I did not go the BMIFC convention held last weekend in Vegas. BMIFC conventions are not my thing. Back when the conventions started, I really, really, really wanted to go. The first one sounded so great but I stayed home for an even better reason; I was giving birth to my second son. Over the years the desire to go to a BMIFC convention cooled. I was offered a gift of attending a few conventions by my sons when they got old enough to have jobs but I turned them down. It seemed too expensive for an event that had activities I had no interest in participating in. I have been to convention shows which were enjoyable.
All last weekend I read about the BMIFC convention online. Most, if not all, of what was written was by people who did not go to the convention. That was interesting; people critiquing an event they did not attend. Not only did these people not attend the convention most swore they wouldn’t be caught dead at a BMIFC convention. (To hear them tell about how TPTB feel about some of these people, dead is the only they’d be allowed at a BMIFC event.)
My take on the BMIFC convention goes likes this:
If you went and had a great time, I’m happy for you. That is what is important. When money is paid to do something the person who spent the money should be satisfied with what they got for their money.
If you went and were disappointed, don’t go next time. The disappointment will be avoided that way. Chalk it up to a learning experience.
If you didn’t go- shut-up about it. It doesn’t concern you. You chose not to go. (Well, to be fair, some people couldn’t afford to go. This isn’t the group doing all the complaining.) It’s a novel concept to some people in the Manilow world but try being happy for the people who enjoyed the convention. It’s way classier than tearing everything down. Try it sometime. And people wonder why stories, pictures and Platinum experiences aren’t shared among fans. Who wants their happy moments to be drug through the mud by other fans?
I hope everyone who went to the BMIFC convention brought home good memories of a wonderful time. That’s what’s it all about.
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4 comments:
Amen! I was in the group that couldn't afford it this time, but I've attended many times in the past. And I'm also tired of hearing criticism from people who would never attend.
Susan, I hope you'll allow a countering opinion on this.
The conversation about the convention is healthy to have aloud and there was no stopping convention goers from putting their input in. People that did comment about the convention -- some were past convention goers. If not attending a convention and if in the target market, would it not benefit convention planners to hear why customers would not attend?
Is it unreasonable if a fan is going to pay $1,100 (at least) to go to a Barry Manilow convention - in Barry Manilow's main turf -- to know up front whether or not Barry himself is going to show up?
It's worthy of discussion, and truthfully, discussing this in the open is pro-consumer.
With all due respect, consumer wise, it's a huge and costly issue. "Shutting up" about it doesn't make sense.
I see that you've provided a link to the alt.fan.barry-manilow USENET newsgroup here on your blog. It's great that you're letting fans know there's a place that is, as you say, "completely public, there are no moderators, you are welcome to contribute and speak freely."
And yet you're telling people who have spoken freely about the convention to "shut up" if they didn't attend. I've been to three conventions, and have friends who attended this one, and enjoyed it. So don't say this doesn't concern those who didn't go. It's an interesting subject to many.
Most people have never gone to the moon, and some fans have never seen a Manilow concert, but they can still discuss these subjects. Anyone is free to skip any threads that aren't interesting to them. That's what's so great about USENET. :-)
I decided not to attend the BMIFC Fan Club convention for 2 reasons. The first, of course, was financial. An opportunity to go on a cruise became avaiable and I couldn't afford to do both. However, when the BMIFC first posted the information about the convention, one page said the "no hotel package" was listed at $950, yet another page said $1150. Even 'tho we printed the page and sent it to the BMIFC, they said the $950 price never existed. Whatever happened to the "customer is always right" doesn't apply to their own inability to proofread their websites. Their proofreading error added $200 additional to the fans expense, instead of saying "oops, we goofed, and we'll honor that price".
And, I'm not going to risk $2000 (at least) and not know if Barry is going to show up and let us "breathe his air".
So -- although I chose not to go to the convention, I was still very interested in the events of the weekend. Did I make a bad choice in not attending? By the looks of things, no.
The shows may have been great, but for $2000 I could see at least 3 more shows another time rather than attending the convention. Gambling is the name of the game in Vegas -- but, I'm not going to gamble that much money on the off chance the "headliner in residence" **might** decide to show up.
Sharon
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