John Williams 2023 Tanglewood concerts

[Brando 1,864]

I hope my 'bugs not interested in me' luck holds out for this concert

[Andy 4,141]

Encore of Bug Tunnel and Death Trap confirmed!

[Brando 1,864]

As long as its not Ants!

[Mr. Hooper 1,794]

59 minutes ago, Andy said:

Me, preparing for a concert at Tanglewood. 
 

😂 I guess there are no lengths we won't go to see John Williams, and make it back alive.

[Guillaume 13]

Very good seats are still available sections 2 and 3 !

I was lucky enough to find one section 1 first row 😊

[Mr. Hooper 1,794]

Congrats, Guillaume, and thanks for the tip! I was able to upgrade to Section 3!

[rpvee 805]

56 minutes ago, Guillaume said:

Very good seats are still available sections 2 and 3 !

I was lucky enough to find one section 1 first row 😊

No wayyyy. I’ve been refreshing every day hoping a front row opens up. 😭

[Brando 1,864]

I bought lawn tickets, is there a way to upgrade to a better seat if available using what I paid for the lawn seat? I sent them an email and haven't gotten a reply.

[Guillaume 13]

3 minutes ago, Brando said:

I bought lawn tickets, is there a way to upgrade to a better seat if available using what I paid for the lawn seat? I sent them an email and haven't gotten a reply.

I had the same problem last year, I couldn't change my lawn ticket to shed ticket, I had to sell my lawn ticket by myself.

I send many emails, all without reply 

[Mr. Hooper 1,794]

Hi Brando,

 

I'd be surprised if they let you do that. I just went ahead and bought my upgraded ticket, and now I have an extra ticket...

[Brando 1,864]

1 hour ago, Guillaume said:

I had the same problem last year, I couldn't change my lawn ticket to shed ticket, I had to sell my lawn ticket by myself.

I send many emails, all without reply 

 

1 hour ago, Mr. Hooper said:

Hi Brando,

 

I'd be surprised if they let you do that. I just went ahead and bought my upgraded ticket, and now I have an extra ticket...

Yeah they don't let you upgrade, but for a $7.50 fee you can transfer the ticket to another performance this season.

 

Where did you sell your ticket?

[rpvee 805]

I’ll be darned - I randomly checked the seat map while having breakfast and a single front row, dead center seat popped up and I was able to switch to it. Literally the front and most center seat possible. I can’t believe it!!!

 

The front two seats of the front side section were also available but are now gone, but great shed seats in general have been popping up for the past couple days.

[Guillaume 13]

5 minutes ago, rpvee said:

I’ll be darned - I randomly checked the seat map while having breakfast and a single front row, dead center seat popped up and I was able to switch to it. Literally the front and most center seat possible. I can’t believe it!!!

 

The front two seats of the front side section were also available but are now gone, but great shed seats in general have been popping up for the past couple days.

Congrats, which seat are you? I am seat 4 

[rpvee 805]

2 minutes ago, Guillaume said:

Congrats, which seat are you? I am seat 4 

Seat 5! Haha. Section 1, Row A. Will be great to have a fellow JWFan as a neighbor.

[Guillaume 13]

1 minute ago, rpvee said:

Seat 5! Haha. Section 1, Row A. Will be great to have a fellow JWFan as a neighbor.

Great ! See you there 😁

[Mr. Hooper 1,794]

For anyone who wants a seat close to the stage, act fast! There's one 8-9 rows back in Sections 2 and 3... Close enough to see the maestro, and far enough away to see the orchestra!

[Foxfan 128]

4 hours ago, rpvee said:

Seat 5! Haha. Section 1, Row A. Will be great to have a fellow JWFan as a neighbor.

Wow you’ll be so close you can ask directly for a Dial of Destiny CD reissue! 😂

[rpvee 805]

3 hours ago, Foxfan said:

Wow you’ll be so close you can ask directly for a Dial of Destiny CD reissue! 😂

We’ll make a big sign and hold it up right in front of him. 🤣

[JTN 2,036]

5 hours ago, rpvee said:

We’ll make a big sign and hold it up right in front of him. 🤣

It doesn’t have to be big, his eyes are good now.

[BB-8 3,481]

Amazing that some people in the US are actually walking.

[Mr. Hooper 1,794]

For those who've been to Tanglewood, are they pretty relaxed about people taking a couple of pictures?

 

I'm guessing no one's gonna mind if you take some snaps with your phone. But I suppose they might if you pull out your Nikon with big telephoto lens...

[Jay 37,371]

6 hours ago, BB-8 said:

Amazing that some people in the US are actually walking.

 

What?

[rpvee 805]

1 hour ago, Mr. Hooper said:

For those who've been to Tanglewood, are they pretty relaxed about people taking a couple of pictures?

 

I'm guessing no one's gonna mind if you take some snaps with your phone. But I suppose they might if you pull out your Nikon with big telephoto lens...

Yeah, they’ll tell you to put your phone away if it’s during a piece. I’ve mostly seen them go after people taking videos, but that’s because their phone is up and out for longer. Sneaking a couple pics should be possible, but they don’t seem to care if it’s during applause.

[BB-8 3,481]

1 hour ago, Jay said:

 

What?

 

I was jokingly alluding to John Williams - The Berlin Concert - CD1 Track 4.

[Marian Schedenig 8,207]

1 hour ago, Mr. Hooper said:

For those who've been to Tanglewood, are they pretty relaxed about people taking a couple of pictures?

 

I'm guessing no one's gonna mind if you take some snaps with your phone. But I suppose they might if you pull out your Nikon with big telephoto lens...

 

Nikon with a regular all-purpose zoom (which gets quite big at the far end) wasn't a problem in 2019:

 

(But I only used it between the music and tried to be quick about it)

[Mr. Hooper 1,794]

I'll be sitting pretty close, and my 42x zoom will allow me to count John's nose hairs.

 

But I don't want to be a nuisance to the people around me, so I'll just take a couple of snaps at the end during the rapturous standing ovation.

[BB-8 3,481]

1 hour ago, Marian Schedenig said:

But I only used it between the music and tried to be quick about it

 

That discrete approach between the music has also been successful in Vienna, Berlin and Milan.

 

 

 

[Andy 4,141]

[Mr. Hooper 1,794]

38 minutes ago, Andy said:

 

I see that the BU Tanglewood Institute Chorus will be participating. Just to sing 'Hooray for Hollywood!'? 'Duel of the Fates' as an encore, hopefully?

[Marian Schedenig 8,207]

John Williams pointing at things.

[Mr. Hooper 1,794]

If John points at me I can die happy.

[rpvee 805]

1 hour ago, Mr. Hooper said:

If John points at me I can die happy.

He’s actually very interactive with audience members if you’re close enough!

[Mr. Hooper 1,794]

3 hours ago, rpvee said:

He’s actually very interactive with audience members if you’re close enough!

I'm 8 rows back, so I'd have to do something pretty desperate to get his attention... Suggestions are welcome.

 

rpvee, I'm sure I'm not the first to ask about your photo, but how did you get that close to him?

 

At his advanced age and with viruses running around, I guess it's near impossible these days to meet him off the stage. After the performance, he must exit by a side door and straight into a waiting car...

[rpvee 805]

12 hours ago, Mr. Hooper said:

I'm 8 rows back, so I'd have to do something pretty desperate to get his attention... Suggestions are welcome.

 

rpvee, I'm sure I'm not the first to ask about your photo, but how did you get that close to him?

 

At his advanced age and with viruses running around, I guess it's near impossible these days to meet him off the stage. After the performance, he must exit by a side door and straight into a waiting car...

That pic is from 2011. Williams used to do a few concerts at Boston’s Symphony Hall every spring, and would meet fans waiting outside the stage door afterward. He’d sign everything and take pics with anyone, really friendly and gentle. Then eBay autograph resellers got wind of that and would show up before the concert was even over, take up all the space around the door, and hound Williams with stacks of vinyls to get signed. Eventually, Williams got tired of it, and the last time he met fans so openly was 2016, as far as I know. Since then, he exits through back doors right into cars. Definitely a bummer.

[Mr. Hooper 1,794]

33 minutes ago, rpvee said:

That pic is from 2011. Williams used to do a few concerts at Boston’s Symphony Hall every spring, and would meet fans waiting outside the stage door afterward. He’d sign everything and take pics with anyone, really friend and gentle. Then eBay autograph resellers got wind of that and would show up before the concert was even over, take up all the space around the door, and hound Williams with stacks of vinyls to get signed. Eventually, Williams got tired of it, and the last time he met fans so openly was 2016, as far as I know. Since then, he exits through back doors right into cars. Definitely a bummer.

 

That's wonderful that he met with his fans like that.

 

Yeah, the autograph hounds can get downright aggressive and they ruin it for everyone. I understand that he's also stopped signing through the mail.
 

But maybe now that the word's out, the hounds aren't bothering to show up anymore, and there's a possibility of meeting him.

 

Fingers crossed...

[rpvee 805]

18 minutes ago, Mr. Hooper said:

 

That's wonderful that he met with his fans like that.

 

Yeah, the autograph hounds can get downright aggressive and they ruin it for everyone. I understand that he's also stopped signing through the mail.
 

But maybe now that the word's out, the hounds aren't bothering to show up anymore, and there's a possibility of meeting him.

 

Fingers crossed...

At Tanglewood, it’s pretty much impossible.

[BB-8 3,481]

2 hours ago, rpvee said:

At Tanglewood, it’s pretty much impossible.

@Mr. Hooper Many of us can confirm that it is impossible (worldwide), and attempting to approach him (at this age) is considered inappropriate and impolite and will only trigger unnecessary reactions from his body guards.

[Mr. Hooper 1,794]

39 minutes ago, BB-8 said:

@Mr. Hooper Many of us can confirm that it is impossible (worldwide), and attempting to approach him (at this age) is considered inappropriate and impolite and will only trigger unnecessary reactions from his body guards.

Totally agree. I'm just thankful for the chance to see him perform.

[Marian Schedenig 8,207]

6 hours ago, Mr. Hooper said:

Yeah, the autograph hounds can get downright aggressive and they ruin it for everyone.

 

Also don't forget the guy who charged him with a CD and a pen while he was (clearly tired after a long concert) coming down the stairs from the podium in Berlin.

[Brando 1,864]

1 hour ago, Marian Schedenig said:

 

Also don't forget the guy who charged him with a CD and a pen while he was (clearly tired after a long concert) coming down the stairs from the podium in Berlin.

First i've heard of this, that's terrible!!

[Mr. Hooper 1,794]

I hope that wasn't a fan. Some can get a little crazed and forget their manners.

 

The last time I heard of Mr. Williams signing anything was at an awards show last spring, when someone approached him at his table during the ceremony. Not only did he oblige the guy, but generously included notes from the Star Wars theme. And guess what... It showed up on eBay for $10,000.

[Jay 37,371]

Disgusting

[BB-8 3,481]

1 hour ago, Brando said:

First i've heard of this, that's terrible!!

That person was escorted out of the concert hall and possibly missed the rest of the concert.

 

Another observation comes from Vienna where somebody actually slipped past security just in front of Hotel Imperial, triggering quite a firm physical response of the security guys.

[Mr. Hooper 1,794]

I can't imagine what these people are thinking. "OK, I'm gonna slip past security — meant to keep guys like me away — and startle this 90-year-old man and basically coerce him to sign something for me."

[Brando 1,864]

Signatures are cool and all, but nothing beats a picture with him. I'd rather have that than an autograph. Of course, if he was willing to pose with me

[rpvee 805]

10 minutes ago, Brando said:

Signatures are cool and all, but nothing beats a picture with him. I'd rather have that than an autograph. Of course, if he was willing to pose with me

And it used to be simple to get both. He’d be signing your program/CD/vinyl/whatever, and while doing that, you’d ask him if you could have a picture with him, and he’d always reply with a calm “of course”. I even have a printed and signed copy of my profile picture.

 

I miss those days.

[Mr. Hooper 1,794]

Autographs are fun, but they don't make me smile like the photos I got at fan events with some of my childhood heroes.

 

Those organized photo-ops are great, cuz I'd be unsure about asking for a photo on a chance meeting...

 

On the one hand I'd think: "You shouldn't bother this person."

Then the fan in me thinks: "This is a once in a lifetime chance!"

 

But it comes down to using your judgement, and being polite about it. But if you're approaching Russell Crowe eating dinner at a restaurant, no amount of politeness will save you.

[Brando 1,864]

20 minutes ago, Mr. Hooper said:

Those organized photo-ops are great, cuz I'd be unsure about asking for a photo on a chance meeting...

 

On the one hand I'd think: "You shouldn't bother this person."

Then the fan in me thinks: "This is a once in a lifetime chance!"

A few years ago i went to Shark-Con in Tampa, FL, and Richard Dreyfuss and Susan Backlinie were there, since they were both stars from Jaws, and I didn't pay to get pictures with them or anything, but afterwards, I went to Five Guys (a delicious but pricey burger joint) across the street from where the Con was held, and when I was sitting there i was like man it'd be funny if they came in to eat. Lo and behold, they did. I was extremely tempted to ask them both for pictures, but she had what looked like family with her and he had an assistant, so I decided not to engage with them. i kind of regret not asking for a picture at least, which i'm sure they would've. 

[BB-8 3,481]

It's often better to just observe and inhale the atmosphere.

 

I once attended an organised signature event with Sir George Solti (at a record shop in Zurich during what may have been Solti's last year of life). Back then, CDs were still hot on the market. The event was clearly organised by the industry (today, artists get CD and vinyl covers sent to their homes for bulk signing).

 

Solti was quite tired and there were strict rules: "Get in the line, one item each!". After the first dozen or so of signatures, Solti (who seemed completely absent minded) signalled to his wife and manager that he had had enough, and the organizers immediately drew a banner through the cue of people and asked everyone behind the banner to understand and leave.

 

You can imagine the frustration of those not being selected. It got quite loud actually.

 

I was among the lucky ones. However, Solti, using a black pen, signed onto the black tailcoat on the photo so that the result could hardly be seen. He couldn't have cared less.

 

Looking back, I have to say that the concert experience is the more valuable memory.

[Mr. Hooper 1,794]

I agree that it's probably better to just take it in from afar, because it might result in a disappointing experience.

 

I met Dreyfuss at an event in Toronto and frankly didn't know what to expect, since I'd heard stories about his temper. But he was really mellow, and took time to speak with everyone. And how often do you meet a Best Actor Oscar winner?

 

Brando, maybe it was the 'right thing' not getting between Richard and his juicy Five Guys burger...and you still have this fun memory of seeing him hanging out with 'Chrissie'!