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Permalink Reply by Tania D on August 2, 2012 at 4:10pm

 I was also at opening night in Charlotte. Thought the concert was amazing!! I felt disappointed like everyone else over the change in protocol for the M&G event. It was unorganized, event staff were abrupt when asked questions and I agree that some were completely rude!! They know who they are. I have to say I am still thrilled that I got to meet the band, they were nice, however brief. I toted a California 37 wine label I took excrutiating care not to tear, so it could be signed. I'm still happy to have a poster signed and although not as personal...how cool is that!!! I'm glad Artist Arena changed the protocol for future meet and greets. If that's what is expected, I don't think fans will have a hard time with feeling things weren't just right or they were ripped off in some way. In defense of the band, I just wanted to remind everyone they don't profit from the meet and greets. The money goes to charity for families and children hospitalized away from home that are dealing with way more than we could ever imagine! So, personally, I was glad I got handshakes and smiles and am grateful that I'm healthy enough to dance and sing to live music that makes me feel so happy. It's just perspective, I guess. P.S. Glad our photo turned out well and was posted.

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Permalink Reply by Jamie H. on August 2, 2012 at 5:36pm

VERY well said! :)

Tania D said:

 I was also at opening night in Charlotte. Thought the concert was amazing!! I felt disappointed like everyone else over the change in protocol for the M&G event. It was unorganized, event staff were abrupt when asked questions and I agree that some were completely rude!! They know who they are. I have to say I am still thrilled that I got to meet the band, they were nice, however brief. I toted a California 37 wine label I took excrutiating care not to tear, so it could be signed. I'm still happy to have a poster signed and although not as personal...how cool is that!!! I'm glad Artist Arena changed the protocol for future meet and greets. If that's what is expected, I don't think fans will have a hard time with feeling things weren't just right or they were ripped off in some way. In defense of the band, I just wanted to remind everyone they don't profit from the meet and greets. The money goes to charity for families and children hospitalized away from home that are dealing with way more than we could ever imagine! So, personally, I was glad I got handshakes and smiles and am grateful that I'm healthy enough to dance and sing to live music that makes me feel so happy. It's just perspective, I guess. P.S. Glad our photo turned out well and was posted.

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Permalink Reply by Jeff Pollock on August 2, 2012 at 5:41pm

Please keep contacting the band about this. They need to know what is going on. We know Axle Rose got a bad rep and look how that turned out. Don't think these guys want to go down like that.

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Permalink Reply by New England Guy on August 2, 2012 at 5:58pm

The main beef from fans who have attended Meet and Greets in the past is that these new ones are a shell of their former selves. When folks signed up for this years events (like myself) we expected them to run as they have ALWAYS run in the past. Then after they have your money, you get blindsided by the news that the meetings have been reduced to 30 seconds and that you cannot get anything signed.  Had this been said earlier, I know I would taken a pass on them.  

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Permalink Reply by Sarah Lowe on August 2, 2012 at 6:42pm

Our photo is up -- and it's blurry.  : ( 

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Permalink Reply by Kimmy24 on August 2, 2012 at 7:03pm

I attended the Charlotte Meet and Greet and have to say I was extremely disappointed.  This was my 4th Meet and Greet (including one that was completely free due to a radio station friend taking me backstage) and this one was NOTHING like the previous three.  The other 3 Meet and Greets were at least 2-3 minutes long per person/group.  We used our own camera to take 2 or 3 pictures, had whatever we wanted signed (some people had multiple items signed and presented the band with gifts) and we were able to have multiple conversations with all 3 of the band members.   The attitude of their tour manager this time was unbelievable.  Being threatened to have our picture deleted if we even dared to ask the band to sign anything was totally ridiculous.  Didn't we pay to be here?  It's not like HE was doing US a favor by letting us backstage after the concert!  Also we hardly had time to even get into place and smile before CLICK of the camera.  Then it was over and we were being shuffled off.  The entire experience was maybe 17-20 seconds.  Although the pictures were posted today (finally) the pictures are not high quality resolution and aren't suitable for printing.  It's very sad to pay that much money for a Meet and Greet and experience these results.  I felt really bad for the people who brought large items (such as guitars and big posters) to be signed and then the Event Staff wouldn't even let them return the items to their car after they realized they couldn't ask the band to sign their item. 

I have emailed Artist Arena to complain and they have acknowledged they are aware of the issue and "have made changes to the process" which I'm sure explains the new Meet and Greet emails they are now sending.  I honestly have to say I feel sorry for anyone who has purchased a future Meet and Greet package if their experience is anything like the one I experienced.  I think even if that had been my first Meet and Greet with Train, I would have been upset and disappointed because in the past, I've met bands backstage bigger in the music world than Train and these bands spent a lot of time with the fans, signing anything pushed in front of them, and having long conversations with fans. 

I agree with one previous person who stated it is their tour manager/staff not Train that are causing this unrest among the fans.  The look on Pat's face as we were being rushed through (because both he and Scott acknowledged they remembered us from the two Meet and Greets last year but he was cut off during his comment by the tour manager yelling to get in place for the picture) was a little sad as if he felt bad we were being rushed so much.  I will say I was outraged with Jimmy's response to Pam's Tweet.  That kind of attitude does nothing for the loyal fans that support them by purchasing concert tickets, merchandise and music.  I have been a Train fan since 1997 when they used to play at small venues but I can honestly say I will think twice about buying a Meet and Greet again.  Might even think twice about going to future concerts if the attitude of certain band members isn't reflecting what I feel is the true depiction of the band.  Train has always come across as gracious and caring especially concerning the fans.  I will be interested in seeing if Pat ever acknowledges the fan's disgust and concerns. 

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Permalink Reply by Charlene0822 on August 3, 2012 at 12:16am

I just want to say I am so excited to see the M&G pics up! I have a very happy daughter now :)  Thank you Train for getting them up!

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Permalink Reply by Hannah King on August 3, 2012 at 4:36am

Alright you guys, it's over! I guess they got fed up. I DMed them and this was my reply:

 

Please assure everyone that I will reimburse them personally if they'd rather not come. Let me know. Also, assure them that because of all of this, we will be making this the last tour we ever do fan club meet and greet. Thank you. Pat

 

Now I feel like the jerk that ruined it.

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Permalink Reply by Amy B on August 3, 2012 at 8:00am

Wow.  

But honestly, Pat's reply makes me feel really sad.  I've been fans of bands before who really didn't give two craps about their fans.  I have never felt this way with Train.  To me they are an anomaly.  They really try to connect with their fans.  Via this site, Twitter, Pat's blog, even onstage and yes, the meet and greets.  This is the first tour I have ever done one, and now seemingly it was my one and only chance to do it, unless they come back to Toronto on this tour.  Granted I did not have the same experience (it seems) as everyone here has talked about, but maybe I looked at it differently.  Honestly, I didn't care as much about the autograph as I did about saying "Hi and thank you" to Pat, Jimmy and Scott.  Which I did.  And I have a fantastic picture to prove it.  That two minutes meant everything to me, and I'm sure it does to many, many others.  The autographed poster was more like a bonus than anything.  Do you know how many people would give their eye teeth to have that two minutes with their favourite band just to be able to say thank you or hello?  They sure would not be complaining about whose camera took the photo or whether the autograph was signed right in front of them.  There are people who will never, ever get the chance to thank the bands they love for what they've given them, so really as Train fans we are really lucky. 

I'm sad that I may never get that chance again.  And please don't misunderstand me, I'm not throwing blame to anyone, because I completely agree that people have the right to be upset about whatever they feel they should be.  I'm just sad to see the M&G's possibly come to an end because of things that maybe could have been straightened out in a better way.

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Permalink Reply by Christena Anderson on August 3, 2012 at 10:45am

I am reposting this here...my response this morning too Pat's latest blog "Wildflowers" perhaps people that have read it should go back with fresh eyes and re-read it and those haven't read it...go read it.

I am writing with a bleary uncaffeinated brain so I hope this makes sense. Last night before sleep I was thinking about your last blog and then thinking about some of the negativity that has been swarming. For some reason I delayed responding and now I know why I think. 

Through all this new, fabulous, craziness thank you for reminding us where your heart is. Change is tough, even if it's good change for the most part. I love all the things that have come from this band the music, memories and friendships, everything has swirled together into some of the most perfect experiences I've had. I appreciate and treasure the M&G's and the Aftershows, the conversations and hugs from everyone. I love knowing who you are as people, and would still want to know that famous or not. You all try so hard to find ways to reach out and single out fans as individuals and make them feel special and included with personal tweets and FB comments, I've never known a band that does that regularly. With this global explosion we need to all understand that change is inevitable and if I don't get too give hugs and love in person as often, know that I'm somewhere in the crowd at a show flinging it toward the stage and sending it through cyberspace....like now..Love, Hugs and Peace... From a fellow Wildflower ~C~

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Permalink Reply by Deborah Fontana on August 3, 2012 at 10:53am

love you Pat!!! Your music has got me through some of the hardest times in my life, You have always been there for me when i felt so alone

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Permalink Reply by New England Guy on August 3, 2012 at 10:56am

No Hannah,you did not ruin it.  When you oversell something, (like selling far too many Meet and Greets than time allows), everyone gets a smaller piece of the pie.  This can be salvaged if Train limited the M & G to 20-30 per show. If you get shut out of tickets, then you wait until next year. Simply not doing them anymore is the easy way out, but perhaps not the correct way.  They had the right formula in the past that seemed to work, and with their growing popularity, tried to accommodate too many fans this summer. Just make that one change by selling less M & G tickets, and the problem is solved.  Just sayin...

Hannah King said:

Alright you guys, it's over! I guess they got fed up. I DMed them and this was my reply:

 

Please assure everyone that I will reimburse them personally if they'd rather not come. Let me know. Also, assure them that because of all of this, we will be making this the last tour we ever do fan club meet and greet. Thank you. Pat

 

Now I feel like the jerk that ruined it.

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