To all the "Groupies", do you go alone?
 

Okay, when and if FM tour the USA again this summer, I would like to follow them around the country for a couple weeks before I have to head back to school. Just for a few shows.

So how do you do it? I am having trouble finding someone that even likes Fleetwood Mac enough to go with me. So do any of you follow them around country alone and just go to the concerts alone?

Also, how do you afford it and how do you get such good seats?

What do you do as far as hotel/Motel/living arrangments go? Do you just find the cheapest place, or do you go all out and make it a vacation?

I am really intrested in how I am going to plan this trip.

Please let me know! It seems like a bunch of you go to a lot of the shows, so I thought I would ask here first.

I am not above going alone. But, fortunately, I have friends that live all over and ususally get them to go with me. I also have met some really wonderful people from this Board, burnish.net (love you Tracy ), and buckinghamnicks.net (love you Nancy :wavey: ). I also usually sit alone if their is only one good seat available.

As for $$ to travel, if you can't afford it I suggest not doing it as you will be paying Visa bac for a long long time :laugh:

Thanks for the info. I am not above going alone either. In fact, it could be a really fun experience to just head out on the open road alone. With just me and a huge collection of Fleetwood Mac CD's for the trip. Like a Fleetwood Mac spiritual experience, you know?

Well, I usually travel alone. I have met up with a lot of people from different messages boards. My Las Vegas and Los Angeles trips in the summer I travelled alone and it was kind of scary but it was nice to be alone. My Florida trip was nice I met up with some nice people. We did not have seats together but we had fun traveling to the shows. Chicago in Sept was really fun too both the Mac show and Lindsey's Soundstage. I had met so many people from all of my travels that it seemed we all met up there.

As far as hotels I just find one close to the arena. I do like at least a 3 star hotel however. Thats me. You can check online for deals but just read the fine print and check the cancellation policy.

I would just do it because they might not be touring anymore or for a long time.

Weeeelll, I'd love to go around on my own, but the thing is, I'm three years too young in order to drive, etc. I'm definitely not above going alone, I'd love to go on my own. But, I have to go with either my mom or my dad... *sigh*. Oh well, my paernts like 'em, so that's a good thing :).

I have no problem going by myself. The Ticketmaster-wait until the release- method worked very well for me. I had no bad experiences in Columbus, Dallas, San Diego or Chicago. I met a lot of other nice FM fans.

Do you all fly or drive? I am trying to get some ideas on how best to plan a trip like this.

Also, as far as ticketmaster goes, how do you get such great seats? Do you call or go to a ticketmaster booth or do the website thing? Also, should I wait until great seats are available and just keep checking back or just take best available the second they go on sale?

Also, I know I sound silly, but if I went alone that would mean I would go out to dinner alone! Walk through the city alone! Drive alone! Go to the show alone! That is a whole lot of loneliness, you know?

Well I just about always fly except for the Boston and Brigdeport, CT shows. I took the bus and the train. I am lucky because Southwest serves Providence and has some good deals. You just need to keep checking TM a lot!!

Just look at it this way there is nobody to say :oh you are going to eat that? OR You are going to spend your $$ on that? OR You want to go see what?
Actually some people try to have a get together before the shows so it won't be too lonely.

I live in northern California and I took a little road trip down to LA and Bakersfield by myself. I stayed in cheap motels that I found in the AAA Tour Book. I also got front row tickets for both concerts. The Bakersfield ticket I got a few days before the show on Ticketmaster and the LA ticket I got a few hours before the show at the box office. I had a great time by myself because I could do what I wanted to do and I also met really nice people, some from the message boards. One of the concerts that I went to with a friend of mine earlier in the year I didn't meet anyone because I was already with someone. I think when I'm by myself I make more of an effort to be friendly. I would totally love to go on a Fleetwood Mac road trip though. That would be so fun. :cool:

I'm only going to be on the edge of 17 this summer (sorry for the bad joke!), but I am saving up a lot of money and really want to go on a Fleetwood Mac adventure, if you know what I mean! :cool:

Anyway, I was just thinking, is it even legal to get a hotel room without a credit card or without being 18. I thought it would be no big deal if I could just pay the cash or write a check and send it earlier, but my father says this is impossible. Does anyone know what is legal?

I really want to just head out on the road and follow them around the country for a few weeks. It would be almost a spiritual thing, since I am so obsessed. My dad thinks I am some '60s hippie wannabe, but I just love FM so much!

He also thinks it would be a waste of money, but I think that the memories, pictures, etc. would be enough! Besides, I have missed out on so many tours, due to my age, I need to make up for it.

I have met up with people at every show, but at one show I did sit by myself, which is no big deal. I chat with whoever is sitting near me, though I do try to avoid the drunks.

In El Paso I stayed an extra day to relax, though the day after the show nobody I knew from the concert was around. I have no problem doing meals by myself, and if you don't mind paying, there's always room service if eating out alone makes you uncomfortable. I will always pay money for the better things; a couple of us switched to a nicer one in Phoenix when the first one had a creepy feel to it. It turned out they were the same price anyway.

Every hotel I've stayed at has required a credit card, sorry to say.

I have flown to three shows and driven to two on this tour.

Good luck.

- Jake

Well, I'm a broke college student so I only went to two shows. The first, in Phoenix, I drove out there alone and stayed with some friends/a group of people who volunteer at a homeless shelter....and ended up meeting up with several Ledgies, so I had a lot of fun and met cool people...but sat alone.

I took my sister with me to El Paso, and we met up with Jake, but I sat alone there as well....and I only live an hour away, so I drove.

If the shows are in driving distance I'd recommend doing that, it is almost spiritual...just you and Mac cds....going to see the Mac...it's awesome...

I did offer to trade seats to let you sit with your sister, but SOMEBODY had to keep that front row seat for herself.;) :nod: :wavey:

- Jake

Oh God! This is getting me worried. Do they require a credit card since you may break something in the room or dammage the room? I just don't understand why it would be a big deal to just write a check or do cash.

Furthermore, I don't understand how they could expect you to be 18 or 21 to get a hotel room.

This whole "not old enough to get a hotel thing" is really a thorn in your side when you want to follow your favorite band around the country!

I can help you out if you decide to go alone. Here are some tips:

Solo
I usually go alone to concerts (for documention purposes) and get weird looks from people. Not because I am alone, but because I always dress in all black (I was so in the Tango in the Night look :cool: I am probably the only fan who likes Stevie's black dress night after night!) If you plan to document a show, you MUST go alone.

Buy tickets at the last minute
I always buy tickets one week to a few hours before the show. If you go solo, you can usually get a 5th row or better seat at almost any show. Remember, industry seats are always released at the last minute when they are no longer needed. Sometimes you can get a pair in a great spot, but front row solo seats are easier to get, as they usually pop up in the beginning, middle or end of a row to fill in the odd spot in that row. I went to ten shows on this current tour and was able to score front row at about half of them by waiting until the last minute. The Ledgies here (especially Livia, you ROCK girl :) are great about sending out last minute Ticketmaster alerts. It's still amazing to me that these fantastic seats become available.

And sometimes, fans desperate to unload their extra tickets at the last minute in front of the venue can give you a great discount on seats. I was able to get a 2nd row seat on the Enchanted tour for $50 (face value at the time) from a guy whose date didn't show up for the concert. I guess I was his date that night...he still had a good time :laugh:

Cheap lodging
Motel 6 is probably the most decent and least expensive motel you'll be able to find (some Best Westerns are reasonable too). Their rates for single occupancy ranges from $40 to $80 a night, depending on what city you are in. If you are a member of AAA Insurance, you can get an additional 5% discount. AAA also gives out free maps and that discount book that golden braid mentioned. Some credit card companies offer lodging and transportation discounts, as well. Motels close to the venues and area attractions are always more expensive. If you don't mind driving, consider staying at a motel off the freeway away from the venue (although you'll have to pay $6-$15 for venue parking, as opposed to walking from your motel).

Bring your laptop
If you have a laptop, bring it! Wherever you're staying, you will need to connect to the internet so that you know what's going on and how to find things if you are not familiar with the area (e.g. MapQuest will generally get you in the right spot). If you don't have a laptop, use the public library in between shows for free internet access. On the same token, a cell phone is useful too (but that's kind of a given these days).

Bring your own food or eat theirs
OK, if you're truly on a budget, bring your own microwaveable food. Some Motel 6s have microwaves and freezers as immenities, take advantage of them. Bring a cooler with those blue ice packs, too, so you can keep them frozen while you're driving from one stop to the next.

Some Motel 6s have free continential breakfasts every morning between 6 and 9. Stock up on fruits, bagels, pastries and cereal. You have to be a bit bold for this one... Visit a nicer motel, in the area, one that you are not staying at, and crash their continental breakfast!

Flying tip
If you plan to fly during part of the trip, book your flight well in advance during the busiest time of the day. Airlines often overbook their flights and occasionally cannot accommodate everyone. If this should happen (and it does happen often), offer to give up your seat and take a later flight. If the flight is really overbooked, they will be very appreciative and offer a flight voucher, usually up to $300 (which you can use to fly to your next concert!). But they don't always offer the voucher (sometimes it's just lodging coupons, but those can save you money too), so you have to be persistent and ask.

About the credit card thing... I think you need one to reserve the room ahead of time. You might be able to get away with one of those pre-paid credit cards (gift cards) that Bank of America (and other banks) issues. It's identical to a credit card in almost every way. (They make GREAT Christmas gifts, too!)

I've never heard of any age restrictions in getting a room at a motel.

I've gone to many shows alone, usually hooking up w/ other Ledgies once there.

Quite often, buying a single "last minute" ticket will get you a better seat (i.e., first 5 rows) than searching for a pair, or more.

I'd rather be alone (~*~*~than be without you~*~*~*) at a show, get a killer seat, and make new friends w/ other diehard fans around me - than go w/ a non-diehard fan (just for the sake of not being alone) ANY day!

:wavey:

AND sometimes you meet large, loud, busy people like me who yank you into the front row!!!!! :cool:

I almost...
 

always prefer to go to a concert solo and meet up with fellow diehard fans than attend a show with someone who is just a casual fan...

I never had a bad experience attending a show as of this moment (Unless you count possible food-poisoning from the Hard Rock Cafe in Dallas this past July!)

I usually plan ahead for the shows I attend & always drive to the shows that are in a reasonable distance from my home (Though I have drove to Dallas twice in the past 2 years...And will once again this spring/summer!!!) since I won't waste money flying to a show that is less than 300 miles away.


Brian j.

just to add a word of caution...since you are young and under 18.

use your common sense and trust your instincts, nutcases do tend to prey on lone travelers. While you're traveling, don't broadcast that you're traveling alone even to the desk clerk, hotel maid, toll taker whoever...

Get a travel guide and read it's safety tips over and over again even while your actually traveling to keep yourself alert!!!

Get a cellphone and travel with it...even if it's just temporary, you can probably hit your dad up for it's cost. Shows your mature and stuff...

I live in the Northeast and did some of the travel thing during the Wild Heart tour and had great fun and great memories...and I always promised myself to do it again...but never have so I say go for it but take your dad's warnings/concerns to heart. :nod:

BTW, many states do have regulations about how old someone has to be to get a hotel room. I'm from Kansas, for example, where the age was 21. In Missouri, just across the border, it's 18. Guess where we had hotel parties in high school? ;-)

Even though they have those regulations, the vast majority of hotels don't check age, but you WILL need a credit card. They keep it on file for extra charges, and I've never encountered a hotel where it was easy to be able to check in without a credit card.

You mentioned before that you had a checking account- you should seriously consider getting a debit card for your account if that's a possibility. It'll work the same for you as a credit card but won't actually *be* a credit card.

Amen Bella!!!!

I just wanted to add, never, ever, meet up with anyone (even of the same sex) in their hotel room. Meet them in the lobby, in a cafe, or any other public place, but never in their room. Same goes for having them pick you up in their car from your hotel when you have never met them.

Having said that :laugh: , don't be scared, just be cautious, as, unfortunately, there are a lot of creeps out there. :cool:

yep showed my age with that one...sometimes the MOM in me just pops out but it needed to be said. I could have used the same advice when I was doing my Wild Heart mini-tour, not that anything major happened but it could've very easily as I had just recently graduated high school, was starting my freshman year of college and still very naive.

And that's what this board is about...Ledgies helping Ledgies enjoy the MAC!! :laugh:

:nod:

You sure as hell don't wanna wake up in a bathtub full of ice with a missing kidney.

:eek:

I do have a debit card, so would that work in exchange for the credit card the hotel will normally ask for?

Thanks so much for the advice and it sounds so much better coming from the ledgies because everyone is a fan of fleetwood mac and can really relate to how much I want to see them on tour.

If your debit card has a Visa/Mastercard logo on it it should work...like if it's a check card...and if you have a bank account, you should get a check card..they're fab! AND..that's what I always use to get hotel rooms :)

Debit cards are great but I think that you might have to be 18 to get one. I can't remember because it's been awhile that I worked as a CSR in a branch. I seem to remember that you had to be 18 to apply for one for some reason but that might just be at my credit union.

Wow! Thanks for all the information! A couple of questions:

About getting tickets a week to a few hours before the show, how would I do that? Would I need to purchase them online and check frequently for good seats? Also, how do I know when I have found the best seats and that they aren't going to get much better? Has it ever happened where you waited too long and no good seats were available? Do I just go up to the ticket stand before the concert and ask for their best ticket or what? Also, is it illegal to purchase tickets from someone just selling them on the street?

How can I use my laptop in a motel? Do they have connections in a motel or a computer room with all the hook ups? Also, don't most motels have a computer room where you can go on the web?

About the planes being overbooked, what if my flight got delayed and I didn't make it in time for the concert? That would be a horror story! Has this happened to anyone?

Where do you get the last minute ticket, online? Or just right before you head in to the venue, at the ticket booth?

Well, I have one and I am not 18. However, my mother has to sign for it and say that she will take responsibility in case I spend too much, etc. You know?

Ticketmaster stops selling tickets online the day of the concert usually sometime in the afternoon. You have to go to the venue to try to get last minute tickets. I've headed to the box office in the afternoon and have just waited around for a couple of hours till they have released better tickets. I got lucky and got 1st row but I'm sure I won't always be that lucky.

Originally posted by diamondsnake
This is where the laptop in the motel/hotel is useful. You'll need be online to check Ticketmaster's site (and the Ledge for ticket alerts) to see if any new seats show up. But it's best to start at least a week before the show to see what you'll be working with.

It's a good idea to have a backup seat (a ticket you purchased earlier) just in case you can't find anything better. You can always sell the ticket later on eBay or to someone before the show.

Yeah, definitely recommended if you want to be close to the stage.

You should shoot for 5th row or better. If nothing comes up a few hours before the show, the chances are the seats aren't going to get better. The best thing to do is to start early, one week ahead, and check the Ledge, as other fans are checking the site at different times of the day and will post alerts.

My friend found a 3rd row seat for Portland, which she purchased a day before the show. Ten minutes later, a 2nd row seat came up, so she ended up buying that as well. I'm sure she could have sold the 3rd show seat, but she chose to take the loss because selling it was inconvenient for her. You take a chance. But if you're already that close, you'll probably be at the stage anyway by the end of the show as everyone always moves foward :)

I'm not sure what the legal issues are, but if you're just looking to unload the tickets (e.g. face value or less), no one really cares. I don't believe that's considered scalping (selling above face value) anyway. Just be discreet and stay away from security.

Nicer hotels have computers with internet access. Not so sure about motels. The ones I visited this past summer did not. But all motels have phone jacks and that's what you'll need to connect from your computer (modem required) to the internet (via dial-up connection). Beware of toll charges, as many motels charge for making any calls. The other options are public libraries (free), Kinkos (fee) and internet cafes (fee).

I was 20 minutes late to a Fleetwood Mac show in 1997 because of traffic. But never for a delayed flight. For the first attempt, I'd recommend flying in a day before the concert to account for potential delays. Otherwise, try a morning flight and go from there. If the weather is bad, scrap the idea altogether. The voucher plan usually works best on Thursday, Friday and Sunday, which are busier travel days.

on debit cards
 

I have a debit card with the visa logo so yeah it can be used as a credit card, in fact I have had some people swipe it in as a credit cards only to ask me after if I wanted it used as a debit card:o
As for being alone, just be careful, there are a lot of weirdos out there. Have fun:)

(In Homer Simpson voice)...Hmmm, spiritual Fleetwood Mac experience...

That sounds really good to me now that the school semester is over, too bad they're abroad now .:(

Still confused on one thing. If I head down to the venue in the afternoon and no good seats pop up, do I just keep going back to the counter every 10 minutes, or what? I wouldn't want to go up there and then repeat the process every few minutes, or is that what you have to do?

No. You go up once, maybe twice, an hour or so before the show to see if any last minute tickets pop up. It does happen occasionally. It's more luck than anything else to score a front row seat (or in that area) if you go up to the ticket window. But most fans don't think to ask. Most people who buy tickets at the window at the last minute are just that, last minute ticket buyers, not fans trying to take advantage of a secret tactic to get great seats. So be sure to ask, but be prepared if they don't actually have any good seats available.

Then where the hell were you in Chicago???:laugh:

:laugh: I was preparing to be large, loud, and busy the next night for the eve of the PBS taping!!! Cocktails Anyone!!! :cool: