ALL ACCESS PASS AT 'FAN NATION,' WALLS BETWEEN ROCK STARS AND AUDIENCES COME TUMBLING DOWN.Byline: Fred Shuster Music Writer Country fans often think of their favorite performers as part of the family - and vice versa VICE VERSA. On the contrary; on opposite sides. . That's why annual events like Nashville's long- running ``Fan Fair,'' which break down the wall between fan and artist by hosting autograph booths and areas where everyone can interact, are so popular. Promoters are betting on the same concept becoming popular with rock fans. Sunday's first-ever ``Fan Nation'' at Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre or Verizon Wireless Music Center may refer to:
He first achieved fame in the punk rock era as a member of the band Generation X. at intimate acoustic performances, autograph areas and Q&A sessions. ``It's all about developing a bond between performer and fan,'' said ``Fan Nation'' co-founder Marc Geiger, who helped launch the now-defunct Lollapalooza lol·la·pa·loo·za also lal·la·pa·loo·za n. Slang Something outstanding of its kind. [Origin unknown.] tour. ``This is the real-world embodiment of the Internet's ability to allow artists to have a relationship with and communicate with their fans.'' Along with the main stage show, the event, co-produced by local adult contemporary radio Star 98.7 and music site ARTISTdirect.com, will offer an acoustic lounge, an autograph stage and ``fan conferences'' hosted by station DJs, where performers drop by between sets to answer fans' questions. ``Some country singers are famous for letting their fans into their homes,'' said guitarist Jane Wiedlin Jane Wiedlin (born Jane Marie Genevieve Wiedlin, May 20 1958 in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, U.S.) is the rhythm guitarist of the all-female multi-platinum New Wave band Go-Go's. of the Go-Go's. ``I really don't want to have anyone wandering through my house. I don't even invite my friends over. But I do have a lot of interaction with fans. I have a diary on the Web and I post stuff on various Go-Go's message boards. I'm closer to my fans than the average musician.'' Wiedlin said she looked forward to meeting members of her audience Sunday. ``I just think of myself as a normal person,'' she explained. ``The majority of people out there aren't freaky freak·y adj. freak·i·er, freak·i·est 1. Strange or unusual; freakish. 2. Slang Frightening. freak . I've never had a problem with my fans.'' Geiger said the ``Fan Nation'' concept was also prompted by the desire to demystify de·mys·ti·fy tr.v. de·mys·ti·fied, de·mys·ti·fy·ing, de·mys·ti·fies To make less mysterious; clarify: an autobiography that demystified the career of an eminent physician. the idea of the backstage pass A backstage pass is an employee pass which allows its bearer access to employees-only areas at a performance venue. They are most commonly associated with rock music groups. . ``In all my years in the business, I know the thing that leaves the biggest impression on a kid is the time they saw an artist on the street or somehow managed to get backstage at a show,'' the promoter said. ``Now, you and I both know nothing's going on backstage. But there's this sense of mystery about it. And that's what a kid remembers most.'' Also on the bill is Kid Rock sidekick The first popular popup program for DOS PCs, introduced by Borland in 1984. Sidekick included a calculator, notepad, calendar, phone dialer and ASCII table and popularized the concept of a terminate and stay resident (TSR) utility. and longtime DJ Uncle Kracker, whose solo album, ``Double Wide,'' is one of the biggest unexpected hits of spring. Kracker (real name Matt Shafer), seen on a current TV spot for Miller beer, joked that the big difference between the Irvine show and an indoor gig is ``outdoor concerts usually sound a heck of a lot worse than indoor shows. I'll be lucky to hear myself on stage.'' As for Sunday's fan-friendly environment, the turntable A playback machine for vinyl phonograph records, which were a major music distribution medium throughout the 20th century. The turntable contains a rotating platter to hold and spin the disc and an arm that holds a cartridge and needle (stylus). maverick doesn't see anything unusual about it. ``I meet the kids all the time,'' he said. ``They're great. That's one of the things I like most about this job.'' Geiger says he'd like to see ``Fan Nation'' develop into an annual event that becomes the primary place where fans interact with performers. ``What's obvious to me is, 10 years from now when the changes now taking place in the marketplace really take hold, one of the ways they'll separate successful artists from less-successful artists is how they cater to their fans,'' he said. ``It's going to take much more than just putting your art out there and hoping the fans follow.'' Geiger, a principal in ARTISTdirect.com, which includes a booking agency as well as music-related Web sites, said he'd eventually like to take ``Fan Nation'' across the country by either working within an already established tour or taking the event itself on the road. ``It's designed to give fans an experience they'll tell their friends about long after the concert,'' he said. ``FAN NATION'' Starring: The Go-Go's, Uncle Kracker, the Wallflowers, Counting Crows, Billy Idol, Third Eye Blind and Eve 6. Hosted by Star 98.7's Ryan Seacrest Ryan Seacrest (born December 24, 1974) is an American radio and television personality. Seacrest is also a former children's game show host, who gained prominence as the host of the reality television amateur-search series American Idol. . Where: Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, 8800 Irvine Center Drive, Irvine. When: 1 p.m. Sunday. Tickets: $28.50 to $53.50. Information: (213) 480-3232. On the Web: www.fannation.com. CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1 -- 2) The Go-Go's and Uncle Kracker, above are among several acts appearing Sunday in Irvine at ``Fan Nation,'' which gives recording artists the chance to meet and greet their admirers. |
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