VIP Meet and Greet with Def Leppard

For my ninth rock n roll roadtrip of 2018 I splurged and bought a VIP Meet and Greet package with Def Leppard.  I was going solo to this show so I thought, why not?  Everyone knows what a huge Vivian Campbell fan I am and that I co-admin a Riverdogs Fanpage  (​www.facebook.com/groups/RiverdogsBand/).  I have met Viv quite a few times but never have I done a fan meet and greet with Def Leppard even though I had met the band before.  I am a member of a few fan pages and one of the questions that gets asked a lot is what is a meet and greet like? So in this post I am going to talk about my experience at the Def Leppard show in Raleigh, North Carolina on June 5, 2018.​

I left for Raleigh mid morning driving an uneventful three hour and forty minutes from Virginia.  I checked into my hotel and got changed.  I had bought a pair of Chuck Taylor Converse with the Union Jack on them and also had my vintage Def Leppard "women" shirt that I had purchased at my first Def Leppard show in 1988 when I was just 13 years old.  I arrived at the PNC Arena about 30 minutes before the scheduled meet and greet time, which was 4:45.  I parked close by under a tree (it was a scorcher) and proceeded to tailgate with a couple who was seeing Def Leppard for the first time in over 35 years!  At 4:35 I walked over to the appointed meeting place and got in line.  It was well organized and they began to let us in early.  One thing that you should know is that you have to have ID and be the purchaser on record to be able to pick up your meet and greet packages. After I got my swag bag, ticket to the show and lanyard pass, we were let into the lobby area where we were allowed to shop the merch.  What I loved is that Def Leppard was doing soundcheck at this time.  So, while we couldn't get a peek at them, we were able to hear them play.  The VIP package included a set of vintage postcards, a luggage tag, a passport holder, a signed Hysteria poster and a large canvas tote. It was a lot of loot! And NO, you can't leave to take it to your car.  Once you are in, you are in for the night! 

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VIP Merch minus the signed poster.

Look, no line for the merch table!

An empty arena! Waiting for my turn on stage!

The Kit!

Vivian Campbell's Guitars. Took this photo coming off stage.

Group Photos on Stage!

After some time in the lobby listening to soundcheck, checking out the merch, meeting other fans and ordering beverages, we were let into the main floor of the arena in order to get group photos taken.  This was fun and everyone was very excited. I would imagine that there were about 60-70 people who were doing the meet and greet at this show.  They took about 15 people at a time up on the stage to take a photo in front of Rick Allen's Drum Kit.  The first group photo was a serious pose and the other was a fun rock star pose! On the way down from the stage I managed to get a shot of Vivian's guitars in their case.  

Our group photo!

Having a good time!

Lot's of backstage activity!

After the group photo we were led to an area in the back of the arena.  This was the working part of the arena.  I even caught a glimpse of Vivian Campbell's guitar tech Wolfie!  While waiting backstage there was a raffle for all the VIP Meet and Greet people (we were all given a raffle ticket with our merch) and the winner was a lovely lady and her friend.  They got to sit side stage for the first two songs of the show!  The crowd was very excited and chatty while waiting.  It was like a group of old friends who had come together for a visit! While in line I also saw Phil Collen's two youngest daughter's with their Mom hanging out backstage.  

Both the PNC Arena and Def Leppard staff were amazing.  There was a young man who was watching our purses and merch so that we didn't have to carry them into the photo.  He was funny and kind to a bunch of nervous nellies.  Finally it was my turn.  I walked around the corner and Rick Savage was there.  I was a bit tongue tied but said Hi Sav and shook his hand.  Next to him stood Vivian who was smiling and said Hi to me. I leaned in and got a hug from him.  Next was Joe.  I showed them all my shoes and told them that I had bought my shirt thirty years ago.  I shook hands and said Hi to Phil and Rick while still talking about my shirt with Joe.  Joe kept talking even while we were getting the picture taken.  He told me how well the shirt had held up all these years and I said something like yeah, almost as good as all of us.  The meet and greet goes by fast, but I did not feel rushed at all.  Def Leppard has a wonderful photographer, Valerie, who takes the photos.  They are then posted for you about a week after the show.  The photos are good quality.

After the meet and greet was over, I went and found a Def Leppard beer (which was only on tap in Raleigh) and my seat.  I realized that the woman sitting in front of me was familiar and so I introduced myself.  It turns out we know each other from the Riverdogs Fan Page and another fan page that I am on.  We are in the group photo together as well! It was good to meet you Kelpie! It is always good to meet people from our online support groups!  I also got to see my other concert friends Liz, Cat and Louise.  One of the perks of doing the meet and greet is that my seat was in the second row.  I was on Vivian's side of the stage, right in front of him.  I changed into my Riverdogs tank so that I didn't get my vintage Lep shirt all sweaty.  

The Concert was amazing as always.  Viv tossed me a guitar pick (or three, haha).  He is always good to me like that.  The next day my friend sent me a message to check out Journey's Instagram account (they are on tour with Lep right now and played after Lep did).  Low and behold there I was! Entranced by the music from the looks of it. 

​Journey played a great set to close out the night.  After the show I headed to the local McDonald's for a night cap and made it back to my hotel in one piece.  The next day I was still on my concert high as I made my way home to Virginia.  It was another great rock n roll roadtrip! 

Shoot me a message if you have any questions about the meet and greet! I am happy to share my experience! 

Louise and I.

Phil is 60!

Viv.

Sav.

Viv.

Joe.

Viv and Rick.

Me??? Thx Journey!