Osmonds Galore

I bought one of the VIP packages for my Osmonds 50th Anniversary concert in Cardiff on 28th May because I knew I could only attend this one concert and it was the last time we would see all The Osmonds together in the UK, so I felt it was worth the money of just under £300. Which gave me a ticket in the first 15 rows (hmmm more about that in a moment), exclusive gift, Meet and Greet with The Osmonds.

Put my text here - Look! It can make a list with a picture next to it:

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed the experience but that was all down to the Osmonds themselves, for instance the Q&A session was hilarious as they all joked and messed about with each other, priceless to watch them interact just like normal siblings do LOL (and of course I know they are normal but we don't get to see that side of thing as fans do we?):

However, this topic is not about that side of things and more about whether we think the VIP packages are worth it. I received lots of emails to my "Osmonds Galore" blog saying how dissatisfied people were with the packages considering how much they cost and also some of my guest authors pointed this out in their fan reviews, eg:


Susan McFarlane

The VIP package was disappointing however. I certainly did not feel like a VIP. I would have preferred there to be less people there, so we could have spent more quality time with the Osmonds themselves. Also, the information letter I had received stated that we could take photos when we met them which was not the case. This will need to be amended as it was extremely disappointing. We did not have any mingle time but again it was because there were too many of us there. I was not given any information about the VIP lounge and there did not seem to be anyone in attendance as was also stated on the letter. I would not fault the Osmonds themselves for ANYTHING. They are all very gracious, lovely, down to earth, kind and special people.

My two major problems with them are:

• Tickets, well I got row 12, I think this should be a ticket in the first four rows at this price!


• Way too many packages sold to make even more profit which means your "Actual" time talking to the artist is roughly 30 seconds, what can you say in that time to your idol? Not a lot I'm guessing, perhaps something along the lines of "errr, splutter, errr, bye" and then your moved on!

From a personal point of view I know I have been very lucky in the past 5 years meeting Donny lots of times and being able to have a decent conversation with him (none of which cost me anything other than time perhaps waiting around). BUT I feel sooo bad for those lifelong fans who have never met their idol, who probably scrimped and saved to buy this package and then to finally meet them (nervously of course, so you can barely form sentences or think coherently) and then find your not allowed even a full minute to say something at least sensible to this person whom you will probably never meet again!

To be honest it incenses me because as far as I can see all that is simply down to LiveNation selling too many VIP packages..

VIP Means "very important person" - things that make you go "hmmmmmm"

So I would like to hear from anyone else who has experience of these VIP packages, of course other Osmond fans but also anyone else, what's your opinion? hey, even if you have not ever bought one, what's your opinion of them now?

Like most lifelong Osmond fans will tell you, it now goes beyond being just a fan..

If you think about it you can see why, I am 48, Donny is 50, I have lived a full life so far, sometimes painful and sometimes joyous and I know the same is true for Donny (and the rest of his family).

We have both been (or are still in Donny's case) married, raised kids, are Grandparents. You get the gist I am sure. We have been around the block one way or another and are probably still on another ride round it, who isn't?

I became an Osmond fan in 1972, I was 12, Donny was 14 - bless our cotton socks, mere babes we were. For a 12 year old girl to like a pop star is nothing new or different BUT most fans of pop stars fall away as their lives evolve, but this is not true of "most" Osmond fans, indeed as we have got on with our lives we fans have also watched The Osmonds grow-up, marry and have kids, we have taken much inspiration from the way they have lived their lives and we have also gained many valuable lifelong friends through our liking of The Osmonds.

I guess what I am trying to say, in a veryyyy long winded way is we have grown up together and as such, even though The Osmonds may not know each and every one of us intimately we all feel like we know them and that now they are a part of our family.

The Osmonds themselves do realize this and it is evident every time they meet up with a fan or "Friend" as they like to often refer to us because not only do they make time, they treat us with respect and make us feel like a friend and not just a ticket to success.

Another way this has come about was from their darling parents, Olive and George Osmond, we the long time Osmond fans never refer to them that way, we always call them either Mother or Father or sometimes Mother Osmond or Father Osmond and this is because The Osmonds and George and Olive wanted it this way.

I also heard stories from the 70's in London whereby Mother and Father Osmond would keep an eye on, give advise to, help when they thought it was needed if they ran across fans out late at night in London for instance, all kinds of things.

It's those kinds of things that make your "Osmond Fan" a totally different animal from your normal fan of a pop group.

Anyway, this is my first lens post so please forgive me if I bored you with it, it was just some important thoughts I wanted to get across.

Sue