First Time Jammer VIP Experience

[txgold17]

Moondance 19 was my first, though it was not my first festival experience.....I have been to Rockfest in Wisconsin. I had reservations about Moondance since I discovered these festivals because of the location of the VIP section. FYI - I would never go to a festival unless they offered VIP. I agree with every positive post I've read here and certainly am not trying to start a war of words with anyone. I came to Moondance this year because of the direction Rockfest has taken musically. I know for many of you, it's about the party and the people and the campiing, and in my younger days I'd be right there with you. For me, it's about the music. The whole reason I travel from Dallas in July is too escape the heat and listen to good music.
So with the classic lineup Moondance offered this year compared to Rockfest's I chose Moondance. Comparing the VIP experience's between the two festivals, I have too say Rockfest is head and shoulders above Moondance; sorry guys...but that is my opinion. And I write this not to be negative, but in hopes that someone reads the board and takes note and maybe makes some changes. First, the location of the VIP section is horrible. Yes, I could see the stage clearly, but at Rockfest, the VIP location is assigned seating directly in front of the stage and most importantly, within the 2 columns of PA Speakers. Moondance is on the far right, outside the right column of PA speakers. I found the sound for a lot of the bands at Moondance very muddy. I have never heard a bad mix at Rockfest. Of course I have heard bands at Rockfest play poorly, Vince Neil's singing of Motley Crue comes to mind, but the mix was always good. I think being outside the speakers caused this. I also found it a hassle to have to go through the first come, first seve for a seat at Moondance. We met some people the first night and wanted to sit with them again. We agreed that whoever got their first Friday would save two seats for the other. Well, we got there first and caught hell for holding the two seats since they didn't show up until 7ish. Assigned seating at Rockfest eliminates this problem. Now to the other VIP perk - the food. This was more or less a joke at Moondance when compared to Rockfest. First Rockfest has twice the number of VIP'ers, so there can't be a numbers excuse. Rockfest serves two meals AM and PM. AM has many choices such as build your own burger, pizza, etc. Serving style is buffet - i.e. you get what you want. Moondance offered appetizers and Dinner. You were served and for example, an appetizer they had was meatballs....limit 3. 3 Meatballs - really? Moondance dinner had 1 meat choice for 2 of the nights, the other night they had fish or chicken, a starch - either rice or potatoes and 1 veggie along with rolls, etc. and they stamped your VIP tag and you could only go through the dinner line once. Here is a sample of the AM/PM menu for one day at Rockfest:
Friday A.M.
Hot & BBQ Chicken Wings – Bacon Potato Frittata - Biscuits & Country Style Gravy - Pizza - "Build Your Own Burgers" - French Fries - Baked Beans
Salad Bar - Dessert Bar - Rolls - Coffee & Milk

Friday P.M.
Chef’s Carved Farmland Glazed Pit Ham - Wisconsin Fish & Seafood Buffet
Beer Battered & Cajun Cod - Deep Fried Shrimp – Tuscon Chicken Tenderloins
Augratin Potatoes with Ham - French Fries - Green Beans Almandine
Salad Bar - Dessert Bar - Rolls - Coffee & Milk


Honestly, Rockfest VIP blows Moondance VIP away. And the price, well when you consider 4 days of music vs 3 days Moondance has, the price is the same. So I get an assigned seat, closer to the stage with a much more robust choice of food and all I can eat. The only thing Moondance had VIP wise that was better was covered seating.....

Now, I hear Rockfest is going to a 50/50 Classic Rock lineup for 2011. Makes it a tough choice as I was looking to stay at the Casino down the street from Moondance next year which isn't an option at Rockfest. So I hope someone reconsiders the food menu at Moondance and relocates the seating to the front of the stage. Then there would be no decision for me to make......

[Davage]

txgold17 - The good people who put on Moondance Jam *do* get to hear our feedback through this forum, and I'm sure that they will take your criticism of the VIP area in a positive fashion and will take your comments into consideration. They want to build the best Jam that they can give, and they do that by keeping people happy. They will be glad that you took the time to send in your comments.

In my opinion, there are a couple of things that I hope NEVER change at Moondance Jam.

1 - The ability of EVERYBODY to get down front and Jam, no matter whether they bought the $90 advanced general admission ticket or the $695 Rock Star pass. I don't mind the VIP area sitting off to the side of the stage, because it is my choice to sit there off to the side, or go down to front-row centre. If there is a 3PM band playing, and the people from VIP aren't all in attendance, it would look pretty empty in front of the stage.

2 - The covered VIP area. It is the shelter from the extreme sun and rain. That is a BIG selling point for me, and txgold17 - you admit that it is something that beats the Wisconsin event. It would be next to impossible to have a covered area down in front of the stage, without blocking the view for people further back.

I have attended the Jam twice - and did the VIP route both times. I will be going VIP again next year! I basically look at it as pre-paying for my beer. I could buy a whole whack of Moondance tokens, and risk losing them, or I can just pre-pay for my drinks, and some food and not worry about running out of money or beer. I don't expect to be treated as 'royalty' in the VIP area with reserved seats, I just treat it as an option to pre-pay my for my booze and also to enjoy some shelter now and again.

[TOOL FAN]

txgold - good points made about VIP

I think Moondance has been puposely trying to be different from events like We Fest, etc, that have VIP assigned seating in front of those that buy the regular tickets. Many non-VIP'ers have told me they like the fact that they can get close to the stage and rock-out in the pit. My numerous experiences at We-fest led me to avoid that event after they kept adding more levels of VIP assigned seating and the regular ticket-holders kept getting pushed further away from the stage to the point that you could hardly see what was going on up there.

I like the terraced seating for Moondance. No, the sound isn't perfect at the side of the speaker towers, but I like having the unobstructed view from most of the VIP chairs. I don't really like the fact that many save seats in the first couple rows all afternoon and evening....only to show up for some of the later shows after the seats have been empty all afternoon. I often sit in the "saved" seats for as long as I feel I want, but others think they should not. If someone comes back for their seat, I usually move to another without much comment....unless they give me too much grief about "their" seat. If they complain too much, I suggest (nicely) that they go tell someone who cares.

I also like the covered seating for most of VIP. During 90+ degree days, one can seek the shade and not get as worn-down I I would if I sat in the sun all day. When it rains/storms, I like being able to get out of the weather for a while under the covered portion of VIP.

I hope you decide to try the Jam sometime in the future. The staff and owners sure try to give people the best experience possible. I know from experience that they listen to comments from anyone and also try to improve the Moondance experience each year.

[trekguy]

Don't look for VIP seating to be in front of the stage. A big plus for Moondance is the fact that if you ever want to be down front for a particular favorite band/artist, you can. No separated sections for those who have extra money to burn, and no half-empty areas in front of the stage... ever.

I've never done VIP, (don't do alcohol and don't really need fancy food), so I don't know what it sounds like in there... but I do know that the sound quality can be affected by the wind back where we sit. That may have been what you noticed?

[txgold17]

Very good replies....

From my experience when the early bands play and the crowds are thin you see basically the same thing whether there is a VIP section up front or not. At Moondance there is a gathering in front of the stage and then there is the lawn chair section. With a VIP section in front of the stage, there is the group of VIP people like myself who watches most of the performances, and then a gap until you get to the lawn chair section.

Assigned seating ends the hassles of saving seats...and at Rockfest we moved to the front when seats weren't taken for the early bands, only to move back to our assigned seat when the crowds filled in. I didn't like how it was handled at Moondance at all, one time I saved two seats and caught hell from someone. Not fun, not the experience I am looking for.

I can certainly understand those GA who love Moondance....And I would be fine with VIP to the side "IF" the VIP seats were inside the speaker columns. But they aren't, and the sound suffered. I love the covered aspect.....just bring the section in some. In fact, the VIP seats closest to the stage were awful/worthless seats because you couldn't see the bands due to the angle.

As for the food, loved the comment "I don't need fancy food"...trust me, there is no fancy food at any fest, they just give it fancy names. However, Moondance "portions" and variety of food choices have a lot to be desired. I am paying 3 to 4 times more than a GA ticket. I expect to get 3 to 4 times the value.

My post was hoping that Moondance could look at my comments, see if there were any solutions and make the VIP experience better.....if so, they will continue to get my business

[Deacon_Blooze]

Not to be a "meanie", but I'm with you Mr Tuttle.

[kocktail101]

I have never done VIP and probably never will. I dont drink much beer I bring mt favorite food to grill. This was our 6th year . I think if vip seating moved to frount of the stage I would never go again. I love to walk up frount and see the bands.I know there is a hell of a lot more General people then VIP. That would that general people make more $ for the jam then VIP . So please please do not put VIP seating in frount of the stage. Just my opinion. thanks

[The TyGuy]

I like the VIP area right where it is. I LOVE the fact that ANYONE can walk up to the front of the stage ANYTIME!!

[trekguy]

Yeah, maybe I should rephrase..." expensive" food instead of "fancy".

Looking at the prices, I'm not real sure how anyone justifies the cost of VIP. For the two of us, it would be an extra $200 per day! I think we'll stick with grilling steaks and dogs.... and Zona Rosa's.

Years ago, when I first saw the VIP seating area, I thought that it was kind of weird to be way over there... off to the side. But, the people I know that do/did VIP would get their food and drink over there, and then watch the bands from up front, or from the hill. There are times when it would be nice to have the cover, but it's definitely not the best place to view/hear the performances. Just my opinion, but I don't think it was ever intended or expected that the VIPers would even want to spend the entire time over there, but it seems that it has developed into that.... because if you leave your seat, even for a minute, you could lose it. A couple I know had VIP for the Jammin' Country...and they said that that was the case then too... and they really did not like that aspect of it.... the seat guarding thing.

Numbered seats assigned to each VIP pass would solve that problem. Maybe some incentive to buy early?? Those who buy early get the primo seats. And, you would always know where your place was, at any time throughout the 3/4 days. I think you would see more VIPers going back and forth from their seating to the hill or upfront too.

Just my $.02 from a GA.

[Chris]

This was my 6th year at the jam and 5th in a row doing VIP and I will continue to do it every year. I love the location of VIP and the fact anyone can make it to the front. I can't imagine a big gap for VIP in front of the stage. I watch the jam from many places during the jam and my favorite is from the skybox. I watched almost all the bands from the skybox, especially the early bands. I watched nearly 1/2 the sets from Tonic, Hoobastank, Buckcherry, The Smithereens, Don Felder, Blackberry Smoke, Black Stone Cherry, and Jonny Lang from the skybox. Then I would go back to VIP for a few songs and then go watch from the front of the stage with friends. I rarely had trouble getting close to the stage.

The only problem with the skybox is the DirectTV people blocked some of the view with their stage lighting but I'm guessing that will be gone in future years.

I don't buy VIP solely for the food. I do it for the covered seat if I want it, the skybox, the drinks, the chance for meet and greets, the snacks, and the meals. My guess is that the food will be looked at this year as that seems to be the #1 complaint from VIP this year. I would like to see the BBQ night and the Pork Prime Rib over the Beef Prime Rib. Those meals have been very good in the past. A type of buffet serving would also be good. Having servers slowed the lines down.

One more note on the location. Everyone deserves to be able to get to the front of the stage. Everyone! That creates the atmosphere that is so great at the jam. It brings out the best from the bands because the biggest fans from both GA and VIP can go right to the front and give their energy to the band so the band can give it right back to everyone in the crowd, from the front to the back.