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AVA: The VIP Experience


Mau5

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Alright kiddies, so I promised you that I would give the first and actual detailed account on what happened within the soundcheck/VIP experience, and as promised, here it goes:

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Beginning with the line up, soundcheck and VIP was horribly executed to begin with. There was no sort of organization, and no one from soundcheck/VIP came out to check off who we were until about 3:45 (VIP was supposed to arrive at 2:30). So if there is anything I can promise, there is a lot of disorganization between the venue and the actual promises of AVA. However, that could work out to benefit you!

After the long process of waiting, and a modlife member checking off who was VIP and soundcheck (they give out different wristbands), the VIP's and soundchecks got to go in. They decided that they would hold soundcheck first, and then the "VIP" experience after. The VIP's (including myself) got to go into the venue, which was about 30 of us, and got to stand alongside the band on stage. I was literally about a foot away from Atom, and we were able to talk a bit. Then, the soundcheck people proceeded to come in, and got to watch the band preform from the pit, whereas the VIP people were on stage. As I said, it seemed very disorganized, and a lot of people did not know what was going on. The band then began to chit chat, and ended up talking to us as well as playing Young London, Call To Arms, and then ended with Breathe. The band did go down and shake and high five everyones hand in Soundcheck, but didn't stop by for pictures or much, except to say hi and everything. After this, the soundcheck members were escorted out of the venue, whereas the VIP were directed to form a lineup of sorts along the venue pit and side walls. We did not have a "tour of backstage" (though, I'm not sure our venue even had a backstage), and so we did as we were told.

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AVA ended up dispersing among the crowd, signing and talking to each individual member of VIP. Each person was able to have an in depth conversation with each member, and everyone was able to have as much time as they needed to get their pictures and everything signed. In this process, everyone was handed a decent sized poster of the band (their "LOVE" picture), as well as the CD of Love, with no added music, but with an "official" CD (the CD looks as if it were their real CD) as well as a slip-in cover with the back and front fully decorated as if it were a CD in itself. Both these posters and CD were followed by each member individually signing them for you, and as well as taking a picture, signing anything else you had for them to sign (in my case, I had my ES-333 Epiphone guitar), and as well stopped to chat with you. Each member was extremely nice.

First, Matt started it off, after talking to about 10 VIP members, made our way towards us. He began to talk to me, and easily made conversation (at one point, my girlfriend dropped her CD, and made a weird noise, where Matt then said "Don't worry, I make those weird noises all the time. We communicate amongst the band like that". He then began to make weird noises at Tom, and Tom looked completely creeped out and confused. Then, Matt was talking about some weird fan who didn't have anything for him to sign, and I mentioned the 30STM bomb scare. He laughed about it, said it was pretty creepy, and he made a few jokes about it, signed the things I wanted to be signed, took a few pictures, and moved on.

David was the next member who came and met up with us. Right away, I asked him about his "Modcam" before our  VIP experience (he apparently broadcasted "Live" before this). He told me how it didn't work again, and it must be that the camera doesn't like his face or his features. I asked him what was up, seriously, and a lot of people were really pissed off. He felt really bad about everything it seemed, and said that the modlife servers couldn't stand all the bandwidth being sent through it, and that it was always fucking up now that everyone was trying to access the webcam talk at once. He said they were trying to get people to fix it, and that in the end he felt extremely horrible that the webcam was shitting out for everyone, and said that it was fucked up. He then signed my guitar, took some pictures, and then started cracking some random jokes.

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Up next was Tom. Tom began to do some random shit, like rub Matt's head, and he was EXTREMELY comfortable with everyone (I expected him to be running through everything and not really talking to anyone). He did the exact opposite, and like everyone else, he stood by and chatted with everyone he came to contact with (everyone stood in line waiting, so it was very controlled). When he came by, he signed my guitar (not just a T, he actually signed the full signature and began to draw on my guitar spaceships and rockets), and he was making a lot of jokes with everyone around me. I then told him how me and my gf met at blink this summer, and he was very genuine, and said "Holy shit, that's awesome. Blink is fucking spreading the love. Use protection you two!"  Then after, he took a picture with us, and shook our hands, and kept thanking us for supporting Angels and for coming out to the show and VIP.

Atom was last, which Tom made fun of him for and called him a fucking ass for slacking off. Atom came by, same routine and took pictures with every person and signed everything. He stood by for the guy beside me for about 5 pictures, because his camera kept fucking up. At one point, he made a joke while signing everything and said "Do you believe in abbreviations?" to my girlfriend, who isn't the biggest AVA fan, and she just said "Sometimes". He then said, "Fuck, so much for my joke" I laughed, and told him that it was clever. He signed everything, made a few more jokes, took pictures, and then was on his way.

After everyone met with everyone, I realized that I forgot to get one of my blink pictures of Tom signed. Tom was hanging around the set, where everyone was allowed to just chill and talk for a bit, and I decided to go up to Tom. Tom was talking to one of his roadies, and he saw me waiting by for him to finish. He cut the roadie off, and waved me over. He asked whatsup, I told him I forgot to get something signed and if he could sign it, and he started laughing and said of course. He signed the poster, and then I asked him about a new movie coming out and whether he was going to see it (The Hubble Space Telescope in 3D). He got all excited and went off how he was going to see it in the next coming days, and then started to talk about how stoked he was for getting a day off to see it. After talking a little bit, he said thanks again for coming, and I took that as if I should probably get going as everyone was being escorted out of the building. After that, Tom waved to everyone (the rest of the band had went back to wherever backstage was), and told everyone not to cum on anybody.

As we were escorted out, we were given asked what t-shirt size we were. Everyone got the same tour t-shirt, with no decision in what we wanted besides the size, and we were all escorted out of the venue, where we had an hour to hang around (VIP's and soundcheck were placed in a line that would be let in the venue first).

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After this of course, we were allowed back into the venue, and Say Anything preformed about an hour in. It was really rad, there was no security pit, so literally there was the stage and then people right up against it. I was able to get front row, and I was literally a foot away from the bands playing. I got to highfive the lead singer of Say Anything quite a few times, he stole my hat (and gave it back), and spat in some girls face accidently. Say Anything was continually interacting with the fans, and put on an amazing live show. They all enjoyed the time they had on stage, played a 10-song set, and continually thanks AVA and repeatedly say how nice they were to them. They proceeded to have a fun time on stage, despite the limited time and space set, but made sure the fans were having a good time. It was awesome.

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During the AVA show, Tom gave me props (no one else got it, I just happened to get lucky because I was about a foot taller than everyone), and people started crowd surfing onto the stage. At one point, some kid got flung into Tom (since there were no bouncers near that could catch someone), and ended up full out kicking Tom's guitar during "Epic Holiday". People got on stage, patted Tom on the back, ran around, and Tom and the rest of the band didn't really react negatively. At one point, some guy ran up and hugged Tom, and Tom started laughing. However, near the end, Tom started fingering people going on stage, because it was obvious people were trying to get crowd surfed on stage and they were landing on the effects pedals and unplugging shit accidentally. Also, it was interesting to note that Tom needed a "Lyrics Sheet" for Love Like Rockets (lyrics were posted on the ground for him), and he fucked up on the singing while looking down. Anyways, I have pictures and videos of the show, but as for tonight, i'll only post the video I uploaded of "Love Like Rockets/The Adventure", since it's the only "Full Song" I have of theirs.

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Although I got no pics of the merch, this is what I remember it as (Canadian Prices):

DIFMN Pin (Wings): $5

Free Masons AVA Pin: $5

AVA Wrist Band: $5

"The Poet": $20

Multi-Colored Moon-Man Poster: $30

Various AVA T-Shirts (Nothing great): $30

AVA Hoodie: $60

The T-Shirts consisted of a tour T-Shirt (the picture of all them shadowed and playing "their" instruments, with the cities on the back), a "Love" t-shirt, and then just random AVA shirts that weren't anything special at all. The AVA hoodie is pretty rad, a bunch of AVA shit on the front with VVVVVV going down the chest to the bottom, and the AVA Freemasons logo with Moon Atomic lyrics on the back. Quality is like all their other old hoodies.

Anyways, if anyone has specific questions, I'll be glad to answer them. As well, if anyone wants me to post some pictures of soundcheck or the show, I'll be glad to do that. I hoped that helped everyone, because there's been shit all for information, and in the end I'd reccomend any "AVA" or Tom fan to get VIP. However, I really think that each VIP experience is completely based on the venue, because the whole thing seemed disorganized. But what I can say is, the band seemed totally dedicated to the VIP stuff. Each band member full out gave a "real" signature (i.e. Tom drew a space ship and a planet, and also drew his new "Tom" sticker signature, not just a crappy 'T' ), and each member full out would have a conversation with you and not rush anything. It was not like an ordinary Meet and Greet, and they seemed really stoked and genuine about the whole thing, trying to make everyone happy, even the fucking weirdo fans.

Update: Here are pictures of the free stuff we got, and as well of the things I got signed

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So, hoped this helped, and here is two videos from the show I managed to upload tonight:

Part of Call To Arms (Soundcheck)

Love Like Rockets/Start The Machine Interlude into the Adventure

Added: Hallucinations

(Videos may not work right away, apparently they're still being processed.)

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Cool review.

Sounds like they delivered on what they promised.

I guess the bottomline is if you think that's worth $100, you'll do it, if not you won't. To me it doesn't sound all that different than what you got for $20 back in 2008 (minus a few extra perks), but whatever.

That's actually pretty incredible that there was no security fence and people were just allowed up onstage. That kind of stuff has been virtually unheard of since the 1990's. You are VERY lucky to have had no security fence.

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Yeah, cool review, kinda like a perfect substitute for the real thing.

Did you mention somewhere which venue you attended or are they touring Canada now?

The whole thing sounds awfully structured, especially from the band's perspective. If I were in Tom's position, I'd prefer to interact with fans spontaneously but he's got financial considerations in mind.

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Yeah, cool review, kinda like a perfect substitute for the real thing.

Did you mention somewhere which venue you attended or are they touring Canada now?

The whole thing sounds awfully structured, especially from the band's perspective. If I were in Tom's position, I'd prefer to interact with fans spontaneously but he's got financial considerations in mind.

He use to do that. See the video I took below back in 2006. He sat out there for hours talking with anyone who walked up. Now he sees he can make $100 a pop doing the samething. Honestly, I wouldn't mind meeting Tom again, I easily got $100 as well, but on principle I refuse. Plus, I would be the oldest person there and feel like a pedophile. Also I don't like their music and ultimetely it is about the music (at least for me).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=465ZAS4BNFw#

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Nice write up dude.  Personally, I'm not going to pay $100 to meet some guys in a band, but it seems like a good experience for those who want to go through with it.

AVA should be at my school all day though on Monday, I walk by where the tour buses park all the time.  I'm hoping I might run into one of the guys during the day.

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