How to Get the Most Out of Attending a Country Music Concert or Event

By Sadie Ruge

The world of country music is filled with lots of great concerts, and lots of opportunities to meet the artists...you just need to know how and where to find them. Here are a few tips from an experienced country music fan that may help you on your quest to meet the stars!

Preparing to attend a concert

Fan Clubs

If you are a fan of a particular artist or group, it is a good idea to become a member of the artist fan club, as in many cases, the fan club offers:

• discounts on tickets and concert merchandise
• advance ticket sales
• meet and greet opportunities

Although fan club membership applications are often available at the concert site, you must become a member of the fan club before the concert to be able to take advantage of these benefits.

Getting good seats at the concert

Keep an eye out for concert advertisements especially if the concert is a venue smaller than a stadium. In these cases tickets often go on sale the minute the venue starts advertising, and the seats closest to the stage are usually the first to sell. Larger venues such as stadiums will most often advertise in advance with a date and time that the tickets will go on sale.

When in line for the meet and greet

If you are fortunate enough to obtain a meet and greet (or backstage) pass, it is best to arrive at the venue at least an hour before the concert begins. This will give you time to check with the worker at the merchandise counter to see when and where the meet and greet will be taking place. It is also a good idea to take this opportunity to purchase any concert memorabilia at this point in order to avoid crowds and be able to purchase items before they sell out.

You won't have much time to spend with the artist, so it is best to prepare as much as possible before it is your turn to speak to them.

• make sure your camera is in proper working order with enough film.
• have in hand the item you wish to have autographed as well as a Sharpie permanent marker
• Try to think of something original to say. Compliments on their music are appreciated, but it's the personal stories you have that relate to their music tend to be the most meaningful.
• Remember that they are people just like you, so it is best to treat them like you would everyone else.

Attending a Country Music Event Such as Fan Fair

Fan Fair is an annual 4-day event held in Nashville each summer allowing fans to meet their favorite stars and attend concerts, and it is most often the one event where fans wish that they could be a million places at once.

• Make travel arrangements at least six months in advance; purchase airline and event tickets as soon as possible.
• Decide as soon as possible whom you want to meet while at Fan Fair.
• Dress for the weather. Nashville in June gets pretty toasty!

Once you arrive at Fan Fair, it is best to obtain a map of the event grounds and determine the location of the fan club booths you wish to visit. Then, just like at concerts, you will want to arrive as early as possible, purchase the artist memorabilia, and prepare for the meet and greet using the previously discussed hints with a few exceptions.

• You do NOT need to be a member of the artist's fan club to meet them at Fan Fair but the fan club is an excellent place to start looking for the autograph signing policy.
• Because the artist is only at their designated booth for a certain period of time, they may only be able to meet a certain number of fans. In these cases you will need to find out ahead of time if and when passes to the autoraph signing will be handed out. The passes do not cost anything but time spent standing in line.

However, Fan Fair is an event where artist may pass right by you, so it is a good idea to have a Sharpie permanent marker, some pieces of paper or note cards and a clip board on hand just in case you can catch someone at the last minute.

Also it is important to act appropriately. Although it may be difficult, it is best to keep calm and collected. Many individuals who attend Fan Fair opt to dress in outrageous outfits for one reason or another. The end result in an unusual wardrobe might get you a whole lot of attention, but ask yourself, "Is this the impression I want to make on my favorite artist?"

(Bryan White, meet and greet after concert in Mahnomen Minnesota, 1999)

Fan Club memberships give you the opportunity to meet your favorite artist.

Searching for fan clubs:

• Check CD liner notes
• Country Music Magazines
• Internet general search

Fan Club Fees:

• Fees usually run in the neighborhood of $5.00 to $20.00

Concert Tickets:

• Ticket prices vary from venue to venue, as well as artist to artist. However events such as a state fair may hold free admission concerts by often rather big name artists.

Fan Club Meet and Greet Policy:

• Policies vary from fan club to fan club. It is important to make sure to follow each policy carefully, as failure to do so may prevent you from acquiring the coveted backstage pass.
• It is especially important to pay attention to the policy in terms of how many people can get the back stage passes, as they may only go to the first 50-100+ fan club members.
• Keep in mind that not only is there typically a single photo opportunity limit, but a single autograph limit as well. Decide beforehand what you want the artist to sign.

At events such as Fan Fair, be prepared to stand in line much of the time.

(Brad Paisley, Fan Fair 2000)

Remember, in most cases you only get one autograph...

(Pam Tillis, Fan Fair 2000)

...and one photo opportunity, so make it count!

(Lonestar, Fan Fair 2000)

And finally, if time allows, share a personal story you may have that pertains to a song the artist has recorded. Personal stories told by the fans truly mean a lot to the artists.