don't get much one-on-one time with the band members. I've always had my best success at hotels. (No, I am not a groupie, I've never had sex with any of the rockers I've met, I was just there for autographs and photos and for the "Guess who I met" bragging rights.) I've met members of many very famous groups at hotel bars. Do your homework. What are the most upscale hotels in your area? During the afternoon of the show, check them out and look for tour buses in the parking lot (often tucked away in the rear of the building). Once you've determined where the band is staying, head there after the show. Get a seat in the lounge/bar and wait. Dress like you're a hotel guest, don't wear a logo T-shirt and jeans. Band members almost always stop by the hotel bar after a gig, even if they're not thirsty. Even if they don't you'll surely know when they arrive to head to their rooms (there will be a small flurry of activity) and you can catch them in the lobby or elevator.
posted by Oriole Adams at 10:22 PM on September 3, 2007 [1 favorite]

Depending on how famous this band is, it may be easiest to get in touch with the band. The only time I've ever been backstage (at the House of Blues in Hollywood), it was because I'd been corresponding for several months with the band's guitarist. Obviously this may or may not be feasible for you.
posted by crinklebat at 10:48 PM on September 3, 2007

If cash is a viable option (how bad do you want to be there?) its pretty much a fail-safe. The trick is to get it to them in a way that no one will notice. I had been saving up fun money for the RATM show I went to recently and it got me into a pretty sweet spot to watch the show from. I couldn't stay to hang with the band after, and it probably would have cost me more, but I'm just saying - 40,000 person show and it got me there. (I don't have te-ta's to shake but I'd imagine they don't hurt, combined with the $$$).
posted by allkindsoftime at 6:14 AM on September 4, 2007

I've met medium-sized bands at smaller shows by figuring out where they load their van and waiting around there after the performance is over.
posted by croutonsupafreak at 1:29 PM on September 4, 2007

Email me. Depending on the show and the venue, I might be able to help.
posted by klangklangston at 4:07 PM on September 4, 2007