Hello. This is my report on the VIP thingamahoojie at Mansfield.
After a last-minute scramble to find a new guest (my original guest broke his leg and couldn't make it to the M&G in time), we got to the venue at around 3. I was a little worried because I never received an e-mail stating when to show up. I came armed with receipts and other paperwork. Fortunately, none of it was necessary. My name was on the list and all was well.
At around 4:30, the M&G formally started, but not before we were thanked for our donations and told the rules (one item only, no pics during the signing and one pic during the photo session, although this morphed into two pics when it actually happened). They first marched us over to an area near the offices but moved us to a large tent after about an hour because of the rain. It was a pretty long wait - we were ~1/3 of the way from the back - but it was understandable with ~200 people present.
At one point before the move, Boots walked by and thanked us for donating. He seemed a bit distracted but I think the weather caused most people to not be in the best of moods. *shrug* Whatevs. It was cool nonetheless.
When it was our turn, I decided to keep things short and sweet. I had my original
Broken CD (w/ 3" CD) signed so that I could give it to my friend w/ the broken leg. I felt a bit weird having people other than Trent sign it but it was one item only, sooo.... No huge words were exchanged, although I did mention to Justin that I missed the fro. (Hope you didn't take it the wrong way, Justin! It wasn't meant to be a knock, especially considering my own fro.) Trent also thanked me for donating to Eric. I kind of wish I had said more but I'm not really one for small talk, so it would've sounded awful.
When it came time for pics, I had originally hoped to have the band members just hold a sign I made for a friend who couldn't make it; I didn't want to be in the pic at all. (I'm weird like that. Nothing personal.) However, my guest was going to be in the pic - pics were band + donor + guest - so I jumped in. I asked Robin to hold the sign. He read it and said okay. I sent it to my friend. I hope he likes it.
(By the way, who was the fellow taking pics? Leo, I think??? He had a shaved head and liked my camera.)
After we were done, we went back to the tent and waited for everyone else to finish. When they were done, Trent came by, apologized for the lack of a soundcheck (too long a drive, apparently) and said he'd take questions for 10 minutes. I don't recall every single thing but do recall a few highlights (lowlights?).
-The biggest laughs were when a lady asked if Trent ever had sex to his own music. I believe Trent muttered something about it not working because he'd get too distracted by the mix and whatnot.
-I don't recall what prompted it but Trent did mention a deluxe edition of
The Fragile is in the works. He said he hoped to get it out by the end of the year but that mid-'10 was more likely. No details on what it'll include but perhaps somebody would like to start a request thread? I think a third disc w/ outtakes would be fantastic, and perhaps a DVD/Blu-Ray with the vids and any ephemera Trent feels like throwing in.
-I don't recall exactly what Trent said but he seemed firmly set on getting off the road for now. I wouldn't be surprised if we see the occasional one-off (e.g., Bridge School Benefit) but it was obvious that Trent really wants to focus on his personal life and studio work for now. If anybody's sitting on the fence and thinks they'll regret missing this final go-round, I suggest they get off the fence ASAP.
-Trent talked about being on the first Lollapalooza. Apparently, JA and, eventually, NIN were very high throughout the fest. (Shocker, ain't it?)
After he was done, we were split into two teams because the kitchen was too small to accommodate the 76 VIPs (guests included, for those keeping track). My guest and I decided to go first so we could catch some of SSSC. We walked in and saw Perry Farrell getting grub. Nobody said anything, although I must say it was strange seeing him in normal street clothes.
Anyway, kudos to whoever does catering for the venue. The selection was a bit limited - and mostly tilted towards meat, although there were a couple of veggie/vegan options - but it was really good. The chicken soup in particular was great, especially with some added rice pilaf. It definitely beat whatever overpriced, deep-fried shit was being sold at the gates.
(For the record, no eating w/ band or crew. No biggie.)
I ate quickly and caught the last couple of songs of SSSC's set. I'm not totally convinced yet that I'd buy a record but I'll definitely consider seeing them again. The energy was good and the band wasn't just a second-rate Rage cover band. The mixing seemed a bit off but I was right next to the stack of subwoofers, so the sound was odd for me all night long.
After they were done, I went back to the meeting point. I knew we'd be split into two teams and could see half the show from the stage. My guest and I, however, never got our hands marked with which half and which side of the stage. (Oops! When did this happen?) My guest decided to catch the first half and I went for the second half. I thought I heard something about coming back during "Echoplex" but I wasn't sure, so I just crossed my fingers and hoped for the best.
NIN hit the stage and were off to the races. It was odd seeing them without a full-time keyboard/electronics guru but not a total shocker, considering how much guitar Alessandro was playing before he split. All in all, NIN chugged along with a good set. I didn't hear everything I wanted to hear, but hey, who gives a shit.
Sure enough, during "Echoplex," I went back to the meeting point. We had to miss it and part of the next song during the transition, which was a bit of a bummer (but was also my choice, so whatevs). They led us back. I took some pics but being right next to the lights in the rear of the stage made it difficult to get good shots. I moved around a bit but didn't want to mess with people who were *gasp* getting into the show and enjoying themselves.
Personally, I thought it was kind of cool to just look around at all the gear and observe how things worked. (Lemme hear da tech geekz in da hizzouse!) In that sense, I liked being backstage. People who'd prefer just watching the band kick some ass with proper sound are better off staying in their seats. The mix is completely fucked up backstage, with hardly anything but drums and a bit of guitar coming through. I couldn't make out Trent's speech during "La Mer" and am so glad it was recorded.
(Side note: assuming the copy of Reaktor running next to Ilan can be trusted, the boys have rehearsed 48 songs for the tour. Go Go Gadget Setlist Collector!)
After "Wish" was over, we were abruptly told to clear the stage. We walked out, got to the backstage gate, were thanked for our support and sent on our merry way. A little unceremonious, yes, but I didn't mind. After that, I finished watching the set from my seat.
After talking to a friend between sets, I watched most of Jane's set. My guest needed to get home. We left early. I'll leave it at that.
All in all, I'm quite happy with the experience. It didn't change my life. I felt no special connection with anybody involved. It was just a cool side-effect of helping somebody who fell through the massive cracks in the U.S. health care system. Go in with a healthy sense of what to expect and you won't be disappointed.
Speaking of which, what's with all the whiners? What the hell is the crew supposed to do? Whether or not people want to admit it, there are simply too many people signed up for this to be even remotely as intimate as the first show or two. Yes, we'd love to hang with Trent and ask Robin about his favorite toothpaste. Yes, Trent probably made a bad estimate of how much interest would be drummed up. No, these guys aren't your dancing monkeys. Having been backstage for a couple of other bands' shows, I can assure you that the backstage area is nowhere near as glamorous as some people seem to think. The sound sucks, the pace is hectic, the stress is high and it's even a bit hazardous for all involved. Add dozens of rabid fans - some drunk or high - to the mix and I'm amazed there haven't been any instances of donors/guests screwing the pooch for everybody else. The crew members are busting their asses, presumably for no extra pay, just so they can act as adult babysitters. They're making this up as they go and doing the best job they can. (For the record, they're doing a damn fine job.)
In other words, fuck you if you did the M&G or VIP thing and you're complaining. Add a stiff punch to the throat if you're a freeloading guest who's complaining. Add a second one if you feel like traveling cross-country makes you special. Was the situation handled perfectly? No. Does the JA package feature a more consistent experience? Probably. Was all this handled about as well as could be expected for something done on the fly in the middle of a hectic tour? Yes, and then some. If Trent ever offers a $25,000 "bro time" package at his pad, feel free to be more picky. 'Til then, be thankful for what you got and for the fact that your money - assuming you donated - may help save Eric's life.
*smashes soapbox with mic stand*
Now then, I took a bunch of photos of the shows and will get them up over time. I'd post what I have right now but I want to give the pics a quick scrub in Photoshop. Keep an eye out. My friend with the broken leg also shot some high def video. It's not perfect because of his position and the people walking by but it's still 1080p goodness that he plans to get out to the crews assembling footage from the tour. I think he's also going to post a couple of songs on YT soon, possibly after syncing with an audience recording. I'll post links when they're up, or maybe he will. *shrug*
Happy trails, and thanks to all involved! Special thanks to Trent, who can hopefully say very soon that his promotional efforts saved Eric's life. (That and having a healthy sense of humor when somebody handed him what I believe was a 12" from one of his mid-80s bands.

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/06/2009 12:02PM by zaarwin_devolve.