So, for those who have done the VIP Experience for this Spring Tour, how was it?! Did you have fun? Did you learn new things about the show you never would have known before? Did you keep track of how many times they check their phones during breaks?
I did the VIP experience in Ithaca, NY, on April 10. I finally have a break and can tell some stories!
It's funny you ask about keeping track of how many times they check their phones, because they do that a lot. I still have this image of Damian, during Needing/Getting, holding the bleep machine under his right arm, playing the tambourine with the same arm, and texting on his phone with his left hand, WHILE HE'S SINGING. Like he doesn't even have to think about the lyrics, at least not during sound check.
Downtown Ithaca has a couple of guitar shops, a modest one next to the venue and a nicer one down the street. Damian was telling Andy about the nicer one - "I didn't touch anything, though, because I knew I'd fall in love, and there was nothing there less than thirty thousand." ($30,000 seems incredible now, so maybe he said "three" thousand, but I can't be sure.)
They were testing some prototypes of either lights or projectors at this sound check, and something wasn't quite right with the timing during White Knuckles, so they played it over and over. It's a good thing I like that song, because I would have been sick of it. I still don't know if they fixed the issue or not. They may have just run out of time. As with the sound check in Louisville last September, I was struck by how technical this show is and how much time they spend trying to get it perfect.
I got to see Damian figure out his position for Last Leaf and practice it. This is always tricky in a fixed-seat auditorium, because he has to stand on the armrests. Here's a picture. I would have felt odd going around to the front or side, so you have him from the back, where I was sitting.
With me were my brother and sister-in-law. Also at VIP/sound check was a guy named Stephen who's been a fan since the "Get Over It" days and had seen them at the one-off Alfred University show a couple years ago. A young woman named Melody (I think) said this was her first OK Go show. I was impressed that she sprang for VIP at her first show. There was another couple who I didn't meet.
I have more to share, but that's all I have time for today.
I'd like to hear from others who did VIP - anyone want to share?
That's an awesome shot! Thanks for sharing your VIP experience. Especially the bit about texting during Needing/Getting. I don't doubt Damian's ability to multitask (multi-text?), but I don't know how he does it.
I did the VIP on April 7th in Toronto. There were 6 VIP ticket holders (including myself and my friend Vittoria)
They did check their phones a lot during soundcheck, but no more than I do (I have a social media problem! lol) They were having technical issues with the cameras for Get Over It and played it about 257 times. They played the intros for a few other songs but not the whole thing. Sound check went late so meet & greet was a bit rushed but that didn't matter at all I was just so happy to meet the guys, it's great that they make time in their hectic schedule to say hello. :) They were all very sweet and all 4 took pics with fans together. Andy was sick and conserving his voice, Dan was a sweetheart and gave me drumsticks for my 5-year-old who aspires to be a drummer like him one day. Tim was also lovely and talked about their busy schedule, Damian was busy talking to other VIP's during the meet & greet portion, and before I knew it the guys were rushing off for an interview and I hadn't given them my gift (or talked to Damian), so I ran after them and they stopped. I gave them a Toronto cross stitch I made (which Damian later posted on Instagram), they signed my Thingamagoop and a piece of aida cloth for me to embroider. Damian chatted with me about building the thingamagoop and my art (he remembered and loved my globe video) for a quick sec but they had to scoot. They took my cross stitch with them for their interview at M3 and even talked about it on air, so I guess they must have really liked it. Also, although I can't be certain, I'm pretty sure this concert tee was made specifically for me! http://erinmcmom.tumblr.com/post/115877868839/day-28-of-my-ok-go-shirt-of-the-day-series-i
The show was everything I've dreamed about for over 10 years. I cried as the confetti came down for the first time, felt like a total idiot, but was SO happy to be there FINALLY! Damian even mentioned my cross stitch from the stage during the show and called me out by name to answer a question about it! I was in the centre of the front row and made it up onto the stage at the end. I also went to the DJ set/after party, which was very chill and laid back.
I can't wait till OK Go returns to Toronto (or at least to NY or Detroit, I'll road trip)! It was truly one of the best days of my entire life and made up for 10 years of bad timing and bad luck with respect to concerts!
I did the VIP experience April 4th in St. Louis. It was a great experience, but like @EMc2 said, it felt a bit rushed. There were quite a few people in there with us (at least 10) and almost all of them had very small children with them, except for two VERY inebriated young ladies. Pretty much, there was a good variety of fans, lol. They didn't really play much. They worked on There's A Fire quite a bit, N/G, did a little bit of WK(which didn't even get played at the show) and of course Last Leaf. The visiting part was really good. It was the first time I had ever got to meet Andy, so that was an incredibly wonderful moment to finally know how genuinely nice and funny he is! Dan and Tim were great, as always, and we didn't really get to talk to Damian much, as the inebriated girls tried to keep his attention. Still, it was an amazing experience that I would gladly do again in a heartbeat.
I did the April 3rd VIP in Chicago. Mainly because I knew that in all likelihood I would not see any of the guys after the show because it's Chicago. Also, I wanted to get a group picture with them because I didn't get one when I did the VIP back in September.
Since I saw that the VIP for Chicago was sold out, I was expecting to see about 10-15 other VIPs. Instead there were about 25-30 high schoolers as guests of Dan. They were from his alma mater. And then there was Dan's family. I think there were 10-15 of them. So, it was a pretty full Soundcheck. And the VIPs were the last ones to get into the venue. Which was fine as there was no one standing by the stage.
IIRC Dan was already onstage as he was probably talking with the high schoolers. Andy and Damian were next to make it onstage. They were going to start to check levels, but Tim was missing. It took about 5 minutes for Tim to show up after they realized he wasn't there. They went through some of the light and sound cues. They played DWYW, N/G, and GOI all the way through. Actually, I think they played GOI 2 or 3 times. After playing DWYW we had clapped. Damian commented that we didn't need to as it wasn't a real show yet. They also had us help with There's A Fire, but just the clap and stomp.
I think Damian had left his phone somewhere and had to go get it before they could run There's A Fire. So Tim had gone and sat down behind the drum kit. This is what they looked like for the run through. I think aross got the iPhone 6 Plus.
After that, the VIPs were mostly ushered down stairs. We didn't get to see Damian check Last Leaf, though we could hear it downstairs where we were waiting for the meet n greet.
I will probably do another VIP if they're offered on their next tour. It's just really nice to talk with the guys.
Comments
Please let us know about your VIP Experience!
It's funny you ask about keeping track of how many times they check their phones, because they do that a lot. I still have this image of Damian, during Needing/Getting, holding the bleep machine under his right arm, playing the tambourine with the same arm, and texting on his phone with his left hand, WHILE HE'S SINGING. Like he doesn't even have to think about the lyrics, at least not during sound check.
Downtown Ithaca has a couple of guitar shops, a modest one next to the venue and a nicer one down the street. Damian was telling Andy about the nicer one - "I didn't touch anything, though, because I knew I'd fall in love, and there was nothing there less than thirty thousand." ($30,000 seems incredible now, so maybe he said "three" thousand, but I can't be sure.)
They were testing some prototypes of either lights or projectors at this sound check, and something wasn't quite right with the timing during White Knuckles, so they played it over and over. It's a good thing I like that song, because I would have been sick of it. I still don't know if they fixed the issue or not. They may have just run out of time. As with the sound check in Louisville last September, I was struck by how technical this show is and how much time they spend trying to get it perfect.
I got to see Damian figure out his position for Last Leaf and practice it. This is always tricky in a fixed-seat auditorium, because he has to stand on the armrests. Here's a picture. I would have felt odd going around to the front or side, so you have him from the back, where I was sitting.
With me were my brother and sister-in-law. Also at VIP/sound check was a guy named Stephen who's been a fan since the "Get Over It" days and had seen them at the one-off Alfred University show a couple years ago. A young woman named Melody (I think) said this was her first OK Go show. I was impressed that she sprang for VIP at her first show. There was another couple who I didn't meet.
I have more to share, but that's all I have time for today.
I'd like to hear from others who did VIP - anyone want to share?
They did check their phones a lot during soundcheck, but no more than I do (I have a social media problem! lol)
They were having technical issues with the cameras for Get Over It and played it about 257 times. They played the intros for a few other songs but not the whole thing. Sound check went late so meet & greet was a bit rushed but that didn't matter at all I was just so happy to meet the guys, it's great that they make time in their hectic schedule to say hello. :)
They were all very sweet and all 4 took pics with fans together. Andy was sick and conserving his voice, Dan was a sweetheart and gave me drumsticks for my 5-year-old who aspires to be a drummer like him one day. Tim was also lovely and talked about their busy schedule, Damian was busy talking to other VIP's during the meet & greet portion, and before I knew it the guys were rushing off for an interview and I hadn't given them my gift (or talked to Damian), so I ran after them and they stopped. I gave them a Toronto cross stitch I made (which Damian later posted on Instagram), they signed my Thingamagoop and a piece of aida cloth for me to embroider. Damian chatted with me about building the thingamagoop and my art (he remembered and loved my globe video) for a quick sec but they had to scoot.
They took my cross stitch with them for their interview at M3 and even talked about it on air, so I guess they must have really liked it.
Also, although I can't be certain, I'm pretty sure this concert tee was made specifically for me!
http://erinmcmom.tumblr.com/post/115877868839/day-28-of-my-ok-go-shirt-of-the-day-series-i
The show was everything I've dreamed about for over 10 years. I cried as the confetti came down for the first time, felt like a total idiot, but was SO happy to be there FINALLY! Damian even mentioned my cross stitch from the stage during the show and called me out by name to answer a question about it! I was in the centre of the front row and made it up onto the stage at the end.
I also went to the DJ set/after party, which was very chill and laid back.
I can't wait till OK Go returns to Toronto (or at least to NY or Detroit, I'll road trip)! It was truly one of the best days of my entire life and made up for 10 years of bad timing and bad luck with respect to concerts!
Sorry if I rambled incoherently during this post. I still haven't bent my mind completely around what this evening meant to me. :)
Pictures are on my tumblr:
http://erinmcmom.tumblr.com/post/115836964339/ok-go-in-toronto-one-of-the-best-nights-of-my
http://erinmcmom.tumblr.com/post/115837440104/is-this-real-life-post-2-of-2
http://erinmcmom.tumblr.com/post/115902638649/my-concert-goodies-i-got-my-thingamagoop-signed
Since I saw that the VIP for Chicago was sold out, I was expecting to see about 10-15 other VIPs. Instead there were about 25-30 high schoolers as guests of Dan. They were from his alma mater. And then there was Dan's family. I think there were 10-15 of them. So, it was a pretty full Soundcheck. And the VIPs were the last ones to get into the venue. Which was fine as there was no one standing by the stage.
IIRC Dan was already onstage as he was probably talking with the high schoolers. Andy and Damian were next to make it onstage. They were going to start to check levels, but Tim was missing. It took about 5 minutes for Tim to show up after they realized he wasn't there. They went through some of the light and sound cues. They played DWYW, N/G, and GOI all the way through. Actually, I think they played GOI 2 or 3 times. After playing DWYW we had clapped. Damian commented that we didn't need to as it wasn't a real show yet. They also had us help with There's A Fire, but just the clap and stomp.
I think Damian had left his phone somewhere and had to go get it before they could run There's A Fire. So Tim had gone and sat down behind the drum kit. This is what they looked like for the run through. I think aross got the iPhone 6 Plus.
After that, the VIPs were mostly ushered down stairs. We didn't get to see Damian check Last Leaf, though we could hear it downstairs where we were waiting for the meet n greet.
I will probably do another VIP if they're offered on their next tour. It's just really nice to talk with the guys.