Inform me of Gold Badge Experience

[POZEST]

Hello everyone.

I have never been to a prog-power show before. I found this site online today as I did a search on a favorite band of mine and saw they would be performing at this show.

Based on previous experiences, could someone describe to me the typical cost of a Gold Badge(granted advance sales are already over with), what types of perks are granted, is a special viewing area set up for said ticket holders or do gold badge holders view the concert from the general admission area?etc.?

To give you examples of previous tour packages I have purchased:

ShowX Package: Official tour backpack, tour lanyard, pit pass, vip club access.

ShowY Package: Official tour shirt, guitar picks & drumsticks, pit pass.

ShowZ Package: Guitar pick for every band, tour lanyard, pit pass (main stage), vip club access, vip elevated platform for viewing bands(2nd stage)

I've left out the names of the actual festival/shows deliberately.

Thanks in advance for any information. I'll be making the trek to this show all the way from Los Angeles/Orange County.

Pozest

 

[mtndewqueen88]

I'm going to guess that you're going for Primal Fear, no? ;-)

I can't answer your question, but I'm sure someone else will. Welcome to the ProgPower community!

 

[Pellaz]

Gold Badge holders get to enter the venue an hour before regular ticket-holders, which can really mean a lot if you're trying to score a limited-run event t-shirt, a limited-availability at-show release (remember that Orphaned Land 7" vinyl, folks?), or want to be right in front on the barricade for the first band....or for the entire evening.

In previous years GB holders also had access to a VIP Room at the Pre-party, but this past September, this became an unfortunate casualty of the pre-party being moved to the main-stage.

GB holders are also automatically entered into a raffle at the main event with some pretty good prizes and at least a 30% chance of winning, I think.

Oh. You get a cool Gold Badge, too. There are no PPUSA lanyards, though. I'm kinda surprised Glenn hasn't done 'em. Yet.

After adding TicketBastard fees to the regular PP ticket price, a Gold Badge only costs about $10 more.

 

[DarkOne]

We also each get 5 minutes alone in the closet with Glenn

Steve in Philly

P.S. - For the most part, the perks from GBs are more intangible rather then physical (no waiting in lines, getting in early, etc). A direct email to the promoter will give you a better idea of your chances of picking up this limited ticket.

 

[MetalRose]

5 minutes? I've been gipped! I only got 3!

-MetalRose

 

[nailz]

Having experienced the Gold Badge last year, I have pretty much decided I will get one every year I attend, be it my own or from someone else.

There is, at last check, I believe... a 3 year waiting period for gold badges. Last year, the badge was actually green. What a rip!

 

[Harvester]

Another perk is being able to shop in the vendors room for a few hours prior to the doors open to the regular public. You are able to browse slowly, grab the rare stuff, return it to your hotel room, and be back at the venue before the doors open to the public.

 

[Rider of Theli]

GB holders are also automatically entered into a raffle at the main event with some pretty good prizes and at least a 30% chance of winning, I think.

it isn't 'automatic' ... this year you had to get to the venue hours before the show started in order to get your ticket. I suppose that's why there was a 30%(?) chance of winning this year: there were probably only about 30 out of 120 folks with a raffle ticket! I couldn't make it to the venue between 2PM and 3PM, which was the ONLY time the damn raffle table was set up (which I found out after I arrived at 4:30 on Friday). So much for that perk, eh?

It would be nice if it were an automatic process - having the gold badges individually numbered shouldn't be an issue. And then as you arrive, you get a random numbered badge and then you are automatically entered into a drawing. I wonder how much more trouble that would be than to have someone set up a table for a random hour without notice sometime before the show starts? :Smug:

After adding TicketBastard fees to the regular PP ticket price, a Gold Badge only costs about $10 more.

actually closer to 20 dollars more this year. But it's still pretty cool, as long as your schedule allows you to arrive early enough to enjoy the perks.

But I seriously don't mind paying a little more in order to enjoy the fest with all my new-found ProgPower friends. I consider it a perk to say that I help pay for the fest by offering a little more out of my own pocket. One of these days I'll be able to afford to be a sponsor as well.

 

[kittybeast]

To give you examples of previous tour packages I have purchased:

ShowX Package: Official tour backpack, tour lanyard, pit pass, vip club access.

ShowY Package: Official tour shirt, guitar picks & drumsticks, pit pass.

ShowZ Package: Guitar pick for every band, tour lanyard, pit pass (main stage), vip club access, vip elevated platform for viewing bands(2nd stage)

I've left out the names of the actual festival/shows deliberately.

Pozest

why did you leave out the festivals? If they were local I'd go with Ozzfest and Gigantour, can't think of any other offers like that in CA for shows.

You won't be alone coming from CA there are about 20-25 of us. Some in Nor Cal and some spread throughout So Cal. Welcome to the PP forum and 'METAL IS FOREVER!'

 

[Greykiller]

Another perk is being able to shop in the vendors room for a few hours prior to the doors open to the regular public. You are able to browse slowly, grab the rare stuff, return it to your hotel room, and be back at the venue before the doors open to the public.

This concerned me...I thought we only got in an hour early, and I showed up too late (an hour early!!) to get some of the stuff I wanted. Will you be telling us in a future email when the doors will really be open for us GB'rs?

 

[Jibrille]

I think you only get into the "ticket required" area of the theater an hour early. Vendors is pretty much open the majority of the day. I went in probably 2 hrs before the concert started w/o a gold badge.

 

[Harvester]

I I went in probably 2 hrs before the concert started w/o a gold badge.

Now that I am aware of that, it will no longer happen.

 

[Jibrille]

Now that I am aware of that, it will no longer happen.

This was at VI when the security was pretty lax and didn't seem to care much (like stopping people recording the show when they were told about it) so maybe it was just a one time thing. It seemed like everyone was strolling in and out of the vendor area and no one was checking for badges. Or maybe I'm just remembering the timing incorrectly. I DO remember getting so consumed at the tables that I ended up missing the first band w/o even realizing it.

 

[The Fiddler]

You will open the door to be greeted by a cleanly showered, cleanly shaven attractive and intelligent man robed in the finest flower-print silks money can buy. Margaritas and soft music ("...looking for my lost shaker of salt...") will help you to get comfortable. After entering, place your pre-counted donation in a white envelope on the counter where your host can see it. Don't hand it to him and certainly don't call it a "fee". Your donation is only for his time, companionship, and good taste for the finer things in life - especially music. What happens between two consenting adults after that point is their business and their business only. What happens in Atlanta stays in Atlanta.

Also, please leave your digital cameras, video cameras, and video phones at home. Your host's performance is not to be recorded and/or sold in any manner. Expect to be inspected for any potential legal or health issues before your experience can begin.

 

[Denis]

The vendor area this year was open to "anyone" before the gold badges were even being handed out. I hope that will not happen again since it is suppose to be one of the perks.

 

[Harvester]

The vendor area this year was open to "anyone" before the gold badges were even being handed out. I hope that will not happen again since it is suppose to be one of the perks.

It will not. I'm rather pissed to find this out.

 

[yardleybates]

Yippee had a nice email from Glenn that we received well before we left for Atlanta with all the days and times things would be going on like vendor shopping, badge pickup and so forth.

 

[DAVETHEMETALGUY]

did anyone say that GB folks get the festival dates before anyone else to allow them to get hotel rooms first??

 

[Petethedrummer]

Yeah Glenn, just to confirm what the other guys said, I had a Gold Badge, and at PP VI I was pissed to find many non-gold badge holders in the vendor area hours before the show started. When it was supposed to be GB Holders only.

It was still awesome anyway. And I got what I wanted. But I just figured I'd confirm what they were saying.

 

[Daybreaker]

Honestly this is how I see the Gold Badge. CONFIRMED ticket long before the regular ones go on sale. The early shopping deal. And you get to help out the event in a more direct fashion. Plus it makes for a cooler souveneir than a regular ticket. Granted a Gold Badge isnt as cool as tugjob from Keira Knightly but its a sweet deal that I'm not planning on giving up.